South Carolina boating laws
What you need before you launch in South Carolina: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Anyone born after July 1 2007 needs a boating course to operate 10 hp or more, a PWC or specialty propcraft. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
Check with the South Carolina boating agency for age limits.
Life jackets
Children under 12 must wear a life jacket on vessels under 16 ft.
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
Motorboats and sailboats must be registered, and outboard motors 5 hp or more must be titled.
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 South Carolina
Links go to official South Carolina agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official South Carolina source before you go. This is not legal advice.