North Carolina boating and alcohol laws

It is illegal to operate any boat (this includes motorized boats, personal watercraft (PWCs), water-skis, sailboats, sailboards or other similar devices) while under the influence of an impairing substance, such as alcohol or drugs.

In North Carolina, a person is considered to be under the influence/intoxicated if:

• They have a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level of 0.08 or higher.

Penalties for drinking and boating

In North Carolina, any person convicted of operating a boat while under the influence will be subject to significant fines and or imprisonment. This may include a fine of up to $1000, and up to 60 days in jail.

NORTH CAROLINA BOAT REGISTRATION

North Carolina requires all motorized boats that are operated on public waters to be registered. Upon registration, boat owners will be issued a North Carolina Certificate of Number and validation decal. The Certificate of Number must be carried on board the boat during operation and must be available for inspection by law enforcement.

Boat owners can obtain a Certificate of Number and validation decals by submitting the required application, proof of ownership and fee to the North Carolina Wildlife and Resources Commission, Watercraft Titling and Registration Section.

This includes:

• Boats powered by electric trolling motors.
• Personal watercraft (PWCs).
• Boats documented by the United States Coast Guard that are operating in North Carolina for more than 90 consecutive days.
• Sailboats used on public waters that are greater than 14 feet in length (at the load waterline).
• Boats registered in other states that are operating on North Carolina waters for more than 90 consecutive days.
• Boats that are titled.

THESE VESSELS DO NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION IN NORTH CAROLINA

• Non-motorized boats.
• Sailboats that are 14 feet in length or less.
• Boats documented by the United States Coast Guard that are operating in North Carolina for less than 90 consecutive days.
• Boats registered in other states that are operating in North Carolina for less than 90 consecutive days.

OTHER BOAT REGISTRATION INFORMATION

A North Carolina Certificate of Number will be valid for either 1 or 3 years. The Certificate of Number must be renewed on or before the first day of the month following the month of expiration shown on the validation decal. Owners of registered boats can expect a renewal notice to be mailed to them 60 days before their date of expiration. You can renew yours over the telephone by calling 1-800-628-3773.

If the boat owner has a change of address, or if the boat is destroyed or abandoned, the boat owner must call or write the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) within 15 days.

If a Certificate of Number or validation decal is lost or destroyed, you must apply to the NCWRC and submit a processing fee to obtain a replacement. If a boat is lost or stolen, the boat owner must notify the NCWRC and local law enforcement authorities immediately.

Every boat that’s operated on North Carolina’s waterways is required to be numbered by the state of North Carolina or by the boat owner’s state of residence. The number must be properly displayed on the boat at all times.

Registration numbers and stickers must be displayed as follows:

• The numbers must be painted or permanently affixed to each side of the boat’s bow, where it can be easily seen (boat owners are not permitted to display any other numbers in this area).
• The numbers must be affixed above the waterline, where they can be easily seen.
• The number must be read from left to right.
• The number must be in block letters that are at least 3 inches high and in a color that contrasts with the color of the boat.
• The numbers must be separated from the letters by a hyphen or by an equivalent space.
• Validation decals must be displayed on the starboard bow of the boat for which it was issued, within 6 inches, following the registration number.
• These placement requirements also apply to personal watercraft (PWCs). 

DO I NEED BOAT INSURANCE IN NORTH CAROLINA?

Boats in North Carolina are not required to be insured, however it is recommended. 

HOURS OF OPERATION

PWCs may only be legally operated from sunrise to sunset.

AGE REQUIREMENTS

Anyone 14 years of age or older can operate a PWC if they meet one of the following requirements:

• They have successfully completed an approved boating safety education course
• They are riding with a person who is at least 18 and is in compliance with the Boating Education Requirement Law

North Carolina PWC Regulations

• PWC operators must wear a cut-off switch lanyard, if the PWC is so equipped
• PWCs must be equipped with a rear-view mirror or have an observer on board, if a person is being towed
• PWC operators are not permitted to jump the wake of another boat, within 100 feet of that vessel when visibility is obstructed

Non-native Aquatic Species

American waterways have been under threat from foreign aquatic plants, fish and invertebrates. Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) are transferred from boats and boating equipment that originate from external waterways. Once introduced to a new waterway, the ANS will detach from the contaminated boat and spread like wildfire. ANS include: Milfoil, Zebra Mussels and Quagga Mussels.

Be sure to report new infestations of non-native aquatic species to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at (209) 946-6400.

Why are aquatic invasive species such a serious threat

• They have no natural predators in U.S. waters.
• Some ANS can actually survive out of water, making transfer easy.
• They reproduce quickly.
• They have harmful effects on the native wildlife, habitats and ecosystems.

For more information on Aquatic Nuisance Species, visit: www.protectyourwaters.net/impacts.php.

Help prevent the spread of non-native species

• Inspect all surfaces of your boat and remove aquatic plants or animals before leaving any body of water.
• Ensure you flush raw-water cooling systems and clean sea-strainers before moving your boat from one body of water to another.
• Empty and dry any buckets before leaving a body of water.
• Remove any plant fragments from bait wells, fishing gear, trailers, dive gear or props.
• Dispose of plant fragments and bait into a garbage receptacle on land. 
• Avoid chopping vegetation with your boat’s propeller.
• Clean and dry all live-wells prior to transporting your boat.
• Drain all water from your motor and bilge and dry all areas.
• Thoroughly wash your boat, including the hull, before putting it into a new body of water.
• Refer to specific drying times.