Laws for Jet Skis

Jet skiing is a popular and fun activity. However, safety is one of the biggest issues when operating any kind of watercraft. Different laws have been established by the United States Coast Guard to keep the waters safe and organized

  1. Getting Your Personal Watercraft License

    • Any person operating a jet ski must have a personal watercraft (PWC) license. To receive a PWC license, a person must be at least 13 years of age and participate in and pass a boater education course in designated locations by state. The minimum age to drive a PWC has been 14; however, in 2011 that age will be raised to 16 due to increasing accidents by younger riders.

    Self-Circling Devices

    • Any person operating a PWC must use a self-circling device. A self-circling device is a lanyard cutoff switch attached to the rider. If the person operating the jet ski falls off, the device stays attached to the rider and comes apart from the jet ski, automatically turning it off.

    Wearing a Life Jacket

    • Wearing a life jacket when riding a jet ski is not only a law in the majority of U.S. states, but a major safety precaution as well. It is highly recommended to always wear a secured life jacket equipped with a whistle to warn other boaters if you are in the water.

    Nighttime Operation

    • A person operating a jet ski may only be on the water from one hour before sunrise to the time of sundown. Since jet skis are not usually equipped with spotlights and it is very difficult to see hazards in the water at night, such as rocks, buoys and marshlands, it is illegal to be on the water on a jet ski during any other time.

    Following Markers in the Water

    • When on the water, various areas are marked with buoys or wooden poles with markers to signify which general path to follow. Green buoys display odd numbers to keep track of how many buoys you have passed and should always be on your right side when going towards open water. Red buoys display even numbers and should always be on your right side when heading into channels and places of higher boat traffic. A useful tip to remember is Red-Right-Returning, signifying where the buoys should be in relation to your jet ski.

    Speeding

    • Channels and areas of high boat traffic issue a "no wake zone," usually signifying a speed limit of five miles per hour. Otherwise, there are generally no speed limits enforced as long as a person is not putting other people in danger when on the water.