Missouri boating laws
What you need before you launch in Missouri: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Anyone born after Jan 1 1984 needs a boating safety course to operate on Missouri lakes. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
Check with the Missouri boating agency for age limits.
Life jackets
Children under 7 must wear a life jacket except in a cabin.
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 motorized boats and sailboats over 12 ft must be registered. Paddle-only boats are exempt.
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 Missouri
Links go to official Missouri agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official Missouri source before you go. This is not legal advice.