Here is the law as written.
"12:7-61 Operation of power vessels, personal watercraft; boat safety course
requirements; violations
A person who is under 16 years of age shall not operate a power vessel on the waters of this State,
except that:
(1) a person who is under 16 years of age but at least 13 years of age and possesses a
certificate certifying that person's successful completion of a boat safety course approved by the
Superintendent of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety may operate:
(a) a power vessel powered solely by an electric motor; or
(b) a power vessel which is 12 feet or greater in length and powered by a motor, or
combination of motors, of less than 10 horsepower;
(2) A person who is under 16 years of age and has successfully completed an
approved boat safety course prior to July 1, 1996 may operate a power vessel on the tidal waters
of this State, provided that the person complies with all other requirements of law, rule and
regulation; and
(3) A person who is under 16 years of age and was issued an operator's license
pursuant to section 7 of P.L.1954, c.236 (C.12:7-34.7) before July 1, 1996 may operate a power
vessel equipped with an outboard motor until the expiration date of that license.
b. As provided in the schedule set forth in section 7 of P.L.2005, c.292, as of June 1,
2008, a person who is 16 years of age or older shall not operate a power vessel, including a
personal watercraft, on the waters of this State without having completed a boat safety course
approved by the Superintendent of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety,
except that:
(1) (Deleted by amendment, P.L.2005, c.292).
(2) an out-of-State resident, or a resident of a foreign country who is 16 years of age
or older and who will be in this State for less than 90 days may operate a power vessel on the
waters of this State, without having completed a boat safety course approved by the
Superintendent of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety if the person presents:
(i) written proof of successful completion of a boat safety course endorsed or
approved by another state, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators or its
successor organization, or the United States Coast Guard;
(ii) written proof of successful completion of a boat safety course substantially similar
to the boat safety course required pursuant to this section as determined by the Superintendent of
State Police; or
(iii) a boat safety certificate issued by the state or country in which the person resides;
(3) a person who is 18 years of age or older may operate on the waters of this State,
without having completed a boat safety course approved by the Superintendent of State Police in
the Department of Law and Public Safety, a rented power vessel that is not a personal watercraft,
under the following conditions:
(a) the person rents the power vessel from a business engaged in renting power vessels
for use on the waters of the State;
(b) the person has successfully completed a State-approved pre-rental instruction
course provided by the owner or lessor of the power vessel prior to operating the power vessel on
the waters of the State; and
(c) the owner of the power vessel rental business is experienced in the operation of
power vessels and has successfully completed a boat safety course approved by the
Superintendent of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety.
(4) A person required to take the boat safety course pursuant to this section and
section 7 of P.L.2005, c.292 who purchases a power vessel that is not a personal watercraft at a
boat dealership may operate that power vessel for 30 days without having completed a boat safety
course approved by the Superintendent of State Police in the Department of Law and Public
Safety provided that the person successfully completes a State-approved pre-purchase instruction
course provided by the owner or operator of the boat dealership prior to operating the power
vessel, and the owner or operator of the boat dealership is experienced in the operation of power
vessels and has successfully completed a boat safety course approved by the Superintendent of
State Police. The State-approved pre-purchase instruction course required by this paragraph shall
be a uniform, standardized course developed by the Superintendent of State Police. The State-
approved pre-purchase instruction course shall not replace the requirement that a person shall
successfully complete an approved boat safety course pursuant to the other provisions of
P.L.2005, c.292 (C.12:7-61.1 et al.). The provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a person
purchasing a power vessel from another private party.
(5) A person holding a United States Coast Guard operator's license may operate a
power vessel on the waters of this State without having completed a boat safety course approved
by the Superintendent of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety.
The Superintendent of State Police shall establish appropriate guidelines to implement the
provisions of this subsection.
c. Except as provided pursuant to section 18 of P.L.1995, c.401 (C.12:7-86), a person
shall not operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this State without having successfully
completed a boat safety course approved by the Superintendent of State Police in the Department
of Law and Public Safety or a written test pursuant to section 8 of P.L.2005, c.292.
d. Whenever a person who is required by this section or by section 7 of P.L.1995,
c.401 (C.12:7-76), section 3 or 4 of P.L.1952, c.157 (C.12:7-46 or C.12:7-47), or section 9 of
P.L.1986, c.39 (C.12:7-57) to have completed a boat safety course operates a power vessel or
personal watercraft, as appropriate, on the waters of this State, that person shall have in
possession a certificate certifying that person's successful completion of a boat safety course
approved by the superintendent and shall, when requested to do so, exhibit the certificate to a law
enforcement or peace officer of this State. Failure of the person to exhibit the certificate is
presumptive evidence that the person has not completed an approved boat safety course.
e. A person who violates subsection a., b., c. or d. of this section or who exhibits to a
law enforcement or peace officer a certificate of completion of an approved boat safety course of
another person is subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500.
f. A person who owns or has control or custody of a power vessel and allows the
power vessel to be operated on the waters of this State by a person who is required pursuant to the
provisions of this section to possess a certificate certifying successful completion of a boat safety
course but who does not possess such certificate is subject to a fine of not more than $100.
g. A person making application to the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor
Vehicle Commission for a power vessel operator's license issued pursuant to section 3 of
P.L.1995, c.401 (C.12:7-72) who is required pursuant to the provisions of this section to possess a
certificate certifying successful completion of a boat safety course shall submit proof of
successful completion of the course or the written examination for experienced boaters with the
application. The chief administrator shall not issue a power vessel operator's license to such
person who fails to submit this proof. A permanent State of New Jersey boating safety certificate
or a temporary boating safety certificate issued on a Division of State Police application for
boating safety certificate form shall satisfy this requirement."
You will notice no exception for out of state boaters. If you boat in NJ you must have taken, passed and carry written proof of having taken a water safety class. No cert then no operating a boat for you. The 2 exceptions are Coast Guard licensed operators and if you rent a boat from a NJ rental place.
Now what is an approved course?
" 12:7-60. Approved boat safety courses
a. The Superintendent of State Police in the Department of Law and Public Safety shall
establish a list of approved boat safety courses, offered by public or private persons or agencies
for profit or otherwise and taught by approved boat safety instructors. Approved courses shall
provide formal instruction in power vessel handling and safety. The superintendent may approve
a boat safety course upon the initiative of the superintendent or by application on a form to be
created by the superintendent.
For the purposes of this section, "approved boat safety course" means a boat safety course
that meets qualifications set forth in regulations promulgated by the Superintendent of State
Police, in consultation with the Attorney General; the regulations shall require at least eight hours
of instruction, with a minimum of six hours of classroom instruction, or, if the boat safety course
is offered via the Internet, require at least the equivalent of eight hours of instruction; whether
offered in a classroom or via the Internet, the boat safety course shall conclude with a closed-
book written examination administered by an instructor in person and present with the person
taking the written examination."
So unless the VA online course concluded with an in person closed book test it is not valid in NJ. (Yes I see the contradiction in the law above but NJ is good at that. Even if VA approves the online class, NJ does not unless the test is taken in person.)
To clearly answer Tanqueray, if you have not taken a CG or PS course and carry written proof with you, you can be ticketed and subject to a $100-$500 fine. (BTW - this is crap if you ask me!)
