Missouri · Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division · checked Oct 14, 2026
Do you need a boating license in Missouri?
Missouri requires a Boater Safety Card or driver’s-license safety endorsement to operate motorized boats or sailboats over 12 feet. The rule covers people born after January 1, 1984, and before January 1, 2006, on Missouri lakes, and those born on or after January 1, 2006, on Missouri waters.
Missouri · rent and drive yourself
Card needed if born after Jan 1, 1984
Temporary certificate for renters, valid 7 days.
Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division · checked Oct 14, 2026
Reading the chartfigures = the answer for your choices in each state · grey = not verified with the agency
Anyone born after January 1, 1984, and before January 1, 2006, operating a motorized boat or sailboat over 12' on Missouri lakes, and anyone born on or after January 1, 2006, operating these vessels on Missouri waters, must carry a NASBLA-approved boater safety card or a safety endorsement on their driver’s license.
Renting
Temporary certificate for renters, valid 7 days
Agency
A company that rents boats may issue a temporary boating safety identification card for operating the rented boat for up to seven days, if the renter meets the minimum operating age.
Card
Boater Safety Card
Min. age
any boat 14
Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division · checked Oct 14, 2026
Visitors and sources
If you are from elsewhere
From another state or country
NASBLA-approved safety cards from other states are accepted if the course is NASBLA approved and the card is carried on board.
mshp.dps.missouri.gov
Visitors
The boater education law applies to out-of-state residents operating applicable vessels in Missouri; valid NASBLA cards from their own state are accepted.
mshp.dps.missouri.gov
Agency pages read
mshp.dps.missouri.gov · checked Oct 14, 2026
revisor.mo.gov · checked Oct 14, 2026
nasbla.org · checked Oct 14, 2026
What you need to rent
A Missouri rental company may issue a temporary boating safety identification card for the rented boat for up to seven consecutive days if you meet the minimum operating age. The Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division explains these requirements; the agency rules were checked on Oct 14, 2026.
Applicants for a temporary card must complete a boating safety checklist. The issuer must be able to submit applicant information and payment electronically. Ask your rental company whether it issues the card and what you need to bring; do not assume your booking includes it.
Missouri’s minimum age to operate a motorized vessel without an adult aboard is 14. A child under 14 may operate only with an adult aboard and must have a boater safety card. Ask separately about the company’s booking-age and identification policies, and compare local costs on Lake of the Ozarks boat rental prices.
How to get your safety card
The Water Patrol Division issues Missouri’s Boater Safety Card and charges $15.00 per card, as checked on Oct 14, 2026. A classroom course conducted by a marine trooper has no course fee. The agency also names Boat-Ed as an approved online course provider, which charges a course fee.
There is no age limit for taking the education course, but the person taking it must be able to understand the material. Ask the Water Patrol Division or approved provider about the exam and completion requirements before enrolling. A permanent card is valid for life unless invalidated.
If you lose your card, you can order a replacement online for $15 per replacement card and receive a temporary permit for immediate use. After an online card order, the permit is generated and emailed; temporary permits are valid for seven consecutive days. Physical cards typically arrive by mail in 1–2 weeks.
Visitors and out-of-state safety cards
Missouri’s boater education law also applies to out-of-state residents operating the covered vessels. The Water Patrol Division accepts safety cards from other states when the course is NASBLA approved and you carry the card aboard. Use the boating license checker to compare requirements, and confirm your particular credential with the division before renting.
A valid master’s, mate’s, or operator’s license issued by the US Coast Guard fulfills Missouri’s education requirement. For a Canadian or other foreign credential, ask the Water Patrol Division whether it qualifies before relying on it.
Notes
Questions people ask
Note AIs a Missouri boat license called a Boater Safety Card?
Yes. The Water Patrol Division calls the education document a Boater Safety Card; a safety endorsement on your driver’s license also satisfies the requirement.
Note BCan I rent a boat without a permanent Missouri boating license?
A rental company may issue a temporary boating safety identification card for the rented boat if you meet the minimum operating age. It is valid for up to seven consecutive days, and a boating safety checklist is required.
Note CCan someone under 14 drive a boat in Missouri?
A child under 14 may operate only with an adult aboard and must have a boater safety card. Rental booking policies are separate; see boat rental and driving age requirements and ask the company who may operate its boat.
Note DDoes Missouri accept another state’s boating safety card?
Yes, if the course is NASBLA approved and you carry the card aboard. Visiting from another state does not remove Missouri’s education requirement.
Sources
Where these facts come from
Each fact on this page comes from one of these pages. Operators change rates and rules; check the date and confirm the total with the operator before you pay.
mshp.dps.missouri.gov — Boater Education Law FAQ · checked Oct 14, 2026
