UT · State boating guide
Utah
boating laws
Last verified
At a glance
- Boater card
- Required for specified operators
- PWC operators aged 12 to 17, regardless of residency. Every boater must also take the annual mussel-aware course, and from January 1, 2027 every motorboat and sailboat operator must complete the annual watercraft operator course (inflatable motorboats are exempt).
- Operating age
- Under 12 may not operate a PWC. Ages 12 to 15 may operate a PWC only with the course certificate in hand and under the direct supervision of someone 18 or older; ages 16 and 17 need the certificate. Anyone under 16 may operate other motorboats only with someone 18 or older on board supervising.
- Life-jacket age rule
- Children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times while on the water.
- BUI / BAC limit
- 0.05 BAC
- Registration fee
- $0.50–$350.00
- Published categories; see fees and exceptions below.
- Registration term
- 1 year
The short answer
Do I need a boating license in Utah?
Utah boating safety certificate (Mandatory Youth Personal Watercraft Course) is required for PWC operators aged 12 to 17, regardless of residency. Every boater must also take the annual mussel-aware course, and from January 1, 2027 every motorboat and sailboat operator must complete the annual watercraft operator course (inflatable motorboats are exempt).
Confirm with Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation ↗Utah requires anyone 12 to 17 to pass an approved boating safety course before operating a personal watercraft, and anyone under 16 needs an adult 18 or older supervising on any motorboat. Every boater, resident or not, must also take the annual mussel-aware course, and starting January 1, 2027 every motorboat and sailboat operator must complete an annual watercraft operator course. Motorboats and sailboats are registered every year through the DMV. Children under 13 must wear a life jacket, and the legal limit for operators is 0.05 BAC.
Before you operate
Boater education & operating age
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Education required | Yes — see who needs a card below |
| Who needs a card | PWC operators aged 12 to 17, regardless of residency. Every boater must also take the annual mussel-aware course, and from January 1, 2027 every motorboat and sailboat operator must complete the annual watercraft operator course (inflatable motorboats are exempt). |
| Card or certificate | Utah boating safety certificate (Mandatory Youth Personal Watercraft Course) |
| Minimum operating age | Under 12 may not operate a PWC. Ages 12 to 15 may operate a PWC only with the course certificate in hand and under the direct supervision of someone 18 or older; ages 16 and 17 need the certificate. Anyone under 16 may operate other motorboats only with someone 18 or older on board supervising. |
| Out-of-state cards | Utah accepts a NASBLA-approved course from another state for the youth PWC requirement, but not for the annual watercraft operator course. The youth PWC certificate never expires. |
Your boat’s paperwork
Boat registration & fees
All motorboats and sailboats must be registered and display current registration and AIS decals; canoes, kayaks and other boats without a motor or sail are exempt. Registration is renewed every year, and the first registration must be done in person at the DMV. Visiting boats registered in another state may run up to 60 days per calendar year without Utah registration but need the mussel-aware course and a nonresident AIS decal. Each year the owner pays the Division's state registration fee, a county uniform fee in lieu of property tax and the Boating Grant Tax (both set by length and age; the DMV's age-based fee table shows the two combined), a 50-cent search and rescue fee, and a separate AIS decal fee. Vessels 31 ft and longer pay a 1.5% value-based fee instead of the age-based fee. Full age bands are in Utah Code 59-2-405.2 and 59-34-102; the table shows the newest and oldest bands.
