All About North Dakota Boating Laws and Regulations

Anyone ages 12 through 15 years old, unaccompanied, and operating a power-driven vessel or PWC (personal watercraft) of 10 hp or more in North Dakota must take a boater education course. You must be at least 12 years old to take the boater safety education course for the state to get a boater education card (or boating license). 

You can get a North Dakota boating license by taking a boater safety course (even an approved online-only course) and then passing the exam. You’ll be on the water with confidence in (almost) no time at all!

Failure to wear a personal flotation device (or PFD) is the main reason people lose their lives in water recreation accidents. 

To comply with North Dakota laws, operating or riding as a passenger on any vessel less than 27 feet in length is unlawful unless everyone ten years of age or younger on the vessel wears an appropriately sized and properly fastened U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket while the watercraft is in operation.

Approved jackets include Type I, II, or III wearable personal flotation devices. A personal flotation device is appropriately sized if it is designed to be worn by a person of similar age, size, or weight as the wearer. Life jackets must also be in good working condition. 

Changes to Life Jacket Labels

While the “types” are the standard method of classifying life jackets, changes to the labeling of U.S. Coast Guard-approved PFDs are in the works. Be aware of the label changes, and make sure your onboard PDFs meet all requirements. 

The North Dakota Game & Fish Department has the same boater education requirements for PWC operators as the requirements for driving a boat.

Anyone between the ages of 12 and 15 years of age needs a boater education course before driving a personal watercraft (PWC) unless accompanied by an adult 18 years or older. 

Alcohol and drugs cause impaired balance and judgment, poor coordination, blurred vision, and slower reaction times. It’s a significant contributor to boating accidents and fatalities.

To help curb the dangerous use of drugs and alcohol on the water, North Dakota law prohibits anyone from boating under the influence. This means you cannot operate a vessel or manipulate a surfboard, water skis, or any similar device while under the influence of drugs, liquor, or a combination of these substances.

North Dakota law:

•  States that you are presumed to be boating under the influence (BUI) if your blood alcohol concentration is 0.10% or higher.
• Does not prohibit people of legal drinking age from consuming alcoholic beverages or possessing open containers in a boat.

So, while you can drink on a boat, be responsible and avoid intoxication. 

If you’re involved in an accident while driving a vessel and someone dies or disappears, is injured and requires medical attention, or there is significant damage to the vessel, you must report the incident to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

Written reports of accidents involving only property damage must be made within five days of the accident. However, you must file an accident report within 48 hours in cases involving a death, disappearance, or injury.

Accidents should be reported using accident report forms available from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department.

For more information about safe boating in North Dakota, contact the Department at:

North Dakota Game and Fish Department
701-328-6300

100 N. Bismarck Expressway
Bismarck, ND 
58501-5095
[email protected] 

Boat Safely and Follow North Dakota Boating Laws

We hope this guide helps you understand the North Dakota boating laws you must follow for safe water fun! 

To learn more about boating safely, take an online boater education course from BOATsmart! It’s a fun and engaging way to learn the best ways to protect yourself and others on the water. 

First published in May 2017. Content most recently reviewed and updated for accuracy and relevancy October 17, 2024.