VA · State boating guide

Virginia
boating laws

Last verified October 28, 2026

At a glance

Boater card: Required for specified operators; all operators, regardless of age, of motorboats with a 10 hp or greater engine, and all personal watercraft operators
Operating age: No one under 14 may operate a personal watercraft. Operators 14 and 15 may operate a PWC only after completing an approved boating safety course and must carry proof. State law sets no general minimum age for other motorboats, but the education requirement still applies.
Life-jacket age rule: Under the federal rule enforced on most Virginia waters, children under 13 must wear a life jacket on a moving recreational vessel unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin.
BUI / BAC limit: 0.08 BAC
Registration fee: $37.00–$55.00; Published categories; see fees and exceptions below.
Registration term: 3 years

The short answer

Do I need a boating license in Virginia?

Boating safety course completion certificate or card (NASBLA-approved course) is required for all operators, regardless of age, of motorboats with a 10 hp or greater engine, and all personal watercraft operators.

Confirm with Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) ↗

Virginia requires a boating safety course for every operator of a motorboat with a 10 hp or larger engine and every personal watercraft operator, at any age. PWC operators must be at least 16, or 14 and 15 with a completed course. Motorboats, including canoes or kayaks with any motor, must be registered for three years at a time, and the legal limit is 0.08 BAC.

Before you operate

Boater education & operating age

Virginia boater education requirements
Requirement	Details
Education required	Yes — see who needs a card below
Who needs a card	all operators, regardless of age, of motorboats with a 10 hp or greater engine, and all personal watercraft operators
Card or certificate	Boating safety course completion certificate or card (NASBLA-approved course)
Minimum operating age	No one under 14 may operate a personal watercraft. Operators 14 and 15 may operate a PWC only after completing an approved boating safety course and must carry proof. State law sets no general minimum age for other motorboats, but the education requirement still applies.
Out-of-state cards	Nonresidents using Virginia waters for 90 days or less comply if they meet their home state's boating safety education requirement, or hold a Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card. A NASBLA-approved course from any state is accepted.

Find an officially approved course

Your boat’s paperwork

Boat registration & fees

Every motorboat on Virginia public waters, including canoes, kayaks and john boats propelled by any motor, even an electric trolling motor. Exemptions include federally documented vessels, boats numbered in another state and in Virginia under 90 days, ship's lifeboats and racing boats during an authorized race.

Less than 16 feet$37.00
16 to less than 20 feet$41.00
20 to less than 40 feet$47.00
40 feet and over$55.00

Registration fee data and sources

Virginia registration fees · USD
Boat / fee category	Fee	Term	Source
Less than 16 feet	$37.00	3 years	Official source: Less than 16 feet ↗
16 to less than 20 feet	$41.00	3 years	Official source: 16 to less than 20 feet ↗
20 to less than 40 feet	$47.00	3 years	Official source: 20 to less than 40 feet ↗
40 feet and over	$55.00	3 years	Official source: 40 feet and over ↗

Published registration fees in USD. Bar lengths compare the listed amounts; terms and official sources appear in the data table below.

Registration details from the agency

Personal watercraft (Jet Ski) rules

Operators must be at least 16, or 14 or 15 with proof of a completed approved boating safety course.
Everyone on board must wear a USCG-approved Type I, II, III or V life jacket.
If the PWC has a lanyard cut-off switch, the lanyard must be attached to the operator.
No PWC operation between sunset and sunrise.
Do not carry more people than the manufacturer's recommended capacity.
Go at slowest possible steerage speed within 50 feet of docks, piers, boathouses, boat ramps, people in the water and other non-PWC vessels.

Towing & watersports

A vessel towing skiers, surfboards or similar devices must carry an observer besides the operator, unless the people being towed wear life jackets.
No towing or water skiing from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.
Do not steer a towed skier or device into any object or person.

Life jacket rules

Carry one wearable USCG-approved life jacket for each person on board, including on canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.
Life jackets must be in good condition, the right size and readily accessible, not locked up or in packaging.
Boats 16 feet or longer must also carry a throwable device.
Inflatable life jackets are approved only for people 16 or older.
Under the federal rule enforced on most Virginia waters, children under 13 must wear a life jacket on a moving recreational vessel unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin.

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

Boating safety education applies at every age for 10 hp or larger motorboats and all PWCs.
No one under 14 may drive a PWC.
Registration lasts three years and starts at $37 for boats under 16 feet.
A canoe or kayak with an electric trolling motor must be registered and titled.

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