Maine boat rental laws
7 rules for boat and jet ski rental businesses in Maine, from 3 official sources.
Rental-specific lawMaine requires a rental certificate of number before any motorboat is rented, lets renters born on or after 1 January 1999 operate a rented motorboat over 25 hp after the rental agent's temporary boater safety course (up to 14 days), keeps PWC operation at 16+, and has PWC rental decal rules on some lakes.
Livery license or permit for the business
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Before any motorboat is rented or leased, its owner must obtain a certificate of number for rented or leased motorboats from the IF&W commissioner.
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12 M.R.S. § 13064 — Certificate of number for motorboats rented or leased“Before any motorboat is rented or leased, the owner of the motorboat shall obtain a certificate of number from the commissioner under section 13056 .”
Instruction before every rental
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A renter named as authorized operator on the rental agreement who completes a temporary boater safety course given by the rental agent (holding the rental certificate of number) is exempt, for up to 14 days from the course or the rental period, whichever ends first.
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12 M.R.S. § 13068-A — Operating watercraft; prohibitions“Possesses a rental or lease agreement that lists the person as an authorized operator of the motorboat and the person has completed a temporary boater safety course provided by the rental agent who has been issued a certificate of number as described in section 13064 .”
Boater education card for renters
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Since 1 January 2024, anyone born on or after 1 January 1999 operating a recreational motorboat over 25 hp must be at least 12, have completed a boater safety and education course, and carry the certificate.
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12 M.R.S. § 13068-A — Operating watercraft; prohibitions“beginning January 1, 2024, a person born on or after January 1, 1999 may not operate on inland waters of this State or territorial waters, as defined in section 6001, subsection 48‑B , a motorboat for recreational boating purposes propelled by machinery capable of producing more than 25 horsepower unless that person is 12 years of age or older”
Age limits
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No one under 16 may operate a personal watercraft; operators born on or after 1 January 1999 must also have completed a boater safety and education course.
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12 M.R.S. § 13071-A — Operating personal watercraft“A person under 16 years of age may not operate a personal watercraft.”
Safety equipment
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A child under 13 (including the operator) must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket while a recreational watercraft is underway, unless below decks or in an enclosed cabin.
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12 M.R.S. § 13068-A — Operating watercraft; prohibitions“Fails to ensure that a child who has not attained 13 years of age, including the operator, is wearing an appropriate United States Coast Guard approved personal flotation device while the watercraft is underway”
Local rules
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Rented PWCs on Brandy Pond and Long Lake (Naples, Bridgton, Harrison) must carry a clearly visible decal identifying the rental agent; on Highland Lake and Woods Pond (Bridgton) rented PWCs without such a decal may not be operated.
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12 M.R.S. § 13071-A — Operating personal watercraft“A person may not operate a rented or leased personal watercraft on Brandy Pond in the Town of Naples or on Long Lake in the Town of Naples, the Town of Bridgton and the Town of Harrison that does not have a clearly visible decal affixed to the personal watercraft that identifies the rental agent.”
Other rules
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An owner who negligently permits another person to operate their watercraft in violation of Maine's watercraft law commits a civil violation.
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12 M.R.S. § 13068-A — Operating watercraft; prohibitions“A person violates this subsection if that person owns a watercraft and negligently permits another person to operate that watercraft in violation of this chapter.”
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 temporary boater safety course exemption covers personal watercraft as well as motorboats is not confirmed here (§ 13068-A(17) speaks of motorboats).
Content requirements for the rental agent's temporary boater safety course (IF&W rules) were not found.
Federal rules still apply
On top of Maine 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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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 .”
Official agencies
Who makes and enforces these rules in Maine.
Questions rental operators ask
Do I need a license or permit to rent out boats in Maine?
Before any motorboat is rented or leased, its owner must obtain a certificate of number for rented or leased motorboats from the IF&W commissioner. Source: legislature.maine.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
Do I have to give renters instruction before a rental in Maine?
A renter named as authorized operator on the rental agreement who completes a temporary boater safety course given by the rental agent (holding the rental certificate of number) is exempt, for up to 14 days from the course or the rental period, whichever ends first. Source: legislature.maine.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
Does a renter need a boater education card in Maine?
Since 1 January 2024, anyone born on or after 1 January 1999 operating a recreational motorboat over 25 hp must be at least 12, have completed a boater safety and education course, and carry the certificate. Source: legislature.maine.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
How old must a renter be in Maine?
No one under 16 may operate a personal watercraft; operators born on or after 1 January 1999 must also have completed a boater safety and education course. Source: legislature.maine.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
For your renters
Free boating-law page for Maine on VesselSOS — link it from your booking confirmation.
Maine 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.