Minimum age to operate a boat in the US
Alabama age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 12 years old or older to operate any type vessel.
Youth aged 12 and 13 must be accompanied by someone 21 years or older, who is a licensed operator, on board and within reach of the controls.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 12 years or older to operate any type vessel.
Must be 14 years old or older to operate alone.
Alaska age restrictions
Alaska does not have any minimum age requirements to legally operate a powerboat or a PWC.
Arizona age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: It is illegal for a person under the age of 12 to operate a vessel with a motor greater than 8 hp.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Arizona law states that it is illegal for a person under the age of 12 to operate a vessel with a motor greater than 8 hp.
Arkansas age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: To operate a motorboat powered by 10hp or more: A person under 12 must have a to be under direct visible and audible supervision of a parent, guardian or person over 17 years.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Operators must be 14 years or older to operate by themselves as long as they are Boat Ed certified. Persons 12 or 13 years must have BE and have a person at least 18 years on board. Under 12 must have BE and have a person at least 21 years on board and in a position to take immediate control of the PWC.
Colorado age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: A person 14 years of age or older, who is less than 16 years of age, may operate a motorboat only if he or she completes a boating safety course.
A person 14 years of age or older, who is less than 16 years of age, may operate a motorboat only if he or she completes a boating safety course.
California age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: All boaters between 12 to 15 years old may operate boats with a motor of more than 15 horsepower, while supervised by an adult of at least 18 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): In California, boaters who have reached 16 years of age can legally operate any powerboat including PWC.
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Delaware age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 14 to 16 with adult on board with boating class, 16 with a boating class.
Florida age restrictions
Minimum Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): A person must be at least 14 years of age to operate a personal watercraft in Florida. A person must be at least 18 years of age to rent a personal watercraft in Florida.
Start Now! Get your Florida Boating Licence
Georgia age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 12 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 12 years of age.
Hawaii age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: A person under the age of 16 is not permitted to operate a power-driven vessel on the waters of Hawaii unless accompanied on-board and supervised by a person of 21 years of age or older who holds their required certificate of completion.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): It is illegal for any person under the age of 15 to operate a thrill craft. Additionally, it is illegal to permit, or mislead another person into permitting, a person under 15 years of age to operate a thrill craft.
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Idaho age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): No age requirement.
Illinois age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): No age requirement.
Indiana age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Operator must be 15 years old and meet ID and education requirements or 16 years old or older with a valid motor vehicle drivers license to operate a motorboat with a motor greater than 10 hp.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Operator must be 15 years old and meet ID and education requirements or 16 years old or older with a valid motor vehicle drivers license to operate a motorboat with a motor greater than 10 hp.
Start Now! Get your Indiana Boating Licence
Iowa age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Minimum age 12 to operate vessel over 10 hp.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Those under age 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Kansas age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 12 years of age for any vessel.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 12 years of age for any vessel.
Kentucky age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Must be 12 years or old to operate 10 hp or greater.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 12 years of age.
Start Now! Get your Kentucky Boating Licence
Louisiana age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 16 years with a boating certificate.
Maine age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: When operating a motorboat with more than 10 hp, a person under age 12 must be under immediate supervision of person in boat who is at least 16.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): A person under age 16 may not operate a PWC. A person between 16 & 18 years of age may operate a PWC if they have successfully completed an approved education course, or if they are accompanied by a person 18 years or older.
Maryland age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: When operating a towing vessel (water skiing, etc.), the operator and observer must be at least 12 years of age.
Anyone under the age of 16 without a boating safety certificate must be supervised by an individual born of 18 years of age and who possesses a valid boating safety certificate
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): PWC operators must be at least 16 years old.
Start Now! Get your Maryland Boating Licence
Massachusetts age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 12 years of age with direct supervision from an adult 18 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 16 years of age.
Michigan age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 14 years of age.
Minnesota age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Must be at least 12 years of age to operate motors over 25 hp and must be certified.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 13 years of age.
Mississippi age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: At least 12 years of age and completed an approved boating safety course.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): At least 12 years of age and completed an approved boating safety course.
Missouri age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 14 years of age unless under the direct, onboard supervision of a parent, guardian, or other person 16 years of age or older.
Montana age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: For motorboats over 10 hp: 0-12 must be accompanied by and adult, 13-14 must have certificate or be accompanied by adult, 15+ no requirements.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): For PWC over 10 hp: 0-12 must be accompanied by and adult, 13-14 must have certificate or be accompanied by adult, 15+ no requirements.
