New Hampshire boating laws
What you need before you launch in New Hampshire: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Everyone 16 and older needs a boating education certificate to operate a motorboat over 25 hp. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
Operators under 16 may run over 25 hp only with a certified adult 18 or older aboard.
Life jackets
Children 12 and under must wear a life jacket on 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
Boats with a motor and sailboats 12 feet or longer must be registered. Canoes, rowboats and other boats powered only by paddles or oars 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 New Hampshire
Links go to official New Hampshire agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official New Hampshire source before you go. This is not legal advice.