An online boater safety course from Kalkomey, an official state-delegated provider, that earns the state boater education card in nearly every state.
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Boater Safety Certification · Utah
Boater Safety Certification courses in Utah
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Boater Safety Certification in Utah: what to know
3 boater safety certification providers serve Utah. A boater safety course covers the navigation rules, right-of-way, and emergency basics most states require before you operate a motorized boat. Most are NASBLA-approved and finish online in a few hours.
A boater safety course teaches the rules, navigation, and emergency basics most states require before you operate a motorized boat. Most are NASBLA-approved and can be completed online in a few hours.
After passing, you receive a boater education card that is generally accepted across states. It is the entry-level credential for recreational boaters and the most common reason people search for a class.
Before enrolling, check Utah's boating license requirements and confirm any course is accepted by the state. BoatingClasses.com is an independent directory — always verify current rules with Utah's official boating agency.
Effective January 1, 2027
What changes for Utah boaters on January 1, 2027?
On January 1, 2027, Utah starts requiring everyone who operates a motorboat or sailboat on state waters to complete a new annual watercraft operator safety course and carry proof of completion. Until that date, Utah’s only boater education requirement is the lifetime personal watercraft certificate for operators ages 12 to 17.
What the new Utah requirement does
- H.B. 54 was signed by Governor Cox on March 25, 2026 and enacts a new section of the Utah boating code, 73-18-15.6, "Watercraft operator safety course." It takes effect January 1, 2027. — Utah Governor’s 2026 signed-bills list
- The requirement covers motorboats and sailboats: the section defines "watercraft" as "a motorboat or sailboat." — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(1)
- It is an annual course, not a one-time card. An operator must complete it once every calendar year, and proof of completion expires the day after December 31 of the year it was earned. — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(4), (6)(b)
- You must have proof of completion for the current calendar year in your immediate possession while operating. — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(7)
- Renters are handled separately: a livery may not rent a watercraft unless the renter shows current-year proof, or the livery gives the renter a safety briefing that the Division of Outdoor Recreation will define by rule. A renter who receives that briefing is excepted from the carry-proof requirement. — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(7), (9), (10)
- An individual who operates a watercraft without current-year proof is guilty of an infraction. — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(11)
- The course is built by the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, which must make it completable "in less than 20 minutes on average." The Division says it expects the course to take around 20 minutes. — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(2), (5); Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation
- It absorbs the aquatic invasive species education Utah boaters already do annually: the course must carry the AIS information needed to satisfy Utah Code 23A-10-304(4), and the Division says the AIS content is included "so boaters only have to take one course." — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(3)(d); Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation
What does not change
- The youth personal watercraft certificate is untouched. Operators ages 12 to 17 still need the separate Utah-approved PWC course, and completing the new annual course does not satisfy it. — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(8), referring to 73-18-15.2
- Paddlers are outside the new requirement. It reaches motorboats and sailboats only, so kayaks, canoes and paddleboards are not covered by it — but the annual mussel-aware boater course still applies to anyone launching any watercraft in Utah, non-motorized included. — Utah Code 73-18-15.6(1); Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
- The aquatic invasive species program fee for motorized boats is a separate charge and is not changed by H.B. 54: $20 per watercraft for residents and $25 for non-residents. — Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
- Nothing in H.B. 54 changes which NASBLA-approved courses Utah accepts, or the value of holding a NASBLA-approved boater education card for reciprocity when you boat in other states. — Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, boating education
What Utah has not published yet
- What the course will cost, if anything. H.B. 54 appropriates no money and sets no fee, and the Division of Outdoor Recreation has not yet published the course or a price (checked 2026-09-22).
- How and where proof of completion will be issued and carried — the Division has not yet published the course platform (checked 2026-09-22).
- The content of the livery safety-briefing rule, which the Division must still make under Title 63G, Chapter 3 (checked 2026-09-22).
This section describes a law that is not yet in force. Until January 1, 2027, the current Utah rules above still govern. Confirm the details with the state before you operate — BoatingClasses.com is an independent directory, not a government or certifying body.
