Florida Boating Laws & Regulations

Do you need a Florida boating license?

You need boater education if you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, and will be operating a motorized boat of 10 hp or more in Florida.

Florida boat registration numbers

Florida PFD requirements

Florida state law requires every vessel to carry one wearable PFD for each person on board.

It is also mandatory that all USCG-approved PFD be readily and easily accessible. They may not be kept inside a plastic bag or protective covering. Inflatable PFD are only considered readily available while being worn.

USCG-approved PFD must be kept in serviceable condition. If they are badly damaged, discolored, torn, rotted, punctured, or otherwise unserviceable they no longer meet legal requirements and must be replaced.

All PFD must be worn in compliance with the USCG labeling on the PFD (regarding the weight and age of the wearer, activities it is suitable for etc.)

Law enforcement in Florida

Law enforcement officers of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, sheriff's deputies of the various counties, and any other authorized enforcement officer, shall have the authority to order the removal of vessels deemed to be an interference or hazard to public safety, enforce all boating safety laws, or can stop and board any vessel and make an inspection in accordance to state law.

A law enforcement officer may stop any vessel for the purpose of checking for compliance with boating safety equipment requirements.

Florida law requires that anyone convicted of 2 non-criminal boating safety offences within a 12-month period must enroll in, attend, and successfully complete a NASBLA/State of Florida-approved boater education course. This course must be completed following the date of the second violation, and proof of completion must be filed with the Commission's Boating and Waterways Section. Correspondence courses do not meet this requirement 

Marine Sanitation Devices (MSD) in Florida

Vessels 26 feet or more in length and that have an enclosed cabin with berthing facilities or a houseboat shall be equipped with a toilet and an appropriate USCG-approved marine sanitation device.

It is unlawful to disconnect, bypass or use a marine sanitation system that could allow the sewage to be dumped into federal waters at any distance and anywhere 3 miles from shore. 

Discharging Other Substances and Materials

It is illegal to discharge untreated waste, oil and trash into waters.

Private artificial reefs are prohibited in Florida. Do not drop concrete, steel, or anything else in the water which may constitute reefs. Dumping is considered a 1st degree Misdemeanor.

Boaters are also responsible for their vessels. 

Abandoned and derelict vessels are prohibited on state waters. Owners are responsible for removing these vessels from the water. Intentionally dumping your vessel is a 3rd degree felony. If you see a derelict vessel on the water please contact your FWC regional office.

Aquatic invasive species in Florida

Non-native aquatic species of plants, fish and animals are infesting the waters of Florida. Under the right conditions these nuisances can increase at an alarming rate and displace the native species, cause blockage of the waterways and increase flooding, lower oxygen levels, lower fish populations, destroy local ecosystems, and have a negative impact on navigation and recreation.

They are next to impossible to eliminate once they are introduced. It is therefore imperative to properly clean watercraft and equipment after each use. 

You can help prevent the introduction and spread of non-native species from one body of water to another by checking, draining, cleaning and drying your boat.

Accident report in Florida

An accident report must be made to one of the following authorities: the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the sheriff of the county in which the accident occurred, or the police chief of the municipality in which the accident occurred, by the quickest means possible:

• If the accident results in injury beyond immediate first-aid, and in case of death or disappearance.

• When total damage to the boat and property is of at least $2000.00.

• When the boat is total loss.

Reckless or careless pperation of a vessel in Florida

It may be considered to be reckless boating if the operator of a pleasure craft fails to exercise the degree of care that is necessary to prevent endangering persons or property.

Anyone who operates a vessel with willful disregard for the safety of persons or property will be cited for reckless operation (a first-degree misdemeanor).

All operators are responsible for operating their vessel in a reasonable and prudent manner with regard to other vessel traffic, posted restrictions, the presence of a divers-down flag and other circumstances so as not to endanger people or property. Failure to do so is considered careless operation (a non-criminal infraction). 

A violation of the Federal Navigation Rules is also a violation of Florida law.

Diving and snorkeling in Florida

When taking part in a boating activity in a sector where this flag is displayed, boaters must make a reasonable effort to keep a safe distance of at least 300 feet from divers-down flags or buoys on open waters, and at least 100 feet from flags or buoys on rivers, inlets or navigation channels. Similarly, divers must make a reasonable effort to stay within 300 feet of the divers-down flag or buoy on open waters and within 100 feet of the flag or buoy on rivers, inlets, or navigation channels.

Vessels approaching divers-down flags or buoys closer than 300 feet in open water and 100 feet in rivers, inlets, and navigation channels must slow to idle speed.

When divers are out of the water, a dive flag or buoy must not be displayed.

Towed water sports in Florida

As a team of 3, the boat operator, skier, and observer must learn the skills for safe skiing. You should know the following before heading out: 

• All persons being towed are required to wear a non-inflatable, USCG-approved personal flotation device (PFD) approved by and used in accordance with the U.S. Coast Guard label.

• No one may wear an inflatable PFD

• Water skiing and aquaplaning is only allowed from ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour past sunset. Water skiing or aquaplaning is prohibited at night.

