Minnesota boating laws
What you need before you launch in Minnesota: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Watercraft operator permit is being phased in: born after June 30 2004 (July 2025), 2000 (July 2026), 1996 (July 2027), 1987 (July 2028), for motors over 25 hp. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
Under 12 may operate under 75 hp only with an accompanying operator, and may not operate a PWC.
Life jackets
Children under 10 must wear a life jacket while underway.
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
Most boats must be registered, including non-motorized craft over 10 ft.
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 Minnesota
🧼 Boaters must allow inspection at staffed accesses, and inspectors can require decontamination before launch.
Links go to official Minnesota agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official Minnesota source before you go. This is not legal advice.