Alabama boat rental laws

Instruction before every rental

• The rental contract must state that the renter was instructed in the proper and safe operation of the vessel by the lessor or its agent, and all parties sign it.

  Law The rental business Source: § 33-5-52(g)(1)–(2) · alison.legislature.state.al.us ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  Code of Ala. § 33-5-52 — Boater safety certification: required; expiration and renewal; exemptions“The rental contract specifies that the lessee has been instructed in the proper and safe operation of the vessel by the lessor or the authorized agent of the lessor. (2) The lessor has complied with the terms of rental contract and all parties sign the contract.”

Boater education card for renters

• Everyone must have an Alabama boater safety certification before operating a motorized vessel (non-motorized sailboats, rowboats and canoes excluded).

  Law The renter Source: § 33-5-52(a)(1) · alison.legislature.state.al.us ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  Code of Ala. § 33-5-52 — Boater safety certification: required; expiration and renewal; exemptions“Every individual shall procure a boater safety certification before operating a motorized vessel upon the waters of this state. This section does not apply to the operation of any non-motorized sailboat, rowboat, or canoe.”

• A renter is exempt from certification while using a vessel registered with ALEA Marine Patrol as a rental vessel from a rental business licensed by the municipality or county (or a state-owned marina), if all the contract conditions below are met.

  Law Business and renter Source: § 33-5-52(g) · alison.legislature.state.al.us ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  Code of Ala. § 33-5-52 — Boater safety certification: required; expiration and renewal; exemptions“An individual, while using a vessel registered with the Marine Patrol Division of ALEA as a rental vessel from a boat rental business duly licensed by the applicable municipality or county or from a state-owned marina , shall be exempt from the certification requirements of this section if the following conditions are met:”

Age limits

• The rental exemption applies only when the operator of the rented vessel is 16 or older.

  Law Business and renter Source: § 33-5-52(g)(5) · alison.legislature.state.al.us ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  Code of Ala. § 33-5-52 — Boater safety certification: required; expiration and renewal; exemptions“The operator of the vessel is 16 or more years of age.”

Jet ski (PWC) rentals

• Everyone operating, riding or towed by a PWC wears a Coast Guard-approved life jacket; the lanyard cut-off is attached; no one under 14 may operate a PWC; an owner may not knowingly allow operation in violation of these rules.

  Law Business and renter Source: § 33-5-51(b), (c), (e), (f) · alison.legislature.state.al.us ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  Code of Ala. § 33-5-51 — Operation of personal watercraft“No person under 14 years of age may operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this state, except as provided under Section 33-5-57 or as otherwise authorized by law.”

Records to keep

• The renter signs a statement that their boater certification or vessel operation privilege is not suspended or revoked, and a copy of the rental contract stays aboard while the vessel operates.

  Law Business and renter Source: § 33-5-52(g)(3)–(4) · alison.legislature.state.al.us ↗ Checked October 18, 2026

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  Code of Ala. § 33-5-52 — Boater safety certification: required; expiration and renewal; exemptions“The lessee signs a statement that the lessee is not currently under suspension or revocation of any boater safety certification or vessel operation privilege. (4) A copy of the applicable rental contract is on board the vessel while the vessel is in operation.”

Not confirmed yet

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

• The licence for the rental business is issued by the municipality or county (§ 33-5-52(g)); local licensing requirements were not reviewed.

• How a vessel is registered with ALEA Marine Patrol as a rental vessel was not confirmed from an official ALEA page.

Federal rules still apply

On top of Alabama 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 Alabama.

• Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) — Marine Patrol DivisionBoating law, boater safety certification, rental vessel registrationalea.gov ↗
• Alabama Legislature — Code of Alabama (ALISON)Official statute textalison.legislature.state.al.us ↗