A renter is handed a Wisconsin temporary boating education certificate on July 4. When does chapter NR 5 end it?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.18(1)(b)
A visitor holds a boating certificate from a Canadian province. When does Wisconsin honor it?Wis. Stat. 30.74(1)(c)
A warden stops a certificate-required operator on a Wisconsin lake. Under section 30.678(2m), what must that operator have along?Wis. Stat. 30.678(2m)
How long does a Wisconsin boating safety certificate stay valid?Wis. Stat. 30.74(1)(bn)
How young may a person be to receive a Wisconsin boating safety certificate after completing the course?Wis. Stat. 30.74(1)(a)
In Wisconsin, a 20-year-old born after the 1989 cutoff has no certificate. Who may ride along so the motorboat trip is lawful?Wis. Stat. 30.678(1)(d)
Which boats does a Wisconsin temporary boating education certificate cover?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.18(1)(b)
Wisconsin's certificate rule for operators 16 or older covers a person born on or after which date?Wis. Stat. 30.678(1)(d)
Wisconsin's temporary boating education certificate is open to which person?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.18(1)(a)
Show all 74 questions (65 more)
Ages for motorboats and personal watercraft 7
A parent knows a 9-year-old is driving the family motorboat on a Wisconsin lake. How does the statute treat the parent?Wis. Stat. 30.678(4)
A Wisconsin 13-year-old has no certificate, but a parent offers to ride behind on the personal watercraft. Is that lawful?Wis. Stat. 30.678(2)(b)
For Wisconsin boaters aged 12 through 15, section 30.678(1)(c) opens an ordinary motorboat in which case?Wis. Stat. 30.678(1)(c)
How old must a child be before Wisconsin's section 30.678 lets them run a motorboat at all, supervised or not?Wis. Stat. 30.678(1)(a)
Section 30.625 stops a Wisconsin livery from handing a personal watercraft to a renter younger than what?Wis. Stat. 30.625(1)(b)
Section 30.678(1)(b) lets a child of 10 or 11 steer a Wisconsin motorboat only under which condition?Wis. Stat. 30.678(1)(b)
Section 30.678(2)(a) keeps Wisconsin children off the controls of a personal watercraft until which age?Wis. Stat. 30.678(2)(a)
Life jackets 5
Chapter NR 5 adds one throwable device to the wearable ones on Wisconsin boats of which size?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.13(2)(b)
Section 30.62(3)(a) asks for a personal flotation device per person aboard. Which Wisconsin craft does it leave out?Wis. Stat. 30.62(3)(a)
Section 30.62(3)(a) says how a Wisconsin boat's flotation devices are kept. Which storage meets it?Wis. Stat. 30.62(3)(a)
Section 30.62(3)(b) covers flotation devices aboard a Wisconsin personal watercraft. Who has to have one on?Wis. Stat. 30.62(3)(b)
Under chapter NR 5, a racing shell recognized for competitive rowing is treated how by Wisconsin's flotation device rule?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.13(1)(a)
Slow-no-wake and prohibited operation 10
A patrol boat with its signal on approaches your motorboat in Wisconsin. What does section 30.64 require of you?Wis. Stat. 30.64(2)
A Wisconsin motorboat that is not a personal watercraft must hold slow-no-wake within how many feet of a lake's shoreline?Wis. Stat. 30.66(3)(ag)
A Wisconsin water area is marked by buoys as a swimming area. What may a boat operator do there?Wis. Stat. 30.68(7)
How far from a lake's shoreline must a personal watercraft be before it may exceed slow-no-wake in Wisconsin?Wis. Stat. 30.66(3)(ar)
In section 30.50(12) of the Wisconsin Statutes, what do the words slow-no-wake stand for?Wis. Stat. 30.50(12)
On which Wisconsin lakes are motorboats limited to slow-no-wake over the whole lake by statute?Wis. Stat. 30.635
Section 30.68(6) lets someone ride the gunwale or bow decking of a moving Wisconsin motorboat in which case?Wis. Stat. 30.68(6)
Wisconsin bars running a motorboat repeatedly in a circuitous course around a swimmer when the course is within what distance?Wis. Stat. 30.68(5)
Within what distance of a dock, raft, pier or buoyed restricted area on a Wisconsin lake is a motorboat held to slow-no-wake?Wis. Stat. 30.66(3)(a)
Your wake damages a moored boat on a Wisconsin lake. Who is liable under section 30.68?Wis. Stat. 30.68(4)(b)
Water skiing and diver flags 9
A boat that is not part of the diving operation must stay how far from a skin diver's flag in Wisconsin?Wis. Stat. 30.68(5)
A Wisconsin motorboat tows a water skier with only the operator aboard. What makes that lawful?Wis. Stat. 30.69(1)
