Illinois boating laws
What you need before you launch in Illinois: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Anyone born on or after Jan 1 1998 needs a boating safety certificate to operate over 10 hp. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
No one under 10 may operate. Ages 10 and 11 need a parent or adult 18 or older aboard, and ages 12 to 17 need a course or supervision.
Life jackets
Children under 13 must wear a life jacket on deck or in an open boat.
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
All boats except unpowered canoes, kayaks and paddleboards must be registered and titled.
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 Illinois
Links go to official Illinois agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official Illinois source before you go. This is not legal advice.