Take an Official State-Approved Boater Safety Course
Quick answer: If you were born on or after January 1, 1986 (and you’re old enough to legally operate the type of boat you’ll be using), Arkansas requires you to complete an approved Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) boater education course and carry proof of completion while operating on Arkansas waters. To get your Arkansas boater education card, choose an approved course, complete it and pass the final exam, then keep your card/certificate with you when you boat.
Start by selecting a boater education course that is approved by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC). Arkansas offers multiple formats, including free instructor-led classes and approved online options. If you’re unsure whether a course counts, verify approval through AGFC before you enroll.
Finish all course lessons and pass the final exam. Arkansas instructor-led classes typically end with a test, and approved online courses require you to complete course content and pass an exam to earn proof of completion.
After you pass, you’ll receive proof of completion (a boater education card/certificate). In Arkansas, the boater education card is generally valid for life, but you must carry proof while operating when the requirement applies. If you lose your card, replacement options are available through the state’s replacement process.
Arkansas allows approved online boater education. Online courses are popular for self-paced learning and typically provide a completion certificate after you pass the exam. Course fees can vary, so confirm the current price and what proof you’ll receive before purchasing.
Arkansas also offers free, instructor-led boater education classes that include classroom instruction and hands-on demonstration. These classes are often scheduled as multiple evenings or a full-day session and end with a test.
Yes. Arkansas honors valid boater education certificates issued by other states for nonresidents when the underlying boating education course is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA). If the Arkansas education requirement applies to you, carry your out-of-state card/certificate while operating.
If you’re visiting Arkansas and you were born on or after January 1, 1986, you may be able to meet Arkansas’s education requirement by carrying a valid out-of-state boater education card from a NASBLA-approved course. Arkansas law also provides for a temporary boater education certificate option that is valid for 30 days for eligible residents or nonresidents by completing a questionnaire developed by the state.
In Arkansas, anyone born on or after January 1, 1986, and of legal operating age must have successfully completed an approved AGFC boater education course and carry proof while operating a motorboat or sailboat on Arkansas waters. Arkansas law also establishes education requirements tied to operating motorboats and personal watercraft for certain operators born on or after January 1, 1986.
Arkansas has age and supervision rules for operating certain vessels:
Because the boater education requirement applies to people “of legal age to operate,” make sure you meet both the education requirement (if you’re in the covered birth group) and the age/supervision rules for the type of vessel you plan to operate.
Yes—if you were born on or after January 1, 1986 and you’re of legal age to operate, Arkansas requires you to complete an approved AGFC boater education course and carry proof while operating on Arkansas waters (including when operating a motorboat or sailboat, per AGFC guidance).
Arkansas’s education requirement applies once you’re old enough to legally operate the vessel. For motorboats with 10 horsepower or more, the operating minimum is generally 12 (or supervised by an adult at least 18). For personal watercraft, the unsupervised minimum is generally 16, with supervised operation allowed at younger ages under Arkansas rules. Course providers may allow students to take the course earlier, but you must follow Arkansas’s operating-age and supervision rules on the water.
Costs depend on the course format you choose. Arkansas offers free instructor-led classes, and AGFC also lists approved online course options that have fees. If you need a replacement boater education card, there may be a small replacement fee. Always confirm current pricing and any optional card fees before you enroll.
Yes. Arkansas offers approved online boater education options. If you choose an approved online course and pass the final exam, you’ll receive proof of completion you can carry when boating.
