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Kansas Boater Education
Does Kansas require a boating safety course or license? Here's who to check with.
Governing Agency
Boater education and boating safety requirements in Kansas are set by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Most states require boaters born after a certain year (often 1986–1988, but this varies) to complete an approved boating safety course and carry a boater education card — requirements and age cutoffs differ by state, so don't assume your home state's rule applies here.
Find Kansas's current boater education requirement →Before you operate a boat in Kansas, check:
- Whether your birth year requires a boater education card in Kansas
- Whether out-of-state boater education cards are accepted, or if you need one issued specifically for Kansas
- Age minimums for operating a boat or personal watercraft unsupervised
- Whether rental boats or PWCs have separate requirements from owned vessels
Looking for a professional captain's license instead? That's a federal credential, not a state one.
Learn how captain's licenses work →Browse all 53 counties with boat ramps in Kansas on our Kansas ramp directory.