Hawaii boat rental laws

Livery license or permit for the business

• Every boat livery records with DOBOR its name and address, the owner’s name and address, and the number and lengths of boats in use, and notifies DOBOR when it stops operating (no recording fee).

  Law The rental business Source: HAR § 13-244-26(a) · dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  HAR § 13-244-26 — Boat liveries (DOBOR unofficial compilation, 2019)“All boat liveries shall record with the department the name and address of their livery, the name and address of the owner and the number and lengths of boats in use. The boat livery shall notify the department upon termination of service.”

Instruction before every rental

• A business renting power-driven vessels may rent only to a person who receives its DOBOR-approved safety briefing and is named, with age, on the rental agreement. Failing to request and inspect certificates or proof of exemption is a violation.

  Law The rental business Source: HAR § 13-244-15.5(c) · dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  HAR § 13-244-15.5 — Operation of power driven vessels (am. 12/31/18)“(1) Meets all the requirements of this section by receiving a safety briefing provided by the rental or leasing business that is approved by the department; and (2) Is identified on the rental or lease agreement for a power driven vessel by name and age.”

Boater education card for renters

• Power-driven vessel operators need a NASBLA-approved course certificate with a Hawaii component; exemptions include USCG credential holders, thrill craft in a commercial thrill craft zone, and motors of 10 hp or less. Under-16s also need a certified adult 21+ aboard.

  Law The renter Source: HAR § 13-244-15.5(a), (b) · dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  HAR § 13-244-15.5 — Operation of power driven vessels (am. 12/31/18)“(2) Operate a thrill craft in a commercial thrill craft zone as authorized by the State; (3) Operate a motorboat that is ten horsepower or less;”

Age limits

• No one under 15 may operate a thrill craft, and no one may permit (or mislead someone into permitting) it. All thrill craft operators and passengers wear a life jacket.

  Law Business and renter Source: HAR § 13-256-16(a), (e) · dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  HAR § 13-256-16 — Thrill craft operations; general provisions (DOBOR unofficial compilation, 2 Apr 2025)“(a) No person under fifteen years of age shall operate a thrill craft. No person shall permit, or mislead another person into permitting, a person under fifteen years of age to operate a thrill craft.”

Jet ski (PWC) rentals

• Commercial thrill craft (PWC) operations are allowed only in designated areas under a DOBOR commercial operating area use permit, within a 200-foot radius of the permitted location, with no more than six rental units and two safety units per area.

  Law The rental business Source: HAR § 13-256-18(b) · dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  HAR § 13-256-18 — Commercial thrill craft operations (DOBOR unofficial compilation, 2 Apr 2025)“The number of thrill craft permitted to operate within each commercial thrill craft operating area shall be as directed by the department, not to exceed a limit of six rental units and two safety units per area.”

Insurance

• Commercial vessels under these rules must carry liability insurance of at least $50,000 property damage and $500,000 personal liability (1–25 passengers) or $1,000,000 (over 25), naming the State as additional insured.

  Law The rental business Source: HAR § 13-256-9 · dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  HAR § 13-256-9 — Insurance (DOBOR unofficial compilation, 2 Apr 2025)“The insurance requirements for commercial vessels shall be not less than $50,000 for property damage and not less than $500,000 personal liability for vessels authorized to carry one to twenty-five passengers”

Records to keep

• The livery keeps a record of each hirer’s name and address, the vessel’s identification number, and the departure and expected return time for at least six months, and may not let a hired vessel depart without the equipment required by HAR chapter 13-243.

  Law The rental business Source: HAR § 13-244-26(b), (c) · dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  HAR § 13-244-26 — Boat liveries (DOBOR unofficial compilation, 2019)“The record shall be preserved for at least six months. (c) Responsibility for required equipment. Neither the owner of a boat livery nor the owner's agent or employees shall permit any hired vessel to depart from the owner's premises”

Registering rental boats

• Commercial vessels, watercraft and water sports equipment must be registered with DOBOR for commercial use; operators of commercial tours or instruction need a commercial use permit. DOBOR says all rental equipment must be commercially registered (snorkel gear, body-boards excepted).

  Law The rental business Source: HAR § 13-256-4(a); § 13-256-3 · dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  HAR §§ 13-256-3, 13-256-4 (DOBOR unofficial compilation, 2 Apr 2025)“(a) All commercial vessels, water craft or water sports equipment shall be registered with the department for commercial use in compliance with sections 13-231-50 to 13-231-70.”

Not confirmed yet

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

• DOBOR's PDFs are 'Unofficial Compilations' published by the agency (13-244: April 2019; 13-256: April 2025); later amendments may not be reflected.

• Area-specific rules (Waikiki, Kaanapali, Kaneohe Bay, Maunalua Bay and other ocean recreation management areas, HAR 13-251 and 13-256 subchapters) add permits, hours and caps that are not summarised here.

• The content of the DOBOR-approved rental safety briefing was not reviewed.

Federal rules still apply

On top of Hawaii 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 Hawaii.

• Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources — Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation (DOBOR)Livery records, commercial use permits and registration, thrill craft areas, boating rules (HAR title 13, subtitle 11)dlnr.hawaii.gov ↗