Boating Safety

Required Equipment Checklist  | | DNR Control Orders|  Safety handbook

Who May Operate a Boat?

Those less than 12 years of age:

• May legally operate a boat powered by a motor of no more than 6 horsepower (hp) without restrictions.
• May legally operate a boat powered by a motor of more than 6 hp but no more than 35 hp only if they are directly supervised onboard by a person at least 16 years of age.
• May not legally operate a boat powered by a motor of more than 35 hp under any conditions.

Those 12 to 15 years of age:

• May legally operate a boat powered by a motor of no more than 6 hp without restrictions.
• May legally operate a boat powered by a motor of more than 6 hp only if they:
  • Have passed a boating safety course approved by the Department of Natural Resources and have onboard their boating safety certificate or...
  • Are accompanied onboard by a person at least 16 years of age.

Those 16 years of age or older:

• May operate any boat on the waters of Michigan. Note: see Who May Operate a PWC (Personal Water Craft) below.

Who May Operate a Personal Water Craft?

No one less than 12 years old may legally operate a PWC.

A person who is 12 or more and less than 14 years of age may operate a PWC only if:

• He or she obtained a boating safety certificate prior to January 1, 1999 or...
• All of the following conditions are satisfied:
• The person is accompanied solely by his or her parent or legal guardian.
• Both the person and the parent or legal guardian have obtained a boating safety certificate.
• The PWC is equipped with a lanyard-type ignition safety switch and the parent or legal guardian has the lanyard attached to his or her person, clothing or PFD (life jacket).
• The PWC is designed to carry at least two people.
   

Those 14 years of age or older:

• A person born after December 31, 1978, may operate a PWC only if he or she has obtained a boating safety certificate.
• Those born December 31, 1978, or earlier may operate a PWC without restrictions.

 
(taken from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website; http://boat-ed.com/mi/handbook/whomayoperate.htm)

You can learn more about Michigan Boating by going to the DNR Michigan Boating Safety handbook at http://boat-ed.com/mi/handbook/.

Required Equipment Checklist  |  DNR Control Orders  | Safety handbook