Attention all boat operators in Alabama, including those from Tennessee and beyond a new law is on the horizon that you should be aware of.
Starting October 1, 2024, individuals who do not reside in Alabama must possess either (A) a valid boater safety certification or vessel operator’s certification from their home state, or (B) a Nonresident Alabama Boater Safety Certification, adhering to the same requirements as those for Alabama residents.
In the past, individuals not residing in Alabama were allowed to operate a boat for a maximum of 45 days each year without needing to secure a vessel operator’s license. The end of those days is approaching fast.
According to Chief Matt Brooks with the Alabama Marine Patrol, effective Oct. 1, “Tennessee residents must have a TWRA-issued Boating Safety Certificate in their possession and a valid Tennessee state-issued identification such as a driver license or ID card to prove out of state residency. Or they must have an Alabama Non-Resident Boater Safety Certification. The course taken must be the Alabama-specific course approved by our Division. There is an online course that we approved offered through boat-ed.com and then we also approve in-person classes taught by our troopers, the Coast Guard Auxiliary and America’s Boating Club (formerly the U.S. Power Squadron). Once you have earned that certificate, you can go to any license examiner’s office in Alabama, present the required documents (which include your certificate of completion from your boating safety course) and obtain the license at that time.”
Tennessee residents who operate boats and were born after January 1, 1989, are required to possess the TWRA-issued wallet Boating Safety Education Certificate at this time. The wallet card provides coverage in Alabama, but it is essential to have it with you. If you were born in Tennessee before January 1, 1985, even though it’s not mandatory in Tennessee, you will still need to obtain your certification in Alabama and adhere to Chief Brooks’ directives.
A one-time application fee of $5.00 is required, along with a $36.25 issuance fee for the license.
Alabama Representative Ginny Shaver (R-Leesburg) expressed to Birmingham TV station WIAT, “We require Alabama residents to have a vessel license before operating, so it only seems fair that we require out-of-state operators to have the same safety.”
