Applying for Safe Boating Certificates (SBC), Certificates of Personal Watercraft Operation (CPWO), Temporary and Duplicate Certificates
Obtaining a SBC or CPWO
If you have not yet taken a Boating Safety Course:
Before taking your boating course, you must obtain a Connecticut Conservation Identification Number (ID). If you have a Connecticut Hunting or Fishing License, your Conservation ID will be the same ID number that was assigned with the hunting or fishing license.
If you need a Conservation ID number, go to the Online Sportsman Licensing system and complete the registration process. Follow the instructions for "New Customers".
When you take your class, your instructor/course provider will need the ID number assigned to you. You will need to provide your instructor with your name (as it was entered into the online Sportsman Licensing System) as well as your month and day of birth.
Within a week of completing your course and passing your exam, you should be able to purchase your certificate from your home computer by going to the Online Sportsman Licensing system. The fee for the Safe Boating Certificate or Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation is $50.00.
Use your Date of Birth and Conservation ID to log in and follow the instructions to purchase the Safe Boating Certificate or Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation. You will need a printer to print your certificate and sales receipt. The printed certificate is your official document. After signing it, you must carry it whenever you operate your vessel. In the event of printer or user error, you will be allowed to reprint your certificate at any time by logging back into the system. For those that do not have access to a computer, you may go to the DEEP Processing Office or use a computer at a local library.
If you have already completed a Boating Safety Course, but not yet purchased your certificate:
If you have already completed a boating safety course, you will still need to obtain a Connecticut Conservation Identification Number to purchase your certificate. If you have a Connecticut Hunting or Fishing License, your Conservation ID will be the same ID number that was assigned with the hunting or fishing license.
To obtain a Conservation ID number, follow the instructions above or you can obtain an ID number from one of our DEEP Processing Offices.
Bring your diploma to a DEEP Processing Office with the $50 fee. If you have already applied for the Conservation Identification Number you can simply pay the fee and show your approved diploma.
Temporary Certificates
If you purchase and register a new or used boat and do not have a Safe Boating Certificate, you may apply for a Temporary Safe Boating Certificate. It is valid for three months from the date of vessel registration. Within that time, you must qualify for and obtain a permanent Safe Boating Certificate in order to operate after the temporary certificate expires.
If you purchase a new or used personal watercraft and do not qualify for a Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation, you may apply for a Temporary Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation after you have registered the vessel and have completed an approved Safe Personal Watercraft Handling Course. The temporary certificate is valid for three months from the date of vessel registration. Within that time, you must qualify for and obtain a Certificate of Personal Watercraft Operation, allowing you to operate your craft after the temporary certificate expires.
The fee for a Temporary SBC or Temporary CPWO is $50.00. No person shall be issued more than one temporary certificate.
An application for a Temporary Safe Boating Certificate must be obtained at a DEEP Processing Office.
Safe Boating Class Schedules
Duplicate Certificate
After March 31, 2013, all duplicate certificates will be available online for you to print free of charge.
If you have a Connecticut Hunting or Fishing license, the Conservation ID Number associated with your license will also have your Safe Boating or Personal Watercraft certificate information associated with it. (Note: We expect to have all certified boaters information in the system by mid March 2013 so please be patient). If you plan on boating between December 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013, you can contact us to send you out a Limited Durational.
If you do not have a hunting or fishing license, you will automatically be assigned a Conservation ID Number when the boating data is imported into the licensing system. If you have had a hunting or fishing license in the past couple of years or took a Hunter Education Course in CT from 1982 on, you are already in the system with a Conservation ID number. We will do our best to match your boating license information to your hunting/fishing license information. By doing this, all of your hunting/fishing and boating information will be tied to your permanent Conservation ID Number.
If you require assistance finding out what your Conservation ID number is after March 31, 2013, please contact the Boating Division at 860-434-8638.
To print a certificate:
- Go to the Online Sportsman Licensing system.
- Log in using your Date of Birth and Conservation ID number.
- Select "Click here to reprint your license"
You can print a copy of your certificate for free.
Content last updated February 25, 2013.