Nebraska age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 14 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 14 years of age.
Nevada age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 14 years of age.
Start Now! Get your Nevada Boating Licence
New Hampshire age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): If ski craft a minimum of 16 years of age, if PWC must be accompanied by an adult until 16 years of age.
New Jersey age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 13-15 years of age if vessel powered by electric motor, or if vessel is 12' or greater with engine/engines of less than 10 total hp.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 16 years of age and must possess a boating safety certificate.
Start Now! Get your New Jersey Boating Licence
New Mexico age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 13 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 13 years of age.
Start Now! Get your New Mexico Boating Licence
New York age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 10 to 18 years of age must have a boating safety certificate to operate alone.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 14 years and older only if they have a boating safety certificate.
Start Now! Get your New York Boating Licence
North Carolina age restrictions
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): No one under 14 years of age may operate a PWC.
Anyone 14 years old up to 16 years of age may operate a PWC in North Carolina provided that they have successfully completed a boater safety education course, or they are accompanied by someone at least 18 years old and who meets the education requirements.
Start Now! Get your North Caroline Boating Licence
North Dakota age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Minor 12-15 years of age must be state certified to operate over a 10 hp boat without an adult on board.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Minor 12-15 years of age must be state certified to operate over a 10 hp boat without an adult on board.
Ohio age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Children under 12 can operate any other type of powerboat greater than 10HP as long as they are under the direct visual and audible supervision of an adult (18 or older) who is onboard AND as long as the child AND the supervising adult (if born on or after January 1, 1982) have education certificates.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Children under 12 may not operate PWC, not even with an education certificate. Children 12 to 15 can operate PWC as long as they are under the direct supervision of an adult (18 or older) who is onboard AND as long as the child AND the supervising adult (if born on or after January 1, 1982) have education certificates.
Start Now! Get your Ohio Boating Licence
Oklahoma age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No person less than 12 years of age may operate any vessel powered by a motor or combination of motors in excess of 10 hp or sail-powered vessel 16 feet or greater in length. A person from 12 to less than 16 years of age may operate such vessels only after successfully completing a NASBLA approved boating education course and if operating a motorboat or sail-powered vessel, must have a competent adult, 18 years of age or older, on board in a position to take control of the vessel if necessary.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): No person less than 12 years of age may operate any PWC. A person from 12 to less than 16 years of age may operate a PWC only after successfully completing a NASBLA approved boating education course and must be visually supervised within 500 yards by a competent adult 18 years of age or older.
Oregon age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 16 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 16 years of age to operate alone.
Pennsylvania age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: You must be at least 12 years of age to operate a motorboat greater than 25 hp.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 12 years of age and older.
Rhode Island age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): No age requirement.
South Carolina age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): No age requirement.
South Dakota age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Children under the age of 12 cannot operate a motorboat of more than 6 hp unless accompanied by a person at least 18 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Minimum age to operate a PWC is 14 unless accompanied by a person at least 18 years of age.
Tennessee age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: under 12 unless operating a boat powered by an 8.5 hp or less; person at least 10 but less than 12 and the boat is at least 14 ft and the boat has a motor less than 15 hp.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 12 years of age and older.
Texas age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 16 years of age if vessel is motorized with greater than 15 hp.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 16 years of age.
Utah age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 16 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 18 years of age unless completed PWC education course.
Vermont age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Any person under the age of 12 cannot operate a motor boat of more than 6 hp.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Must be 16 years of age or older and have a boating safety certificate.
Virginia age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: No age requirement.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): No person under the age of 14 may operate a PWC.
Start Now! Get your Virginia Boating Licence
Washington age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: The operator should be at least 12 years old.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): You must be at least 14 years old to operate a personal watercraft. Remember, it is illegal to lease, hire, or rent a personal watercraft to anyone under 16 years old.
West Virginia age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Anyone aged 12 to 15 may operate a motorboat of 10 horsepower or more if accompanied on board by a person aged 18 or over.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 12-15 may operate with an adult on board.
Start Now! Get your West Virginia Boating Licence
Wisconsin age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: 12 years of age.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): 12 years of age.
Wyoming age restrictions
Age to Operate a Vessel: Under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
Age to Operate a Personal Watercraft (PWC): Under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