A Wisconsin rider wants to pull a tuber behind a personal watercraft. Section 30.69(1)(c) asks for a craft designed with how many seats?Wis. Stat. 30.69
Except in an emergency, a Wisconsin scuba diver must come up within what radius of the diver's flag?Wis. Stat. 30.70
From how far away must a Wisconsin diver's flag be clearly apparent under normal conditions?Wis. Stat. 30.70
How close may a boat towing a skier come to an occupied anchored boat or a public boat landing in Wisconsin?Wis. Stat. 30.69
Section 30.69(1)(am) closes Wisconsin waters to skiing and aquaplaning for which part of the day?Wis. Stat. 30.69(1)
Section 30.70 puts one diagonal white band on the red flag over a Wisconsin dive. How wide is the band?Wis. Stat. 30.70
What is the smallest diver's flag that Wisconsin's skin diving section accepts?Wis. Stat. 30.70
Personal watercraft 6
A Wisconsin personal watercraft stops to tow a disabled boat. What speed limit applies during the tow?Wis. Stat. 30.68(5m)
Before a rented personal watercraft goes out in Wisconsin, the oral review of the special rules must last at least how long?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.16(2)
How close may a Wisconsin personal watercraft pass another boat above slow-no-wake speed?Wis. Stat. 30.66(3)(b)
The manufacturer equipped a Wisconsin jet-drive craft with a lanyard-activated engine cutoff. Under section 30.62(3m), where does the lanyard go?Wis. Stat. 30.62(3m)
What must a Wisconsin rental business hand over with every rented personal watercraft?Wis. Stat. 30.625(1)(c)
Which riding position does Wisconsin forbid for the operator of a personal watercraft?Wis. Stat. 30.68(4m)
Intoxicated boating 6
A person is arrested for intoxicated boating in Wisconsin and no responsible adult comes. How long may the person be held without a test result?Wis. Stat. 30.687
A Wisconsin motorboat operator is under the legal drinking age. Which blood alcohol concentration breaks section 30.681?Wis. Stat. 30.681(1)(bn)
At what alcohol concentration is operating a recreational motorboat prohibited in Wisconsin?Wis. Stat. 30.681(1)(b)
Besides alcohol, what in the operator's blood makes motorboat operation unlawful under Wisconsin's intoxicated boating law?Wis. Stat. 30.681(1)(b)
By operating a motorboat on Wisconsin waters, a person is deemed to consent to tests of what?Wis. Stat. 30.683
What alcohol limit does Wisconsin set for the operator of a commercial motorboat?Wis. Stat. 30.681(1)(b)
Accidents and reports 8
A Wisconsin boating accident injures a passenger. Whom must the operator notify without delay?Wis. Stat. 30.67(2)(a)
Chapter NR 5 sets a postmark deadline for the written report of a Wisconsin boating accident. How many days after the accident is it?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.08(1)
In Wisconsin's accident section, a physical injury counts as an injury when it causes disability for more than how long?Wis. Stat. 30.67(3)(b)
Section 30.67(2)(b) covers an operator physically unable to file after a Wisconsin boating accident. On whom does the duty fall?Wis. Stat. 30.67(2)(b)
Section 30.67(4) answers whether the written report an operator files with the Wisconsin department can be put before a jury. What does it say?Wis. Stat. 30.67(4)
Two boats collide off a Wisconsin pier. What does section 30.67(1) have each operator hand to anyone hurt and to the owner of damaged property?Wis. Stat. 30.67(1)
What does an orange flag of about 18 by 30 inches shown on a Wisconsin boat mean?Wis. Stat. 30.675
With no death or injury, damage above what amount makes a Wisconsin boating accident reportable?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.08(1)
Equipment, noise and lights 8
Section 30.60 sorts Wisconsin motorboats into classes by length. Which span is class 1?Wis. Stat. 30.60
To which of these may a boat be tied under Wisconsin's rule on navigation aids and regulatory markers?Wis. Stat. 30.68(12)
What is the loudest a motorboat may be operated in Wisconsin, on the A-weighted decibel scale?Wis. Stat. 30.62(2)(b)
Which light may only a patrol boat show in Wisconsin?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.17(2)
Which motorboats does Wisconsin excuse from carrying fire extinguishers?Wis. Stat. 30.62(4)(a)
Who may use a siren on a boat in Wisconsin?Wis. Stat. 30.68(11)
Wisconsin requires storage batteries on a motorboat to be secured against shifting and fitted with what?Wis. Stat. 30.62(8)
Wisconsin's overpowering rule bars operating a boat with a motor beyond what?Wis. Stat. 30.62(2m)
