---
title: Personal Watercraft (PWC) in Virginia
description: Each person on a PWC or being towed by a PWC must wear a USCG approved PFD type I, II, III or V at all times.
image: https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/21118949/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/pwc-courtesy-hr.png
---

![PWC in Virginia](https://21118949.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/21118949/hubfs/courses/usa2024/images/images-transparentes/pwc-courtesy-hr.png?width=1100&height=619&name=pwc-courtesy-hr.png)

### PFD

Each person on a PWC or being towed by a PWC must wear a USCG approved PFD type I, II, III or V at all times. Inflatable life jackets are prohibited for PWC operators or passengers.

### Lanyard

Operators on personal watercraft equipped with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch must attach the lanyard to their clothing, PFD, themselves or as appropriate for the specific devices.

### Hours

No person shall operate a personal watercraft between sunset and sunrise.

### Wake

In Virginia you may not operate PWC in a reckless manner by zig-zagging through congested traffic, or jump the wake of another boat in a careless way and needlessly close to it. It is forbidden and dangerous to ''spray'' another boater by swerving at the last moment in order to avert a collision. 

In Virginia it is not lawful to operate a PWC while carrying passengers in excess of the number for which the PWC was designed by the manufacturer, including towed passengers.

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