North Carolina Boating Rules and Regulations
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission

Do I need a boat license in North Carolina?

To operate a motorboat with 10 horsepower or more, or a PWC in North Carolina, anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, must carry a boating safety education certificate proving they have passed an approved boating safety education course.

It is illegal for anyone younger than aged 14 to operate a PWC in North Carolina.

North Carolina Registration Requirements - Numbers & Stickers

What boats must be registered in North Carolina?

  • All motorized vessels used on public waters must be registered, including jet skis.

  • All sailboats used on public waters must be registered if longer than 14 feet at the load waterline.

  • All boats registered in another state that remains in North Carolina for over 90 consecutive days

  • All boats documented by the US Coast Guard that remain in North Carolina for over 90 consecutive days

What boats are exempt from registration in North Carolina?

  • Rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and rafts moved only by oars, paddles or the current;

  • Vessels used only on private ponds;

  • Vessels that are properly registered in another state and are operating on North Carolina waters for fewer than 90 days;

  • Ship's lifeboats or dinghies, provided that they are used exclusively for emergency lifeboat purposes.

Registration can be for a period of one year or three years, as chosen by the operator. Registration and titling applications should be made to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) office through a Wildlife Service Agent.

The NCWRC must be notified in writing as soon as possible if the owner changes address, the boat is scrapped, or the boat is sold.

How do I transfer ownership of a used boat in North Carolina?

  1. Obtain a signed title from the seller: The seller must provide you with a signed title that proves they are the legal owner of the boat.

  2. Complete a Bill of Sale: The seller must also provide you with a Bill of Sale, which includes the boat's description, sale price, and the names and addresses of the buyer and seller.

  3. Complete a NC Wildlife Resources Commission Form: The buyer must complete a NC Wildlife Resources Commission Form VL-1, which is available online or at a Wildlife Service Agent.

  4. Obtain a notarized signature: The seller's signature on the title must be notarized.

  5. Pay the necessary fees: You must pay the title fee, which is currently $52, and any other applicable fees.

  6. Submit the documents: You can submit the signed title, Bill of Sale, VL-1 Form, and payment to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission by mail or in person at a Wildlife Service Agent.

Age restrictions for boaters in North Carolina

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, must hold a North Carolina Boater Safety Education Certificate to legally use a boat propelled by a motor of 10 horsepower or more on North Carolina waters.

It is illegal for anyone younger than aged 14 to operate a PWC in North Carolina.  

A person at least 14 years of age but less than 16 years of age may operate a PWC in North Carolina provided that they have successfully completed a boater safety education course and carry on board proof of age and a North Carolina Boater Safety Education Certificate, or they are accompanied by someone at least 18 years old and who meets the education requirements. 

Personal Flotation Devices (PFD) in North Carolina

Passengers under 13 years of age must wear a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard approved PFD while the vessel they are on is underway unless they are inside a fully enclosed cabin.

Boats in North Carolina must carry at least one US Coast Guard-approved wearable PFD per person onboard. PFD's should be readily available and of the correct size for each person aboard.

Personal Floatation Device in serviceable condition and of appropriate size should be accessible for each person onboard a vessel.   

Anyone riding a personal watercraft or being towed by one must also wear a Coast Guard-approved life vest.    

Operating under the influence of drugs and alcohol in North Carolina

In North Carolina, it is unlawful to operate a vessel (including PWC) or use water skis, surfboard, or similar device while under the influence of alcohol or other impairing substance. 

Persons who have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or greater while operating/utilizing vessels are considered to be operating under the influence (OUI).

Personal Watercraft (PWC) in North Carolina

Who Can Operate a PWC in North Carolina?

  • Anyone 14 years of age or older can operate a PWC if they meet one of the following requirements::
  • It is unlawful for the owner of a PWC to knowingly allow a person younger than 16 to operate a PWC unless they have first completed an approved boating safety education course.

Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) in North Carolina

Aquatic nuisance species are plants and animals introduced into waters that cause ecological and/or economic harm if established. Aquatic nuisance species include whirling disease, didymo, gill lice, hydrilla, zebra mussel, giant salvinia and many others. 

Zebra mussels

Zebra mussels, small, fingernail-sized mollusks native to the Caspian Sea region of Asia, are regarded as one of the most troublesome invasive species in North America. In spite of their small size, zebra mussels clog pipelines used for water filtration, render beaches unusable, and damage boats. They also negatively impact aquatic ecosystems by harming native organisms.

The zebra mussel is a small shellfish named for the striped pattern of its shell. However, color patterns can vary to the point of having only dark or light-colored shells with no stripes. 

Myxobolus cerebralis

Myxobolus cerebralis (the parasite that causes whirling disease) was first confirmed in North Carolina in July 2015 from a Rainbow Trout collected from Watauga River near Foscoe, Watauga County. Whirling disease damages cartilage and skeletal tissue in a fish, causing it to swim in a whirling motion. While often fatal to juvenile fish, the disease does not infect humans or pets, and eating an infected fish is not known to cause any harmful effects. The NCWRC will continues to work with researchers to explore the distribution and life history characteristics of Myxobolus cerebralis in North Carolina. 

Boating Accidents in North Carolina

In the case of an accident, it is the vessel operator’s duty to render assistance to other persons and property to save them from danger caused by the accident so long as this action does not seriously endanger their vessel or any person aboard.

The vessel’s operator must supply his/her name, address, and vessel information to the owner/operator of any property or vessel involved in the accident as well as anyone injured in the accident.

The vessel’s operator must immediately notify the Wildlife Resources Commission of the accident by the quickest means available if the accident results in:

  • the death or
  • disappearance of a person from the boat.

Careless and Reckless Operation in North Carolina

In North Carolina, reckless or negligent operation is defined as operating any boat in such a manner that endangers the life, limb, or property of any person.

Operators must navigate in a reasonable and prudent manner at all times.

Safe Speed in North Carolina

Specific speed limitations may apply in some areas. Otherwise, all vessels should be operated at a safe speed for the conditions, i.e. a speed that allows time and distance to take necessary action to avoid a collision.

Operating at a speed that is excessive for the conditions and that endangers persons or property is considered reckless operation and is prohibited by State boating law.

 Additionally, vessels shall proceed at no-wake speed when:

  • Entering, leaving, or passing within 50 yards of a state-owned or state-controlled boating and fishing access area
  • Within 100 feet of a law enforcement vessel displaying a flashing blue light (50 feet if in a narrow channel)

Complying with Officers in North Carolina

Who has the authority to enforce North Carolina boating laws?

Wildlife enforcement officers of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, officers of the Department of Environment and National Resources, US Coast Guard officers, and any other authorized law enforcement officer have the authority to enforce North Carolina boating laws.

Any person operating a vessel on the waters of the state is required to bring their vessel to a stop after having been requested or signaled to do so by a law enforcement officer. The operator must comply with the directives of that officer.

Diving in North Carolina

Particular care must be taken when boating in waters where there are divers. 

The diver-down flag is red with a white diagonal stripe and must be displayed on the surface of the water by any person or group of persons engaged in skin diving or scuba diving.

The diver-down flag must be displayed only when diving is in progress. 

It is forbidden to operate a vessel within 50 feet of a diver-down flag unless the flag is located such that it creates an unreasonable obstruction to navigation.

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