Maryland casts the widest net of any state covered here. Its cutoff reaches back to 1 July 1972, and unlike almost every other state there is no horsepower floor underneath it — if the vessel has a motor, the rule applies.
| Who needs it | born on or after 1 July 1972 |
| Applies to | any motorized vessel, with no horsepower floor |
| What it is called | Maryland Certificate of Boating Safety Education |
| Issued by | Maryland Department of Natural Resources |
| Horsepower threshold | None — any motorized vessel is covered |
| Classroom course length | Minimum 8 hours |
| Pass mark | 80% on the final exam |
BoatTests101 runs a Maryland-approved course you can take at your own pace and finish in an afternoon. We may earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Start the Maryland courseNo. Maryland's requirement covers any motorized vessel, so a small outboard that would fall under the threshold in most states is still in scope here.
Anyone born before 1 July 1972. That cutoff is the earliest of any state on this site, so the exemption covers a much smaller group than it does elsewhere.
At least eight hours of instruction, with a final exam that must be passed at 80% before the Certificate of Boating Safety Education is issued.
A licence makes you legal to operate. It tells you nothing about the boat itself. Run the hull number free — it decodes the builder and model year, and flags any US Coast Guard recall campaign on record for that manufacturer.