Michigan boating laws
What you need before you launch in Michigan: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Anyone born on or after July 1 1996 needs a boating safety certificate for motorboats, and PWC operators born after Dec 31 1978 need one too. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
Under 12 may operate up to 6 hp freely, and 6 to 35 hp only with a certificate and someone 16 or older aboard. No one under 14 may operate a PWC.
Life jackets
Children under 6 must wear a Type I or II life jacket on an open deck.
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 must be registered unless exempt, valid 3 years.
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 Michigan
Links go to official Michigan agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official Michigan source before you go. This is not legal advice.