Not sure you're ready for Utah's rules? Find out before it counts.
Take our free readiness check — real NASBLA/USCG questions on navigation rules, lights, and distress signals — and see exactly what you don't know before you enroll.
Best boater safety certification providers for Utah
Featured and top-rated providers first.
Online NASBLA-approved boater safety courses for many US states (and a Canadian option), issuing the required boater education card.
OnlineFrom $34.95NASBLA-approved
A free, NASBLA-approved online boating safety course from the nonprofit BoatUS Foundation.
OnlineFrom $0NASBLA-approved
Safety gear Utah boaters need aboard
A boater safety course covers the rules; this is the equipment that has to be on board when you follow them. Four of these five are federal requirements. Confirm what applies to your boat with the U.S. Coast Guard and Utah's boating agency.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Buying through these links costs you nothing extra, and it never affects which courses we recommend — see our affiliate disclosure.
USCG-approved life jackets
One properly fitted, Coast Guard-approved wearable life jacket is required for every person aboard.
Shop on AmazonEngine cut-off switch lanyard
On a boat under 26 feet, federal law requires the operator to use the engine cut-off link whenever the boat is on plane or above displacement speed — unless the main helm is inside an enclosed cabin. U.S. Coast Guard
Shop on AmazonThrowable flotation device
A Type IV cushion or ring buoy to toss to someone in the water — required on most boats 16 feet and longer.
Shop on AmazonMarine fire extinguisher
Required on boats with a permanently installed fuel tank or any space that can trap fumes. The label must read "Marine Type — USCG Approved", and since April 2022 a disposable extinguisher more than 12 years past its stamped date is expired. U.S. Coast Guard
Shop on AmazonWhistle or marine air horn
An audible signalling device so you can warn other vessels and signal in reduced visibility.
Shop on Amazon
Building a full kit? Read the complete new boater essentials checklist — ten items, what the law requires, and what is simply worth having.
Boater Safety Certification in Utah — FAQ
- Where can I take boater safety certification courses in Utah?
- Compare the boater safety certification providers listed above. Some offer fully online courses open to Utah residents; others teach in person. Confirm any course is accepted in Utah and fits your goals before you enroll.
- Do you need a license for boater safety certification in Utah?
- Not birth-year based — youth PWC certification (ages 12–17); adults exempt. See our Utah boating license page for the full breakdown.
- Can I take boater safety certification online in Utah?
- Many boater safety certification options are available online to Utah residents, while hands-on formats are taught locally. Each provider card above shows its format, so you can pick what fits and verify it meets Utah's requirements before enrolling.
- Will Utah require a boating license in 2027?
- Not a license, but from January 1, 2027 anyone operating a motorboat or sailboat in Utah must complete a state watercraft operator safety course every calendar year and carry proof while operating. Operating without current-year proof is an infraction. The separate youth PWC certificate for ages 12 to 17 still applies.
- Does the new Utah boating course replace the mussel-aware course?
- For motorboat and sailboat operators it folds the two together: the new annual course must include the aquatic invasive species material, so the Division of Outdoor Recreation says boaters take one course instead of two. Paddlers on kayaks, canoes and paddleboards are outside the new rule and still take the annual mussel-aware course.
- Do you need the Utah safety course to rent a boat in 2027?
- Not necessarily. From January 1, 2027 a livery may rent to you either on proof that you completed the annual course this calendar year, or after giving you a safety briefing set by state rule. If you take the briefing instead, you are excepted from having to carry course proof.
Sources (7)
Every factual claim on this page traces to one of these. The date is when we last checked it against the source.
- U.S. Coast Guard — checked 2026-09-22
- U.S. Coast Guard — checked 2026-09-22
- Utah Code 73-18-15.6(1) — checked 2026-09-22
- Utah Code 73-18-15.6(1); Utah Division of Wildlife Resources — checked 2026-09-22
- Utah Code 73-18-15.6(2), (5); Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation — checked 2026-09-22
- Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, boating education — checked 2026-09-22
- Utah Governor’s 2026 signed-bills list — checked 2026-09-22
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