New Mexico boating laws
What you need before you launch in New Mexico: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Anyone born after Jan 1 1989 needs a boating safety course. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
Under 13 may not operate without adult supervision aboard.
Life jackets
Children under 13 must wear a life jacket while underway. Everyone boating on a river must wear one.
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
Motor-propelled boats and sailboats must be registered, and boats 10 ft or longer need a title.
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 Mexico
🧼 Out-of-state boats must be inspected before launching, and all boats must stop at open inspection stations.
Links go to official New Mexico agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official New Mexico source before you go. This is not legal advice.