This was a law passed by the 1999 Oregon legislature with implementation rules adopted in 2000. Many people are getting their cards now, but others are choosing to wait. The most commonly asked questions are answered here. A license is an enforcement tool and can be taken away. The card itself signifies that you've taken a boater education course or passed an equivalency test.
Educated boaters are far less likely to be involved in accidents.
Oregon's waters have become more crowded with boats becoming faster and more diverse. It's more important than ever to understand basic laws, rules of the road and common courtesies. Our goal for this program is to reduce fatalities, injuries, property damage and conflict on Oregon's waterways. Oregon joins more than 25 other states and Canada in adopting some level of mandatory boater education. All boaters operating craft greater than 10 horsepower and youths 12 to 15 operating any size powerboat.