NC · State boating guide
North Carolina
boating laws
Last verified
At a glance
- Boater card
- Required for specified operators
- operators born on or after January 1, 1988, running any vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more
- Operating age
- No minimum age for most boats. No one under 14 may operate a personal watercraft; 14- and 15-year-olds may only if they carry a boating safety card and proof of age, or an adult 18 or older who meets the education requirement is on the PWC with them.
- Life-jacket age rule
- Children under 13 must wear an approved life jacket while a boat under 26 feet is underway.
- BUI / BAC limit
- 0.08 BAC
- Registration fee
- $30.00–$150.00
- Published categories; see fees and exceptions below.
- Registration term
- 1 year / 3 years
The short answer
Do I need a boating license in North Carolina?
Boater Education Certificate is required for operators born on or after January 1, 1988, running any vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more.
Confirm with North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission ↗North Carolina requires anyone born on or after January 1, 1988 to pass a NASBLA-approved boating safety course before operating a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more. No one under 14 may operate a personal watercraft, and 14- and 15-year-olds need a boater education card or an adult 18 or older on board. All motorized vessels and sailboats over 14 feet must be registered for one or three years, starting at $30 a year for boats under 26 feet. Children under 13 must wear a life jacket while underway on boats under 26 feet, and the impaired-boating limit is 0.08.
Before you operate
Boater education & operating age
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Education required | Yes — see who needs a card below |
| Who needs a card | operators born on or after January 1, 1988, running any vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or more |
| Card or certificate | Boater Education Certificate |
| Minimum operating age | No minimum age for most boats. No one under 14 may operate a personal watercraft; 14- and 15-year-olds may only if they carry a boating safety card and proof of age, or an adult 18 or older who meets the education requirement is on the PWC with them. |
| Out-of-state cards | Non-residents using North Carolina waters for no more than 90 days are exempt if they meet their home state's or country's boating education requirements. A USCG maritime license, a boat rental agreement, or direct onboard supervision by a qualified adult 18 or older also satisfies the law. |
Your boat’s paperwork
Boat registration & fees
All motorized vessels on public waters (including jet skis), sailboats over 14 feet at the load waterline, and USCG-documented vessels kept in North Carolina more than 60 consecutive days. Paddled, rowed or drifting craft and boats used only on a private pond are exempt. Owners choose a one-year or three-year period; vessels 14 feet or longer and all PWCs must also be titled.
- Less than 26 feet, one year$30.00
- Less than 26 feet, three years$90.00
- 26 feet or more, one year$50.00
- 26 feet or more, three years$150.00
Registration fee data and sources
| Boat / fee category | Fee | Term | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 26 feet, one year | $30.00 | 1 year | Official source: Less than 26 feet, one year ↗ |
| Less than 26 feet, three years | $90.00 | 3 years | Official source: Less than 26 feet, three years ↗ |
| 26 feet or more, one year | $50.00 | 1 year | Official source: 26 feet or more, one year ↗ |
| 26 feet or more, three years | $150.00 | 3 years | Official source: 26 feet or more, three years ↗ |
Personal watercraft (Jet Ski) rules
- No PWC operation between sunset and sunrise.
- Everyone operating, riding or being towed by a PWC must wear an approved life jacket.
- If the PWC has a lanyard engine cut-off switch, the operator must wear the lanyard at all times.
- Stay at no-wake speed within 100 feet of anchored or moored boats, docks, piers, swimmers, anglers or paddle craft (50 feet in a narrow channel).
- Operators under 16 must be at least 14 and carry a boating safety card, or have a qualified adult 18 or older aboard.
- Weaving through congested traffic or jumping a wake within 100 feet of another vessel counts as reckless operation.
Towing & watersports
- When towing someone on skis, a board or similar device, carry an observer besides the operator, or have a rearview mirror, or have the person towed wear a life jacket.
- A PWC needs a rearview mirror or an observer to tow, and the operator, observer and riders together may not exceed the manufacturer's capacity.
- No towing or water skiing from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
- Do not steer a towed skier or rider into any object or person.
Life jacket rules
- Carry a USCG-approved Type I, II or III life jacket for each person on board.
- Children under 13 must wear an approved life jacket while a boat under 26 feet is underway.
- Boats 16 feet or longer must also carry a Type IV throwable device.
- Everyone on a PWC must wear an approved life jacket at all times.
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 anyone born on or after January 1, 1988, on boats with 10 hp or more.
- Registration runs one or three years: $30 or $90 for boats under 26 feet.
- No PWC riding between sunset and sunrise.
- Kids under 13 wear a life jacket underway on boats under 26 feet.
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.
- Laws & Safety ↗North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
- Take a Boater Education Course ↗North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
- Registration and Titling ↗North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
- Personal Watercraft ↗North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
- G.S. 75A-5 (certificate of number fees) ↗North Carolina General Assembly
- G.S. 75A-10 (operating while impaired) ↗North Carolina General Assembly
- G.S. 75A-13 (water skis and towing) ↗North Carolina General Assembly
- G.S. 75A-13.3 (personal watercraft) ↗North Carolina General Assembly
- G.S. 75A-16.2 (boating safety education) ↗North Carolina General Assembly
Last verified
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