Boating Laws and Regulations by States

Dockwa wants everyone to boat safely. Check out the United States Coast Guard website for information on federal laws and federal regulations, as well as navigation rules. Boat Ed offers safety courses by state and the USCG also provides a state-by-state list of laws.

Search below for helpful links for your state’s laws and regulations. Make sure to consider purchasing boat rental insurance before your trip. 

Alabama

• Alabama Boater Safety Course
• Alabama Boating Rules and Regulations on Outdoor Alabama
  
• State of Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Boat/Vessel License Requirements
• Alabama State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Alaska

• Alaska Boater Safety Course
• Alaska Boating Laws on the Alaska Office of Boating Safety
• Alaska State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Arizona

• Arizona Boater Safety Course
• Arizona Boating Rules & Regulations on Arizona Game and Fish
• Arizona State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Arkansas

• Arkansas Boater Safety Course
  
• Arkansas Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
  
• Boating Information from Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
• Official Arkansas Boater Safety Handbook
  
• Arkansas State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

California

• California Boater Safety Course
• California Boating Laws and Regulations
• California Boating Laws on California State Parks
• California State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Colorado

• Colorado Boater Safety Course
• Colorado Boating Rules and Regulations on Colorado Parks & Wildlife 
• Colorado State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Connecticut

• Connecticut Boating Regulations on Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
• Boating on the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
• Connecticut State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Delaware

• Official Delaware Boater Safety Handbook
• Delaware Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• Boating Safety from the Division of Fish & Wildlife
• Delaware State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Florida

• Florida Boater Safety Course
• Florida Boating Regulations on Florida Fish and Wildlife
• Official Florida Boater Safety Handbook
• Florida State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Georgia

• Georgia Boater Safety Course
• Official Georgia Boater Safety Handbook
• Georgia Boating Regulations on Georgia DNR
• Georgia State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Hawaii

• Hawaii Boater Safety Course
• Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
• Hawaii Boating Regulations FAQs on Hawaii DLNR
• Hawaii State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Idaho

• Idaho Boater Safety Course
• Boating from Idaho Parks & Recreation
• Official Idaho Boater Safety Handbook
• Idaho Boating Laws on Boat Ed
• Idaho State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Illinois

• Illinois Boater Safety Course
• Boating from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources
• Official Illinois Boater Safety Handbook
• Illinois Boating Regulations on Illinois DNR
• Illinois State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Indiana

• Indiana Boater Safety Course
• Official Indiana Boater Safety Handbook
• Indiana Boating Laws on Indiana Natural Resources Commission
• Indiana State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Iowa

• Iowa Boater Safety Course
• Official Iowa Boater Safety Handbook
• Iowa Boating Laws on Iowa DNR
• Iowa State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Kansas

• Kansas Boater Safety Course
• Boating Legally from Kansas Wildlife, Parks & Tourism
• Official Kansas Boater Safety Handbook
• Kansas Boating Regulations on Kansas Wildlife, Parks & Tourism
• Kansas State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Kentucky

• Kentucky Boater Safety Course
• Boating from the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources
• Kentucky Boating Guide on Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources
• Kentucky State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Louisiana

• Louisiana Boater Safety Course
• Boating from the State of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
• Official Louisiana Boater Safety Handbook
• Louisiana Boating Regulations on Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
• Louisiana State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Maine

• Watercraft from the Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife
• Official Maine Boater Safety Handbook
• Maine Boating Laws and Rules on Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
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• Maine State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Maryland

• Maryland Boater Safety Course
• Boating Services from the Department of Natural Resources
• Maryland Boating Regulations on Maryland DNR
• Maryland State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Massachusetts

• Massachusetts Boating Laws on Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs
• Massachusetts State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Michigan

• Michigan Boater Safety Course
• Boating in Michigan from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
• Official Michigan Boater Safety Handbook
• Michigan Boating Rules and Regulations on Michigan DNR
• Michigan State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Minnesota

• Minnesota Boater Safety Course
• Minnesota Boating Regulations on MNDNR
• Minnesota State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Mississippi

• Mississippi Boater Safety Course
• Official Mississippi Boater Safety Handbook
• Mississippi Boating Rules & Regulations on Mississippi Wildlife, Fishieries, & Parks
• Mississippi State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Missouri

