USBoatLaw.com
- Virginia Boat Laws
|
|
Virginia
BOATING LAWS
|
|
|
Virginia
Boating Laws are administered by the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. Additional rules and regulations may apply in
various counties. Know the law. |
|
|
Basic Virginia Boating
Laws
|
|
The Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries publishes
their Virginia
Watercraft Owner's Guide PDF
|
|
Virginia Boating License
Requirements
|
|
In
2007, the Virginia General Assembly enacted a law to
establish a boating
safety education compliance requirement. This
requirement will be phased in over the next several years
and by 2016, all operators of PWCs (Personal Watercraft
such as jet skis, Sea Doos, Wave Runners) and operators of
Motorboats with a 10 hp or greater motor, will be required
to have a boating safety education course completion card
on board when operating a PWC or Motorboat.
|
|
|
|
Jet Ski Rules and Personal
Watercraft Rules
|
|
A
personal watercraft is a motorboat less than 16 feet in
length which uses an inboard motor powering a jet pump as
its primary motive power and which is designed to be
operated by a person sitting, standing or kneeling on,
rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or
standing inside the vessel.
|
|
It
shall be unlawful for any person to operate a PWC, or the
owner or any person having control to authorize or
knowingly permit a person to operate a PWC, unless the
operator is at least 16 years of age, except any person
age 14 or 15 may operate a PWC if they have successfully
completed an approved
boating education safety course, carry proof of
successful completion of such course, and show this proof
upon request by a law enforcement officer.
|
|
Boat Registration -
Virginia Department of Natural Resources 515-281-5918
|
|
The
Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (DGIF)
administers all boat titling and registration of
recreational boats in Virginia. All motorboats used on the
public waters of Virginia must be registered and titled.
If the motorboat is principally used on the public waters
of Virginia it must be registered and titled in Virginia
as opposed to another state. For more details refer
to the VDNR WEBSITE
|
|
It
is illegal for the owner or person in control of a
motorboat to allow someone who does not meet the age or
boating education requirements to operate the vessel.
|
|
Out of State Boats
|
|
The
Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (DGIF)
administers all boat titling and registration of
recreational boats in Virginia. All motorboats used on the
public waters of Virginia must be registered and titled.
If the motorboat is principally used on the public waters
of Virginia it must be registered and titled in Virginia
as opposed to another state. An owner bringing a
watercraft into Virginia from another state may operate
the vessel up to 90 consecutive days on the other
state's current, valid registration before
registering it in Virginia.
|
