Wisconsin boating laws
What you need before you launch in Wisconsin: boater education, age limits, life jackets, safety gear and registration.
Boater education
Anyone born on or after Jan 1 1989 needs a boating safety certificate. Official course info
Who can drive a boat
No one under 12 may operate a PWC.
Life jackets
No state child life jacket wear law. The federal under-13 rule applies on federal waters.
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 over 12 ft 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 Wisconsin
Links go to official Wisconsin agency pages.
Summary checked 2026-10-27. Rules change, so confirm with the official Wisconsin source before you go. This is not legal advice.