• It is illegal to pass the towline over another vessel, as well as to navigate between the vessel and the person being towed

• It is illegal to tow a skier so close to a fixed object or another vessel that there is risk of collision

• As well as the operator, an observer is required to be on board when a person is being towed, or the operator must have and use a wide-angle rear-view mirror

• No one may ski or use another aquaplaning device while impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Airboats in Florida

Airboats are considered vessels and must comply with registration requirements and safety equipment requirements.

Additionally, airboats must be equipped with a mast or flagpole displaying a flag that is at least 10 feet above the lowest part of the boat. The flag must be square or rectangular, at least 10 by 12 inches in size, international orange in color, and displayed so it is visible from any direction.

Operating under the influence of drugs and alcohol in Florida

In Florida, if a boater has a blood alcohol level of 0.08% or higher, he/she shall be considered to be under the influence of alcohol.

Anyone convicted of operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs is liable to a fine of up to $1,000 and/or 6 months in the county jail for a first offense provided that there were no other violations observed

Individuals convicted of Boating Under the Influence are placed on monthly probation by court, have their boating privileges revoked, required to complete a boating safety education course, required to complete a Violator boating safety course, and attend a substance abuse course specified by the court. The violator is also responsible for all costs incurred for meeting these requirements on top of the original fine.

Any person under 21 years of age who is found to have a breath-alcohol level of 0.02% or higher and operates or is in actual physical control of a vessel is in violation of Florida law.

It is strongly recommended that neither boat operators nor passengers drink alcoholic beverages while boating.

Environment - Manatee awareness in Florida

Manatees are protected by state and federal law and are classified as endangered. Boaters should avoid manatee habitats and always be careful when navigating on waters where manatees could be present such as seagrass areas and shallow waters.

Harassing, hunting, capturing, or killing any marine mammal, including manatees is illegal. Anything that disrupts a manatee's normal behavior is a violation of law, punishable under federal law by a fine of up to $50,000, one-year imprisonment, or both. Boaters must observe all manatee protection zone requirements.

 If you accidentally strike a manatee, you should report the strike to the FWC immediately as immediate care could save the manatees life and is not necessarily a violation if operator was complying with boating regulations and zones.

Seagrass awareness in Florida

Seagrass is a plant that lives underwater, whose leaves are out of the water, but which is rooted in the sediment. Seagrass is the principal food for endangered marine herbivores, such as manatees and green sea turtles; it acts as a natural filter to help purify the water and provides a suitable environment for a wide variety of marine life. Boaters should make all possible attempts to stay within channels when unfamiliar with a waterway and make all available attempts to avoid navigating through seagrass beds, which can cause propeller scars. Navigation charts identify seagrass beds as light green or marked as "grs" on the chart. Mud trails in shallow areas are indicators of the propeller churning up the bottom and cutting seagrass roots. Boaters should avoid anchoring in seagrass areas and know their boat’s operating depth.

It is a violation of Florida law to damage sea grass beds in some areas within state waters. Some areas will have signs posted that state Aquatic Preserve. Destruction of Seagrass in Aquatic Preserves is a violation of Florida law and carries a penalty of up to $1,000.

Sea turtles & Right whales in Florida

Florida is home to five of the seven species of sea turtles in the world. All five species are on the endangered or threatened list and are protected by state and federal law. To avoid strikes and collisions, boaters must not approach sea turtles in the water. Boaters must not throw trash or materials in ocean as trash and fishing line can be ingested and are fatal to sea turtles and other marine life. If you see an injured, dead or entangled sea turtle please contact FWC immediately.

Personal Watercraft (PWC) in Florida

PWC are considered vessels and must comply with all safety equipment such as visual distress signals, life jackets, navigation lights, and sound producing device.

In addition to the requirements previously stated applicable to all motorized vessels: 

• Each person on a PWC or being towed by a PWC must wear a USCG approved PFD type I, II, III or V

• Inflatable PFD are prohibited for personal watercraft use

• The law requires anyone operating a PWC equipped with a lanyard cut-off switch to attach the lanyard to his or her person, clothing or life jacket. Operating a PWC equipped with a self-circling device is prohibited if the device has been altered

• Maneuvering a PWC by weaving through congested vessel traffic, jumping the wake of another vessel unreasonably close or when visibility around the vessel is obstructed, or swerving at the last possible moment to avoid collision is classified as reckless operation of a vessel (a first-degree misdemeanor)

• It is illegal for a person under the age of 14 to operate a PWC

• A person must be at least 18 years old to rent a personal watercraft in Florida.

• It is unlawful for a person to knowingly allow a person under 14 years old to operate a personal watercraft (a second-degree misdemeanor).

• Personal watercraft may not be operated from 1/2 hour after sunset to 1/2 hour before sunrise, even if the PWCE is equipped with navigation lights. Remember, both federal and state law requires the use of navigation lights during periods of inclement weather and periods of reduced visibility, including the ½ hour before sunrise and the ½ hour after sunset.

• You may not carry more passengers than the number for which the craft was designed to carry by the manufacturer. When towing someone on a tube or on water skis, the PWC must have the appropriate capacity to accommodate the operator, the observer, and the person being towed.