Rhode Island boat rental laws
5 rules for boat and jet ski rental businesses in Rhode Island, from 2 official sources.
Rental-specific lawRhode Island's boat livery section requires a six-month hire record and equipped boats only; renters of boats over 10 hp who lack the boating safety education certificate must watch a DEM-approved video and pass a written test at the livery. PWC operators always need the course.
Instruction before every rental
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Liveries renting boats over 10 hp require renters who do not meet the education rule to watch a short DEM-approved safety video for the type of craft and pass a written examination.
Show the official wording
R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-22-9.8 — Certificate of boating safety education“Boat liveries that rent out boats or vessels fitted with propulsion machinery greater than ten (10) horse power shall require all renters who do not comply with this section to watch a short instructional video approved by the director on boating safety for the type of craft rented, and pass a written examination.”
Boater education card for renters
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Anyone born on or after 1 January 1986 needs a DEM-approved boating safety education program to operate a vessel with more than 10 hp, and shows the certificate on request.
Show the official wording
R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-22-9.8 — Certificate of boating safety education“No person born on or after January 1, 1986 shall operate a vessel that is fitted with propulsion machinery of more than ten (10) horsepower on the waters of this state unless the person shall have successfully completed a boating safety education program”
Jet ski (PWC) rentals
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Every person operating a personal watercraft must have completed a DEM-approved boating safety education program.
Show the official wording
R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-22-9.8 — Certificate of boating safety education“Any person operating a personal watercraft as defined in § 46-22-2(6) on the waters of this state shall have successfully completed a boating safety education program”
Safety equipment
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No rented motorboat may leave the premises without the equipment required by § 46-22-5, supplied by the owner or the renter.
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R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-22-7 — Boat liveries“shall permit any motorboat or any vessel designed or permitted by him or her to be operated as a motorboat to depart from his or her premises unless it shall have been provided, either by owner or renter, with the equipment required pursuant to § 46-22-5”
Records to keep
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A boat livery records the name and address of each person hiring a motorboat, its identification number and the departure and expected return times, and keeps the record at least six months.
Show the official wording
R.I. Gen. Laws § 46-22-7 — Boat liveries“The record shall be preserved for at least six (6) months.”
Not confirmed yet
What we looked for and could not confirm from an official source. Ask the agency before you assume anything here.
Whether the livery video-and-test route also covers personal watercraft renters is not stated in § 46-22-9.8(g)(4); subsection (h) requires the course for every PWC operator.
DEM rules on boating (approved rental video, PWC rules) were not reviewed.
The text was read from the Internet Archive's copies of the official statute pages (March 2025); amendments after that date are not reflected.
Federal rules still apply
On top of Rhode Island law, the federal rules apply to every boat you rent out:
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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.
Show the official wording
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.”
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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.
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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”
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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.
Show the official wording
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.”
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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.
Show the official wording
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 .”
Official agencies
Who makes and enforces these rules in Rhode Island.
Questions rental operators ask
Do I have to give renters instruction before a rental in Rhode Island?
Liveries renting boats over 10 hp require renters who do not meet the education rule to watch a short DEM-approved safety video for the type of craft and pass a written examination. Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
Does a renter need a boater education card in Rhode Island?
Anyone born on or after 1 January 1986 needs a DEM-approved boating safety education program to operate a vessel with more than 10 hp, and shows the certificate on request. Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
What are the rules for jet ski rentals in Rhode Island?
Every person operating a personal watercraft must have completed a DEM-approved boating safety education program. Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
For your renters
Free boating-law page for Rhode Island on VesselSOS — link it from your booking confirmation.
Rhode Island boating laws for boatersFree tools for rental operators
Print a safety briefing card, a rental agreement and waiver template or a dock poster. Free, in your browser.
Safety briefing cardRental agreement & waiver templateDock poster All free toolsRun the rental day on one screen.
VesselSOS Fleet checks renters out in 30 seconds and shows every boat and jet ski live until it is back — your customers’ phones are the trackers.
Fleet is a pilot: we are building it with a small group of rental operators for next season. No prices yet.