As the Skipper, it is your responsibility to ensure that your vessel meets ALL safety and seaworthy regulations in all jurisdictions in which you will be operating. 


This includes:


  • being seaworthy 
  • having all required safety equipment onboard the vessel
  • ensuring that you, as the Skipper, are correctly licensed to operate your vessel


To make it easier for you to ensure you comply with the safety regulations in your State or Territory, we have provided links for quick access.  Note that these are provided as a guide only and you should make your own enquiries to your relevant regulatory body.


Australian Skippers


State or Territory
Governing Safety BodyLink
Western AustraliaDepartment of Transporthttps://www.transport.wa.gov.au/imarine/boating-safety.asp
New South WalesRoads and Marinehttps://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/maritime/safety-rules/safety-equipment/index.html
QueenslandMaritime Safety Queenslandhttps://www.msq.qld.gov.au/Safety/Safety-equipment-recreational-ships
VictoriaMaritime Safety Victoriahttps://transportsafety.vic.gov.au/maritime-safety/recreational-vessel-operators/powerboat/trip-preparation/safety-equipment
South AustraliaSA Government Boating & Marinehttps://www.sa.gov.au/topics/boating-and-marine/boat-and-marine-safety/marine-safety-equipment/carrying-suitable-safety-equipment
TasmaniaMarine & Safety Tasmaniahttps://www.mast.tas.gov.au/recreational/boating/
Northern TerritoryNT Government Boating Fishing & Marinehttps://nt.gov.au/marine/marine-safety/guides-and-notices/marine-safety-guide
Australian Capital Territory
ACT Government Transporthttps://www.accesscanberra.act.gov.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/4755/kw/boat#!tabs-3



United States of America Skippers


State
Governing Safety BodyLink
Alabama
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Patrol
https://www.alea.gov/dps/marine-patrol/boating-rules-and-regulations
Alaska
Alaska Department of Natural Resources
http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/boating/
Arizona
Arizona Game and Fish
https://www.azgfd.com/boating/regulations/
Arkansas
Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
https://www.agfc.com/en/fishing/boating-information/
California
California State Parks Boating and Waterways
http://dbw.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=28731
Colorado
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
https://cpw.state.co.us/Documents/Boating/BoatingRegulations.pdf
Conneticut
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Boating/Boating-and-Paddling
Delaware
Division of Fish and Wildlife
https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/boating/safety/
Florida
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
https://myfwc.com/boating/regulations/
Georgia
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
https://gadnrle.org/boating-rules-regulations
Hawaii
Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/boating-in-hawaii/
Idaho
Idaho State Parks and Recreation
https://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/activities/boating
Illinois
Illinois Department of Natural Resources
https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/boating/Documents/BoatDigest.pdf
Indiana
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
https://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/8678.htm
Iowa
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-to-do/boating
Kansas
Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
https://ksoutdoors.com/Boating/Boating-Legally
Kentucky
Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resournces
https://fw.ky.gov/Boat/Pages/default.aspx
Louisiana
Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries
https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/boating-regulations
Maine
Maine Department of Fisheries and Wildlife
https://www.maine.gov/ifw/docs/maine-boating-laws.pdf
Maryland
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
https://dnr.maryland.gov/nrp/Pages/BoatingSafety/State-Requirements-for-Recreational-Vessels.aspx
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Environmental Police
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/massachusetts-boating-safety-guide
Michigan
Department of Natural Resources
https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79119_79144---,00.html
Minnesota
Department of Natural Resources
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/boatwater/index.html
Mississippi
Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks
https://www.mdwfp.com/law-enforcement/boating-rules-regs/
Missouri
Missouri State Water Patrol Division
https://www.mo.gov/outdoors/boating/
Montana
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
http://fwp.mt.gov/recreation/regulations/boating/
Nebraska
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
http://outdoornebraska.gov/boatingregulations/
Nevada
Nevada Department of Wildlife
http://www.ndow.org/uploadedFiles/ndoworg/
New Hampshire
New Hampshire Fish and Game
https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/boating/
New Jersey
New Jersey State Police
https://www.state.nj.us/njsp/info/pdf/marine/021606-boating-safety-manual.pdf
New Mexico
New Mexico Game and Fish
http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/fishing/fishing-regulations/boating/
New York
New York Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
https://parks.ny.gov/recreation/boating/
North Carolina
North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
https://www.ncwildlife.org/Boating/Laws-Safety/Boating-Regulations
North Dakota
North Dakota Game and Fish
https://gf.nd.gov/boating/safety-regulations
Ohio
Ohio State Parks and Watercraft
https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr-core/divisions/parks-wc/div-parks/div-parks-wc
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State Marine Enforcement Division
http://204.61.10.226/lp/lps.htm
Oregon
Oregan State Marine Board
https://www.oregon.gov/osmb/boater-info/Pages/Boater%20Info%20Home.aspx
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
https://www.fishandboat.com/
Rhode Island
Department of Environmental Mangement
http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/law/boating-safety-topics.php
South Carolina
South Carolina Hunting and Fishing
http://www.eregulations.com/southcarolina/huntingandfishing/boating/
South Dakota
South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
https://gfp.sd.gov/safety/
Tennesee
Tennesee Wildlife Resources Agency
https://www.tn.gov/twra/boating/regulations-and-safety-concerns.html
Texas
Texas Parks and Wildlife
https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/boat/safety/vessel_requirements/
Utah
Utah State Parks
https://stateparks.utah.gov/activities/boating/boating-laws-rules/
Vermont
Vermont Fish and Wildlife
https://dec.vermont.gov
Virginia
Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
https://dwr.virginia.gov/boating/
Washington
Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office
https://boat.wa.gov/boating/the-laws/
West Virginia
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
https://www.wvdnr.gov/lenforce/boating.shtm
Wisconsin
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/boat/
Wyoming
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regulations/Regulation-PDFs/REGULATIONS_CH22_BROCHURE.pdf