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Mississippi Boater Education
Does Mississippi require a boating safety course or license? Here's who to check with.
Governing Agency
Boater education and boating safety requirements in Mississippi are set by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, 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 Mississippi's current boater education requirement →Before you operate a boat in Mississippi, check:
- Whether your birth year requires a boater education card in Mississippi
- Whether out-of-state boater education cards are accepted, or if you need one issued specifically for Mississippi
- 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 73 counties with boat ramps in Mississippi on our Mississippi ramp directory.