Pennsylvania splits its rule in two. On a motorboat the certificate is required only if you were born on or after 1 January 1982 and the engine is over 25 hp. On a personal watercraft there is no birth-date escape at all — every operator needs it, whatever their age.
| Who needs it | born on or after 1 January 1982 — and every PWC operator, at any age |
| Applies to | motorboats over 25 hp, or any personal watercraft |
| What it is called | Pennsylvania Boating Safety Education Certificate |
| Issued by | Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission |
| Motorboat rule | Born on or after 1 January 1982, engine over 25 hp |
| Personal watercraft rule | Every operator, regardless of date of birth |
| Temporary certificate | Valid 60 days while the permanent card is posted |
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Start the Pennsylvania courseNot to operate a motorboat. The exemption does not extend to personal watercraft: Pennsylvania requires the certificate from every PWC operator no matter when they were born.
More than 25 hp for motorboats, which is the highest motorboat threshold of any state covered on this site. Personal watercraft are covered regardless of power.
Four to six weeks. The temporary certificate issued on passing covers you for 60 days in the meantime.
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.