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Home > Take Me Fishing Blog > December 2019 > Do You Need a License to Rent a Boat? How to Find Out
Whether you are thinking of heading off on a family beach vacation or want to rent a boat to explore your home waters, you will need to find out about the boat rental law or laws that apply. You should know that the answer to the question, "Do you need a license to rent a boat?" will be different for each state, so make sure you check when planning your adventures on the water.
You can read up on the difference between a boating license versus boat registration first, and then use these resources to find out about state laws as they apply to boat rentals.
Getting back to the question of what states do you need a boat license, in other words do you need a license to rent a boat in some states? Yes, most states do require a boating safety and education certificate, which may also be referred to as a boating license. In many cases, a boat license course can be completed online -- just don't forget that hands-on training and experience on the water is important too!
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Debbie Hanson is an award-winning outdoor writer, women’s sport fishing advocate, IGFA world record holder, and freshwater guide living in Southwest Florida. Hanson’s written work has appeared in publications such as Florida Game & Fish Magazine, BoatUS Magazine, and USA Today Hunt & Fish. To learn more about her work, visit shefishes2.com or follow her on Instagram @shefishes2.
The largemouth bass is the most popular freshwater game fish in the U.S. Learn more about how you can identify a largemouth bass, where to catch it and what bait and lures to use.
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