Michigan boat rental laws
8 rules for boat and jet ski rental businesses in Michigan, from 5 official sources.
Rental-specific lawMichigan's boat livery law (NREPA Part 445, MCL 324.44522) bars PWC rentals to anyone under 14, and to renters without the required boating safety certificate unless the livery trains them first; the written rental agreement then serves as their certificate for the rental dates.
Instruction before every rental
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A livery may not rent a PWC to a person who must hold a boating safety certificate and does not show one — unless the livery trains them in safe PWC use before the rental, following DNR guidelines.
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MCL 324.44522 — Rental of personal watercraft by boat livery“unless the individual obtains training in the safe use of a personal watercraft from the boat livery before the personal watercraft is rented. The department shall provide to boat liveries guidelines for the training required under this subdivision.”
Boater education card for renters
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Anyone born on or after 1 July 1996 needs a boating safety certificate to operate a motorboat over 6 hp.
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MCL 324.80141 — Motorboat operators; age and boating safety certificate“a person born on or after July 1, 1996 shall not operate a motorboat that is powered by a motor or motors totaling more than 6 horsepower on the waters of this state unless the person has been issued a boating safety certificate.”
Age limits
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A boat livery may not rent a personal watercraft to anyone under 14.
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MCL 324.44522 — Rental of personal watercraft by boat livery“A boat livery shall not rent a personal watercraft to any of the following: (a) A person who is under 14 years of age.”
Jet ski (PWC) rentals
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Anyone born after 31 December 1978 needs a boating safety certificate to operate a PWC; under-16s may operate only from age 14 with a parent, guardian or designated adult of 21+ aboard or within 100 ft.
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MCL 324.80215 — Personal watercraft operators“A person who was born after December 31, 1978 shall not operate a personal watercraft upon the waters of this state unless he or she first obtains a boating safety certificate.”
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Everyone on or towed by a PWC wears a non-inflatable life jacket; the lanyard cut-off is attached; no PWC operation from sunset until 8 a.m.
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MCL 324.80205 — Operation of personal watercraft“A person shall not operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this state during the period that begins at sunset and ends at 8 a.m.”
Insurance
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The person renting a PWC from a livery is liable for injury from its negligent operation, and may not let anyone without a required certificate operate it.
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MCL 324.44522 — Rental of personal watercraft by boat livery“A person who rents a personal watercraft from a boat livery is liable for any injury resulting from the negligent operation of the personal watercraft”
Records to keep
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Each trained renter gets a copy of the written rental agreement with their name and the rental date(s); it counts as their boating safety certificate only for those dates.
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MCL 324.44522 — Rental of personal watercraft by boat livery“The written rental agreement described under subsection (3) is a valid boating safety certificate under part 802 only for the person named in the certificate on the date or dates of the rental of the personal watercraft.”
Other rules
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A “boat livery” is any place where a person rents, or offers for rent, any vessel other than a non-motorized raft to the public for non-commercial use (cabins or motels that only furnish boats to their guests are excluded).
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MCL 324.44501 — Definitions (Part 445, Watercraft pollution and boat liveries)“Boat livery" means a place of business or any location where a person rents or offers for rent any vessel other than a nonmotorized raft to the general public for noncommercial use on the waters of this state.”
Not confirmed yet
What we looked for and could not confirm from an official source. Ask the agency before you assume anything here.
Whether Michigan offers a livery-training alternative for motorboat (not PWC) renters was not found.
The DNR's training guidelines for boat liveries were not reviewed.
The text was read from the Internet Archive's copies of the official MCL pages (April–December 2025); amendments after those dates are not reflected.
Federal rules still apply
On top of Michigan 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 Michigan.
Questions rental operators ask
Do I have to give renters instruction before a rental in Michigan?
A livery may not rent a PWC to a person who must hold a boating safety certificate and does not show one — unless the livery trains them in safe PWC use before the rental, following DNR guidelines. Source: legislature.mi.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
Does a renter need a boater education card in Michigan?
Anyone born on or after 1 July 1996 needs a boating safety certificate to operate a motorboat over 6 hp. Source: legislature.mi.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
How old must a renter be in Michigan?
A boat livery may not rent a personal watercraft to anyone under 14. Source: legislature.mi.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
What are the rules for jet ski rentals in Michigan?
Anyone born after 31 December 1978 needs a boating safety certificate to operate a PWC; under-16s may operate only from age 14 with a parent, guardian or designated adult of 21+ aboard or within 100 ft. Source: legislature.mi.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
For your renters
Free boating-law page for Michigan on VesselSOS — link it from your booking confirmation.
Michigan 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.