Montana boating laws
What you need before you launch in Montana: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Operators 13 and 14 need a boater safety course, or an adult 18 or older aboard, for over 10 hp. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
Children 12 and under may not operate over 10 hp without an adult 18 or older aboard.
Life jackets
Children under 12 must wear a life jacket on boats under 26 ft in motion.
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 motorboats, PWC and sailboats 12 ft or longer must be registered. Manually propelled 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 Montana
🧼 All boats must stop at every open inspection station, and boats entering from out of state must be inspected before launching.
Links go to official Montana agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official Montana source before you go. This is not legal advice.