Arkansas boat rental laws

Boater education card for renters

• Anyone born on or after 1 January 1986 must have completed an approved AGFC boating education course and carry proof while operating a motorboat or sailboat.

  Official guidance The renter Source: Who Needs a Boater Education Card? · agfc.com ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  Arkansas Game and Fish Commission — Boater Education“Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1986, and of legal age to operate a motorboat or sailboat, must have successfully completed an approved AGFC Boating Education Course and carry proof while operating a motorboat or sailboat on Arkansas water.”

Age limits

• A motorboat of 10 hp or more needs an operator of 12 or older (or direct supervision by someone 18+); a PWC needs an operator of 16 or older, or 12–15 supervised by someone 18+, or under 12 supervised by someone 21+.

  Official guidance The renter Source: Age Requirements for Operating a Boat · agfc.com ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  Arkansas Game and Fish Commission — Boater Education“To operate a personal watercraft, a person must be 16 or older, be 12 to 15 years old and be under the direct supervision of a person at least 18 years old, or be under 12 and be under the direct supervision of a person at least 21 years old.”

Not confirmed yet

What we looked for and could not confirm from an official source. Ask the agency before you assume anything here.

• No Arkansas statute or regulation specific to boat or PWC rentals was confirmed from an official source; Arkansas Code Title 27 Chapter 101 (published via LexisNexis) and the AGFC Code of Regulations were not read. Reported rules restricting PWC rentals to adults are not confirmed.

• The page was read from the Internet Archive's copy of the official AGFC page dated 24 February 2024 (no newer copy available); later changes are not reflected.

Federal rules still apply

On top of Arkansas law, the federal rules apply to every boat you rent out:

• Under federal law a boat leased, rented or chartered to someone else for their pleasure is a “recreational vessel” — so the federal recreational boating rules apply to your rentals.

  Law Business and renter Source: § 2101(34) · govinfo.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  46 U.S.C. § 2101 — General definitions“"recreational vessel" means a vessel— (A) being manufactured or operated primarily for pleasure; or (B) leased, rented, or chartered to another for the latter's pleasure.”

• Every recreational vessel needs at least one wearable Coast Guard-approved life jacket on board for each person, used as its approval label says; boats 16 ft or longer also need one throwable device.

  Law Business and renter Source: § 175.15(a)–(b) · ecfr.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  33 CFR § 175.15 — Personal flotation devices required“At least one wearable PFD is on board for each person; … No person may use a recreational vessel 16 feet or more in length unless one throwable PFD is onboard”

• A child under 13 aboard a recreational vessel under way must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket unless below decks or in an enclosed cabin. Where a state has its own child life jacket law, the state age applies on its waters instead.

  Law The renter Source: § 175.15(c) · ecfr.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  33 CFR § 175.15(c) and § 175.25“No person may operate a recreational vessel under way with any child under 13 years old aboard unless each such child is either— ( 1 ) Wearing an appropriate PFD approved by the Coast Guard; or ( 2 ) Below decks or in an enclosed cabin.”

• If the state has a statute requiring children of a certain age to wear a life jacket, that state requirement applies on the state's waters instead of the federal under-13 rule.

  Law The renter Source: § 175.25(b) · ecfr.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  33 CFR § 175.25 — Enforcement of State requirements for children to wear personal flotation devices“If the applicable State statute establishes any requirement for children of a certain age to wear an appropriate PFD approved by the Coast Guard, then that requirement applies on the waters subject to the State's jurisdiction instead of the requirement provided in § 175.15(c) of this part .”

All federal rules and every state →

Official agencies

Who makes and enforces these rules in Arkansas.

• Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC)Boating law, boater education, enforcementagfc.com ↗