Staff Answer
Jun 29, 2026 - 06:55 PM
For the person driving, forgetting an ID is usually a hard stop, and forgetting the boating card can be a problem too if they cannot show some kind of accepted proof. Florida requires operators born on or after January 1, 1988 to have boating safety proof and a photo ID with them when operating a vessel with 10hp or more. If you forgot the physical boating card but have a valid temporary certificate, email confirmation, screenshot, or online access that the company can accept, you may be okay, but do not assume that will work everywhere. If you forgot your ID completely, most places will not let you drive because they cannot verify your age, name, or the certificate. A passenger may have more flexibility, but the driver needs to be squared away. Before you head to the dock, I would tell every possible driver to bring a driver’s license or photo ID, save the boating certificate to their phone, and take a screenshot in case service is bad.