Registration and numbers 6
A boat registered in another state is brought to Wisconsin. After how many consecutive days does Wisconsin registration become necessary?Wis. Stat. 30.51(2)(a)
A warden asks for the certificate of number card of a Wisconsin boat under way. Where does section 30.523(1) say the card is kept?Wis. Stat. 30.523
Chapter NR 5 asks for block characters of what minimum height in a Wisconsin boat's identification number?Wis. Adm. Code NR 5.06
Sections 30.523(2) and (3) put a Wisconsin boat's identification number and certification decals on which part of the hull?Wis. Stat. 30.523
Which sailboat needs no Wisconsin registration?Wis. Stat. 30.51(2)(a)
Wisconsin requires a capacity plate on which boats?Wis. Stat. 30.501(1)
How this list was compiled: Written only from chapter 30 of the Wisconsin Statutes, subchapter V, Regulation of Boating (sections 30.50, 30.501, 30.51, 30.523, 30.60, 30.61, 30.62, 30.625, 30.635, 30.64, 30.66, 30.67, 30.675, 30.678, 30.68, 30.681, 30.683, 30.687, 30.69, 30.70 and 30.74), and from chapter NR 5 of the Wisconsin Administrative Code (sections NR 5.06, 5.08, 5.13, 5.16, 5.17 and 5.18), read on the Wisconsin Legislature's site, https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/30 and https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/nr/001/5, on 2026-10-04 (statutes shown as updated 2023-24 Wis. Stats., published October 1, 2026). Each question names its section and links to it. That a course and a certificate exist is section 30.74(1): the Department of Natural Resources sets up boating safety courses and issues a certificate to a person 10 or older who completes one. Neither the statute nor chapter NR 5 gives a number of questions or a pass mark for the course test, so none is stored here. Licence: Own work. Questions, answer choices and explanations were written for this site from the statute and rule text; nothing is copied from a boater handbook, a boating course, a course provider's study guide or another practice test.
How it works
Unofficial Wisconsin boating license practice test, state law only: questions written from chapter 30 of the Wisconsin Statutes and chapter NR 5 of the Administrative Code. Navigation rules sit in a separate bank on this site. Read October 2026.
Read the full guide
1989, ages 10, 12 and 16, and 100 feet
Section 30.678 sorts motorboat operators by age. Nobody under 10 runs one. At 10 and 11 a parent, guardian or designated adult rides along. From 12 through 15 a certificate or that adult will do; a personal watercraft takes the certificate. Operators 16 or older born on or after January 1, 1989 come under the certificate rule too. Slow-no-wake holds within 100 feet of docks, rafts and piers.
The course and its test in the law
Section 30.74(1) has the Department of Natural Resources set up the courses and certify anyone 10 or older who completes one. The certificate lasts for life unless a court revokes it. Neither chapter 30 nor chapter NR 5 gives a question count or a pass mark.
Two distances for one shoreline: 100 feet for a motorboat, 200 feet for a personal watercraft.
Questions and answers
Do you need a boating license in Wisconsin?
No license exists. Section 30.678 asks motorboat operators 16 or older born on or after January 1, 1989 for a boating safety certificate, unless a qualifying adult of 18 or older rides along. Personal watercraft and younger operators have their own rules.
How many questions are on the Wisconsin boating safety test, and what is the pass mark?
Chapter 30 and chapter NR 5 give neither number. Exam mode here draws 25 questions because this site chose that length, and it shows no pass line.
How old do you have to be to drive a boat in Wisconsin?
At least 10 for a motorboat, with a parent, guardian or designated adult aboard until 12. From 12 through 15 a certificate or that adult is required. Nobody under 12 runs a personal watercraft (section 30.678).
What is the alcohol limit for boating in Wisconsin?
Section 30.681 sets 0.08 for a recreational motorboat and 0.04 for a commercial one, and nothing above 0.0 under the legal drinking age. Operating a motorboat counts as consent to breath, blood or urine tests (section 30.683).
Is this the official Wisconsin boater safety test?
No. This is an independent study site, not a government one and not a course provider, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has not reviewed it. Each answer names its section. Navigation and handling topics are left out on purpose.