- State registration fee, vessel under 16 ft$20.00
- State registration fee, vessel 16 ft or longer (including PWC)$40.00
- County uniform fee: Vessel under 15 ft, canoe, jon boat or utility boat (any age)$5.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Vessel under 15 ft, canoe, jon boat or utility boat (any age)$5.00
- County uniform fee: Personal watercraft, less than 3 years old$28.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Personal watercraft, less than 3 years old$27.00
- County uniform fee: Personal watercraft, 12+ years old$5.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Personal watercraft, 12+ years old$5.00
- County uniform fee: Motorboat 15 to under 19 ft, less than 3 years old$75.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Motorboat 15 to under 19 ft, less than 3 years old$75.00
- County uniform fee: Motorboat 15 to under 19 ft, 12+ years old$13.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Motorboat 15 to under 19 ft, 12+ years old$12.00
- County uniform fee: Motorboat 19 to under 23 ft, less than 3 years old$138.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Motorboat 19 to under 23 ft, less than 3 years old$137.00
- County uniform fee: Motorboat 19 to under 23 ft, 12+ years old$25.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Motorboat 19 to under 23 ft, 12+ years old$25.00
- County uniform fee: Motorboat 23 to under 27 ft, less than 3 years old$200.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Motorboat 23 to under 27 ft, less than 3 years old$200.00
- County uniform fee: Motorboat 23 to under 27 ft, 12+ years old$50.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Motorboat 23 to under 27 ft, 12+ years old$50.00
- County uniform fee: Motorboat 27 to under 31 ft, less than 3 years old$350.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Motorboat 27 to under 31 ft, less than 3 years old$350.00
- County uniform fee: Motorboat 27 to under 31 ft, 12+ years old$60.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Motorboat 27 to under 31 ft, 12+ years old$60.00
- County uniform fee: Sailboat, pontoon or inflatable 15 to under 19 ft (any age)$8.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Sailboat, pontoon or inflatable 15 to under 19 ft (any age)$7.00
- County uniform fee: Sailboat, pontoon or inflatable 27 to under 31 ft (any age)$38.00
- Boating Grant Tax: Sailboat, pontoon or inflatable 27 to under 31 ft (any age)$37.00
- Search and rescue fee (each registration)$0.50
- AIS decal, Utah resident (motorized)$20.00
- AIS decal, nonresident (motorized)$25.00
Registration fee data and sources
Personal watercraft (Jet Ski) rules
- No PWC operation between sunset and sunrise (Utah Code 73-18-15.3).
- Anyone operating a PWC must wear a life jacket.
- Ages 12 to 17 must complete an approved boating safety course and carry the certificate; ages 12 to 15 also need direct supervision by someone 18 or older.
- Children under 12 may not operate a PWC.
Towing & watersports
- A boat towing a skier or other device must carry an observer, at least 8 years old, designated to watch the person being towed (Utah Code 73-18-15.1).
- No towing between sunset and sunrise.
- Everyone engaged in towed sports must wear a life jacket.
- In an American Water Ski Association regulation slalom course, the observer and flag are not required if the boat has a wide-angle mirror of at least 48 square inches and the operator is 18 or older.
Life jacket rules
- Every vessel must carry a properly sized, serviceable USCG-approved wearable life jacket for each person on board, readily accessible.
- Boats 16 feet or longer must also carry a USCG-approved throwable device.
- Children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times while on the water.
- Everyone must wear a life jacket on a PWC, during towed sports, and on river sections not designated as flatwater.
- Everyone on the water at Causey Reservoir must wear a life jacket.
Boating under the influence
Published limit: 0.05 BAC. Read the linked official guidance for the full rule and any age-specific provisions.
At a glance
- Utah's legal limit for boat operators is 0.05 BAC.
- Ages 12 to 17 need a safety course to operate a PWC.
- Every boater must take the annual mussel-aware course, even kayakers.
- From January 1, 2027, every motorboat and sailboat operator needs the annual watercraft operator course.
- PWC may not run between sunset and sunrise.
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.
- Boating Frequently Asked Questions ↗Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation
- Boating Education ↗Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation
- Motorized Boating - Getting Started ↗Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation
- Utah Code Title 73, Chapter 18, State Boating Act ↗Utah State Legislature
- Uniform Fees ↗Utah Division of Motor Vehicles
- H.B. 8 State Agency Fees and Internal Service Fund Authorization and Appropriations (2026, enrolled) ↗Utah State Legislature
- Utah Code 59-2-405.2, Uniform statewide fee ↗Utah State Legislature
- Utah Code 59-34-102, Boating Grant Tax ↗Utah State Legislature
Last verified
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