KY · State boating guide
Kentucky
boating laws
Last verified
At a glance
- Boater card
- Required for specified operators
- operators 12 through 17 years old of a motorboat or PWC with 10 horsepower or more
- Operating age
- A person must be 12 or older to operate a motorboat, including a PWC, with 10 horsepower or more on Kentucky public waters.
- Life-jacket age rule
- Children under 12 must wear a life jacket in the open part of a boat that is underway.
- BUI / BAC limit
- 0.08 BAC
- Registration fee
- $22.20–$68.71
- Published categories; see fees and exceptions below.
- Registration term
- 1 year
The short answer
Do I need a boating license in Kentucky?
Kentucky Safe Boating Certificate Card is required for operators 12 through 17 years old of a motorboat or PWC with 10 horsepower or more.
Confirm with Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources ↗Kentucky requires operators 12 to 17 to carry a Kentucky Safe Boating Certificate Card or a NASBLA-approved course certificate, and no one under 12 may operate a motorboat or PWC of 10 horsepower or more. All mechanically powered vessels used mainly in Kentucky are registered at the county clerk's office, and registrations expire every April 30. Children under 12 must wear a life jacket in the open part of a boat that is underway, PWC may run only from sunrise to sunset, and the intoxication limit is 0.08 BAC.
Before you operate
Boater education & operating age
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Education required | Yes — see who needs a card below |
| Who needs a card | operators 12 through 17 years old of a motorboat or PWC with 10 horsepower or more |
| Card or certificate | Kentucky Safe Boating Certificate Card |
| Minimum operating age | A person must be 12 or older to operate a motorboat, including a PWC, with 10 horsepower or more on Kentucky public waters. |
| Out-of-state cards | A certificate showing completion of any NASBLA-approved boater education course is accepted in place of the Kentucky card. |
Your boat’s paperwork
Boat registration & fees
All mechanically powered vessels used primarily in Kentucky. Register at the county clerk's office in your county of residence or principal use. Registrations expire April 30 each year. Boats registered in other states may be used in Kentucky for up to 60 consecutive days. Fees below do not include property taxes, clerk's fees, titling fees or other charges.
- Class A, less than 16 feet$22.20
- Class 1, 16 feet to less than 26 feet$42.28
- Class 2, 26 feet to less than 40 feet$52.85
- Class 3, over 40 feet$68.71
Registration fee data and sources
| Boat / fee category | Fee | Term | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A, less than 16 feet | $22.20 | 1 year | Official source: Class A, less than 16 feet ↗ |
| Class 1, 16 feet to less than 26 feet | $42.28 | 1 year | Official source: Class 1, 16 feet to less than 26 feet ↗ |
| Class 2, 26 feet to less than 40 feet | $52.85 | 1 year | Official source: Class 2, 26 feet to less than 40 feet ↗ |
| Class 3, over 40 feet | $68.71 | 1 year | Official source: Class 3, over 40 feet ↗ |
Personal watercraft (Jet Ski) rules
- PWC may be operated only between sunrise and sunset.
- PWC without self-circling capability must have a lanyard engine kill switch attached to the operator while underway.
- The operator and all passengers must wear a USCG-approved life jacket.
- Operators must be at least 12, and operators 12 to 17 need a safe boating certificate.
- PWC are prohibited on Cedar Creek Lake.
Towing & watersports
- Towing skiers, tubes, kneeboards and similar is allowed only between sunrise and sunset.
- Boats and PWC towing someone need an observer 12 or older besides the operator, or a wide-angle rearview mirror.
- Everyone being towed must wear a Type I, II or III life jacket.
- No skiing within 100 feet of a commercial dock, mooring harbor or swimming area, or within 2,000 feet of a lock or dam.
- Towing kites and similar airborne devices requires an observer 12 or older (a mirror is not enough), a tow rope of 150 feet or less, and no more than two people towed.
Life jacket rules
- Every boat must carry a Type I, II or III life jacket for each person on board.
- Boats 16 feet and over, except canoes and kayaks, must also carry one Type IV throwable device.
- Children under 12 must wear a life jacket in the open part of a boat that is underway.
- PWC operators and passengers must wear a life jacket.
- Below locks and dams on Corps of Engineers waterways and the Kentucky River, everyone must wear a life jacket upstream of danger signs and buoys or within 150 feet of the downstream lock and dam wall.
Boating under the influence
Published limit: 0.08 BAC. Read the linked official guidance for the full rule and any age-specific provisions.
At a glance
- Boater education applies to operators 12 through 17.
- Kids under 12 cannot run a motorboat or PWC of 10 hp or more.
- Registration is annual and expires April 30.
- PWC are daylight-only, sunrise to sunset.
- Kids under 12 must wear a life jacket while underway in the open part of a boat.
Plan your day
Before you launch
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Sources and last checked
Sources
Official guidance is the final reference. Rules and fees may change after this guide’s verification date.
- Fishing and Boating Guide: Boating ↗Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
Last verified
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