Clarification on NJ boating regulations...

[Rick-D]

You sure you don't have them backwards?

[shrimpman steve]

The "New Jersey license" may be referring to the boat endorsement on your drivers license. I know in nj you must have a boater endorsement on drivers license for non tidal. This may be where the confusion is.

[Capt. Debbie]

The NJ law is a Boating Safety course from your home state or elsewhere. Not you comply with the law from your home state. That's the mis read

Originally Posted by bulletbob

Capt Frank.. The NY course is not required at all unless you were born after May 1 , 1996. so I am fulfilling the requirements of my home state. its a personal watercraft course, not a boating course, unless something has changed drastically in the past few years. I am not required to have anything at all in my home state.. Also, I was told that the NJ boaters "license" was NOT needed in tidal waters, only inland non tidal waters, including creeks and rivers.. This comes straight from the NJ Marine Police.. Now I am more confused than ever... bob

[Capt. Debbie]

The State Police course is a Boating Safety CERTIFICATE . Not a license. That's the crap endorse later ( if you need it at all).

Originally Posted by bulletbob

Just went to this NJ. gov website...http://www.nj.gov/dep/fgw/pdf/boat_resource_guide.pdf

It states right in black and white with big arrows pointing to it that the "boating license", is NOT needed in tidal waters at all.. Only non tidal waters,,,
Perhaps NJ is vague about this on purpose so that thousands of salt water anglers with boats will go pay for something that is NOT required... Not sure of anything on this subject anymore, but we will find out what happens if I get boarded I guess... bob

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by shrimpman steve

The "New Jersey license" may be referring to the boat endorsement on your drivers license. I know in nj you must have a boater endorsement on drivers license for non tidal. This may be where the confusion is.

You are correct Steve, as is Capt. Frank.. Seems the officer I spoke with doesn't know his ass from a stove pipe.

back to square one I guess.. Since I will be on tidal water only and I don't need a "license" I will ask specifically ask if I need a certificate, as I don't need one in NY because we don't have one,, It simply doesn't make sense that NJ would not allow out of state boaters to use their boats[and money] there, but who knows???... bob

[Charlie B]

The boat licence and the safety certificate are two different things. The boat licence is only needed in NJ to run a power boat on non tidal waters. The safety certificate is needed to run a power boat in all NJ waters. For out of state boaters if you have a certificate from your home state that meets certain requirements you can use that for a certain amount of time in NJ. I don't know for sure but there may be some exceptions to the rules like for rental boats but for the most part in NJ you need the certificate for all waters. And in non tidal waters you also need the boat licence which is an endorsement on your regular drivers licence. Which by the way you cannot get without the safety certificate...Charlie

[Capt. Debbie]

Spot on!

NJ wants to see you have some kind of training from somewhere. NASBLA is the country wide standard for content approval.

Even Livery boats are supposed to give training if you have no Certificate whether NJ or NY or not rent to you. Yea I know no one does that YET. They will soon.


NJ had enough clueless idiots on the water with Certificates. NJ it does not needless clueless out of staters adding to our home grown reckless boaters.

Visitors need a Certificate - stay more than 9 days and you need an NJ Boater Safety Certificate.

Originally Posted by Charlie B

The boat licence and the safety certificate are two different things. The boat licence is only needed in NJ to run a power boat on non tidal waters. The safety certificate is needed to run a power boat in all NJ waters. For out of state boaters if you have a certificate from your home state that meets certain requirements you can use that for a certain amount of time in NJ. I don't know for sure but there may be some exceptions to the rules like for rental boats but for the most part in NJ you need the certificate for all waters. And in non tidal waters you also need the boat licence which is an endorsement on your regular drivers licence. Which by the way you cannot get without the safety certificate...Charlie

[bulletbob]

So bottom line, In my state NY, the legal requirement has been met simply by my age.. I have no need to carry a certificate in Sandy Hook, Raritan Bay or along the entire coastline of NJ if I launch out of Great Kills, or anywhere along the NY/LI coastline.. I am 100% in compliance unless I launch at Leonardo or AH in NJ, and then I instantly become a criminal I guess... According to the officer I spoke with at the Carteret State Marine Police office I am fine using a boat as a visitor to NJ as I have met the requirements in my own state.. Someone somewhere must have a definitive answer to this question.. I was convinced I was ok by the NJ State Marine Police.. Now I am no longer sure... I was told by this officer that visitors with boats were welcome to boat in NJ as long as they met the requirements of their home state.
It makes no sense that NJ would not allow visitors with boats to use the water resources of NJ... I'll look into this further before bringing my boats down ... bob

[Charlie B]

I don't think it matters where you launch the boat. If you are in NJ waters you are under NJ laws. Now your chances of being boarded are kind of slim and even if you are so long as every thing else is in order they may let you slide. Do you want to take the chance? It's up to you...Charlie

[Capt. Debbie]

Hopefully this trooper is the one who boards you. LOL Perhaps we can test this theory of law... when you going out next in NJ and what's the boat registration? LMAO

Or maybe just go to the NJSP Marine Bureau website and see what it says...

What State Police Marine Bureau Barracks in Cartaret? The Sea Bright NJSP marine bureau guys come out of Newark Bay.

Originally Posted by bulletbob

So bottom line, In my state NY, the legal requirement has been met simply by my age.. I have no need to carry a certificate in Sandy Hook, Raritan Bay or along the entire coastline of NJ if I launch out of Great Kills, or anywhere along the NY/LI coastline.. I am 100% in compliance unless I launch at Leonardo or AH in NJ, and then I instantly become a criminal I guess... According to the officer I spoke with at the Carteret State Marine Police office I am fine using a boat as a visitor to NJ as I have met the requirements in my own state.. Someone somewhere must have a definitive answer to this question.. I was convinced I was ok by the NJ State Marine Police.. Now I am no longer sure... I was told by this officer that visitors with boats were welcome to boat in NJ as long as they met the requirements of their home state.
It makes no sense that NJ would not allow visitors with boats to use the water resources of NJ... I'll look into this further before bringing my boats down ... bob