Alabama boating laws
What you need before you launch in Alabama: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Anyone operating a motorized vessel or PWC needs an Alabama vessel license (boater certification). Official course info
Who can drive a boat
No one under 12 may operate. Licensed 12 and 13 year olds need a licensed adult 21 or older aboard, and licensed operators 14 and up may operate alone.
Life jackets
Children under 8 must wear a life jacket except in an enclosed cabin. PWC riders and anyone being towed must wear one.
Required safety gear
Federal U.S. Coast Guard minimums apply:
- A wearable life jacket for each person aboard, plus a throwable cushion or ring on boats 16 feet and longer
- A fire extinguisher on most motorboats with an enclosed engine or fuel tank
- A whistle or horn
- Navigation lights if you are out between sunset and sunrise or in poor visibility
- Visual distress signals (flares or a flag) on coastal waters and the Great Lakes
Registration
Motorized vessels must be registered and numbered with decals.
Boating under the influence
It is illegal to operate a boat with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher.
Before you launch in Alabama
Links go to official Alabama agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official Alabama source before you go. This is not legal advice.