>Boating Accidents Decine in 35 States Over the Last Five Years

>The Miami Herald: Reduce rate of boating accidents in Monroe, Miami-Dade Counties

>Southeast Lakes Rise to Normal Levels in Time for Spring Boating Season

Boating Education

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Click on a state above to learn more about the regulations for that state.

For a downloadable version of the map, click here.

For more detailed information on state PWC laws, pleas visit: http://www.nasbla.org/refguide.php

Alabama
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, required for all boaters born after 4/28/54.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/al/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Alaska
Age to Ride: No age restriction.	Boater Education Req’d: No
Restrictions on Access: Restrictions on some state park waters.
Links: http://www.alaskaboatingsafety.org/

Arizona
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d:
Restrictions on Access:
Links: http://www.azgfd.gov/outdoor_recreation/boating_rules.shtml

Arkansas
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, required for all boaters born after 7/1/86.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ar/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

California
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: No
Restrictions on Access: Strict regulations for marine emissions in place. Carbon Monoxide warning label required.
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ca/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Colorado
Age to Ride: 16, but younger with boater education.	Boater Education Req’d: No, only required for 14-15 year olds.
Restrictions on Access: Dependent on lake management plans.
Links: http://parks.state.co.us/

Connecticut
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, required for all boaters.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.dep.state.ct.us/rec/boating/index.htm

Delaware
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for persons born after 1/1/78.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/de/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Florida
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for persons under 21 years old.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://myfwc.com/boating/safety/PWC_laws.htm

Georgia
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: No, only required for 12-15 year olds.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ga/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Hawaii
Age to Ride: No	Boater Education Req’d:
Restrictions on Access: PWC restrictions and bans in place in state conservation districts and other state managed areas.
Links: http://hawaii.gov/dlnr/dbor/bor_pwc.htm

Idaho
Age to Ride: No age restriction	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: Some county ordinances affect PWC access.
Links: http://www.idahoparks.org/recreation/boating/regulations.aspx

Illinois
Age to Ride: 18, but 12 years old with boater education.	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/il/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Indiana
Age to Ride: 15	Boater Education Req’d: Only required for persons under 16 years old.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/in/handbook/pwc.htm

Iowa
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: No
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ia/handbook/pwc.htm

Kansas
Age to Ride: 16, but younger with boater education.	Boater Education Req’d: Only required for riders under 16 years old.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ks/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Kentucky
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: Only required for persons under 17 years old.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ky/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Louisiana
Age to Ride: 13	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for all boaters born after 1/1/88.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/la/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Maine
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: No
Restrictions on Access: PWCs banned on many lakes under Great Ponds Act. Municipalities can petition state for bans.
Links: http://www.state.me.us/ifw/index.html

Maryland
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for all boaters born after 7/1/72.
Restrictions on Access: Restrictions on Deep Creek Lake.
Links: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/boating/

Massachusetts
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Only required for PWC operators under 17 years old.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dle/pwcsafety.htm

Michigan
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for persons born after 12/31/78.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/mi/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Minnesota
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Only required for boaters under 17 years old.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/mn/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Mississippi
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ms/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Missouri
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for all boaters born after 1/1/84
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/mo/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Montana
Age to Ride: 13	Boater Education Req’d: Only required for persons 13-14 years old.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/regulations/boatrestrictions.html

Nebraska
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/boating/guides/boating/BGeducate.asp

Nevada
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for all persons born after 1/1/83.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/nv/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

New Hampshire
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: PWCS banned on lakes and ponds of less than 75 acres. 15 other named lakes and ponds prohibit PWCs.
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/nh/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

New Jersey
Age to Ride: 13	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: Restricted access on Point Pleasant and Cape May canals.
Links: http://www.state.nj.us/njsp/maritime/faq.html

New Mexico
Age to Ride: 13	Boater Education Req’d: No
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.emnrd.state.nm.us/emnrd/parks/BOATINGWeb/boatingmainpage.htm

New York
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: Legislation passed in 2000 allows local regulation and bans of PWCs.
Links: http://www.nysparks.com/boats

North Carolina
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: No
Restrictions on Access: State regulations allow localities to further regulate PWCs.
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/nc/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

North Dakota
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: Only if restrictions apply to all boats.
Links: http://gf.nd.gov/licenses/boat-and-water.html

Ohio
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for persons born after 1/1/82.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/oh/course/p4-11_reqspectopwc.htm

Oklahoma
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ok/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Oregon
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: PWC use restricted or prohibited on rivers.
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/or/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Pennsylvania
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access:
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/pa/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Rhode Island
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: Cities and towns are authorized to regulate or ban PWCs.
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ri/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

South Carolina
Age to Ride: 16, but younger with boater education.	Boater Education Req’d: Only required for persons under 16.
Restrictions on Access:
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/sc/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

South Dakota
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/sd/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Tennessee
Age to Ride: 12	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for persons born after 1/1/89.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/tn/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Texas
Age to Ride: 13	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for persons born after 8/31/84.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/tx/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Utah
Age to Ride: 18, but 16 years old with boater education.	Boater Education Req’d: Only required for PWC operators age 12-17.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/ut/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Vermont
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: Restrictions on most waters under 300 acres.
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/vt/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Virginia
Age to Ride: 16, but younger with boater education.	Boater Education Req’d: No, only required for PWC operators under 16 years old.
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/va/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Washington
Age to Ride: 14	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: PWC use restricted on the Spokane River. Some restrictions in place at county level.
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/wa/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

West Virginia
Age to Ride: 15	Boater Education Req’d: Yes, for persons born after 12/31/86
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/wi/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Wisconsin
Age to Ride: 16, but younger with boater education.	Boater Education Req’d: Yes
Restrictions on Access: N/A
Links: http://www.boat-ed.com/wi/course/p4-12_reqspectopwc.htm

Wyoming
Age to Ride: 16	Boater Education Req’d: No
Restrictions on Access: PWCs banned on some lakes.
Links: http://gf.state.wy.us/admin/regulations/chapter22/ch22wtr_new.htm

For more detailed information on state PWC laws, pleas visit:

http://www.nasbla.org/refguide.php

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