Starting on July 1, 2025, a new Minnesota law will require both adults and youth who operate motorboats, including personal watercraft, to have a valid watercraft operator's permit. This law is designed to make boating safer by ensuring everyone operating a motorized watercraft knows the rules and is properly trained.
This law is being phased in over the next few years:
- Anyone born after June 30, 2004 will need to be certified by July 1, 2025
- Anyone born after June 30, 2000 will need to be certified by July 1, 2026
- Anyone born after June 30, 1996 will need to be certified by July 1, 2027
- Anyone born after June 30, 1987 will need to be certified by July 1, 2028
The SLA along with the Scott County Sheriff’s Office strongly encourage all boaters to take and pass the available on-line boating training. The Boat Certificate Training website is: https://www.boaterexam.com/usa/minnesota
To further support this initiative, any paid 2025 SLA Family Member who emails a copy of their permit to Board.SLA@gmail.com by August 1, 2025 will be eligible for a drawing for one of ten $50 VISA Gift Cards.