1. I. Any person required to have a safe boater education certificate shall:

   1. (a) Possess the certificate when operating a motorized vessel with any type of power motor in excess of 25 horsepower on the public waters of the state. The certificate shall be a physical original or copy, or an electronic copy, or a photograph of the certificate on an electronic device. Any electronic copy or photograph of the certificate shall contain the front and back of the physical original.
   2. (b) Present the certificate or the copy upon the demand of a marine patrol officer.
2. II. No person charged with a violation of this section shall be convicted if, within a period of 48 hours, the person presents to the officer evidence that he or she held a valid safe boater education certificate which was in effect at the time of the violation.
3. III. Enforcement of this section shall be accomplished only as a secondary action when an operator of a motorized or registered vessel has been cited, charged with, or issued a written warning for a violation or some other offense, or as a primary action when an operator is involved in an accident.
4. IV. Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of $50 for a first offense and $250 for any subsequent offense.

Source. 2000, 52:3. 2002, 272:3, eff. May 18, 2002. 2011, 149:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2012. 2024, 139:1, eff. Sept. 1, 2024.