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In California you must be 16 or older and hold a California Boater Card to operate a vessel powered by a motor of 15 horsepower or more, including a personal watercraft. Someone aged 12 to 15 may operate that same class only while supervised on board by a person at least 18 who is also in possession of a California Boater Card. The supervising adult needs the card, not just the years. State Parks' Division of Boating and Waterways administers it. The rental company sets its own minimum rental age, often higher, so confirm it when booking.

Source: California State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways, dbw.parks.ca.gov and californiaboatercard.com (parks.ca.gov)

California requires a Boater Card, rather than a conventional boating license, for most recreational operators of motorized vessels. Since January 1, 2025, the requirement applies regardless of age and includes personal watercraft. Operators generally must be at least 16 for vessels over 15 horsepower; ages 12 to 15 may operate only if supervised on board by an attentive adult 18 or older, and must either hold a card themselves or be supervised by a cardholder.

Rental vessel operators are exempt. Exemptions also cover direct supervision and qualifying temporary visitors. Approved applicants may print a 90-day temporary card while awaiting the permanent card. California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways administers the program.

Source: California State Parks Division of Boating and Waterways (parks.ca.gov)

California’s best boating choices span sheltered coastal bays, long rivers, large reservoirs, and clusters of alpine lakes. On the North Coast, Humboldt Bay provides protected bay boating, while the Klamath River offers a route from the Pacific into redwood country. Near Redding, Shasta Lake is the state’s largest reservoir and a center for houseboating. In the Sierra Nevada, Lake Tahoe offers a major alpine setting, while the Eastern Sierra’s June Lake Loop groups June Lake with three neighboring glacial lakes used for boating during warmer months.

Source: Visit California (visitcalifornia.com)

California’s most popular boating destinations include San Francisco Bay for cruises past the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz; Lake Tahoe, including South Lake Tahoe, for alpine scenery and marina rentals; Shasta Lake for houseboating, bass fishing, coves, and extensive shoreline; and the California Delta near Stockton for water skiing and houseboating along winding inland waterways. Together, they offer a varied mix of coastal sightseeing, mountain lake boating, and sheltered river routes.

Source: Visit California (visitcalifornia.com)