• Missouri Boater Safety Course
• Mandatory Boater Education Law FAQs from the Missouri State Highway Patrol
• Official Missouri Boater Safety Handbook
• Missouri Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• Missouri State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Montana

• Montana Boater Safety Course
• Montana Boating Laws on Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks
• Montana State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Nebraska

• Nebraska Boater Safety Course
• Boating from Nebraska Game and Parks
• Nebraska Boating Regulations on Nebraska Game and Parks
• Nebraska State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Nevada

• Nevada Boater Safety Course
• Official Nevada Boater Safety Handbook
• Nevada Boating Information on Nevada Department of Wildlife
• Nevada State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire Boater Safety Course
• Boating in NH from New Hampshire Fish and Game
• Official New Hampshire Boater Safety Handbook
• New Hampshire Boating Laws & Rules on New Hampshire Department of Safety
• New Hampshire State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

New Jersey

• New Jersey Boater Safety Course
• New Jersey Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• New Jersey State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

New Mexico

• New Mexico Boater Safety Course
• Official New Mexico Boater Safety Handbook
• New Mexico Boating Regulations on New Mexico Game & Fish
• New Mexico State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

New York

• New York Boater Safety Course
• Boating & Paddling from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• New York Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• New York State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

North Carolina

• North Carolina Boater Safety Course
• North Carolina Boating Regulations on North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
• North Carolina State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

North Dakota

• North Dakota Boater Safety Course
• Boating from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department
• North Dakota Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• North Dakota State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Ohio

• Ohio Boater Safety Course
• Ohio Boating Laws on ODNR Division of Watercraft
• Ohio State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma Boater Safety Course
• Official Oklahoma Boater Safety Handbook
• Oklahoma Boating Laws on Oklahoma Department of Public Safety
• Oklahoma State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Oregon

• Oregon Boater Safety Course
• Oregon Boating Laws from Oregon.gov 
• Oregon Boating Regulations on Oregon State Marine Board
• Oregon State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania Boater Safety Course
• Boating Regulations from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
• Pennsylvania Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• Pennsylvania State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Rhode Island

• Rhode Island Boater Safety Course
• Boating Safety Topics from the State of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
• Official Rhode Island Boater Safety Handbook
• Rhode Island Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• Rhode Island State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

South Carolina

• South Carolina Boater Safety Course
• Official South Carolina Boater Safety Handbook
• South Carolina Boating Regulations on SC DNR
• South Carolina State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

South Dakota

• South Dakota Boater Safety Course
• Official South Dakota Boater Safety Handbook
• South Dakota Boating Rules and Regulations on South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks
• South Dakota State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Tennessee

• Tennessee Boater Safety Course
• Official Tennessee Boater Safety Handbook
• Tennessee Boating Regulations on Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
• Tennessee State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Texas

• Texas Boater Safety Course
• Official Texas Boater Safety Handbook
• Texas Boating Laws on Texas Parks & Wildlife
• Texas State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Utah

• Utah Boater Safety Course
• Boating from Utah.gov
• Utah Boating Laws and Rules on Utah DNR
• Utah State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Vermont

• Vermont Boater Safety Course
• Official Vermont Boater Safety Handbook
• Vermont Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• Vermont State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Virginia

• Virginia Boater Safety Course
• Boating from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
• Virginia Boating Regulations on Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
• Virginia State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Washington

• Washington Boater Safety Course
• Washington State's Recreation and Conservation Office
• Official Washington Boater Safety Handbook
• Washington Boating Regulations on Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office
• Washington State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

West Virginia

• West Virginia Boater Safety Course
• Mandatory Boating Safety Education Certification from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
• West Virginia Boating Laws and Regulations on Boat Ed
• West Virginia State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Wisconsin

• Wisconsin Boater Safety Course
• Official Wisconsin Boater Safety Handbook
• Wisconsin Boating Regulations on Wisconsin DNR
• Wisconsin State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard

Wyoming

• Wyoming Boater Safety Course
• Wyoming Boating Regulations on Wyoming Game & Fish Department
• Wyoming State Boating Laws from the U.S. Coast Guard