New Jersey boating laws
What you need before you launch in New Jersey: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
All power vessel and PWC operators need a Boating Safety Certificate from an in-person course. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
Under 13 may not operate a power vessel. Ages 13 to 15 with a course may only operate electric boats or boats 12 ft or longer under 10 hp, and PWC operators must be 16.
Life jackets
Children 12 and younger must wear a life jacket. Wear rules also apply in cold weather from Nov 1 to May 1.
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 titled boats and any mechanically propelled boat, regardless of length, must be registered.
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 Jersey
Links go to official New Jersey agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official New Jersey source before you go. This is not legal advice.