Missouri boat rental laws
6 rules for boat and jet ski rental businesses in Missouri, from 3 official sources.
Rental-specific lawMissouri's watercraft livery statute (RSMo § 306.150) requires a six-month hire record open to law enforcement and no departure without required equipment. Rental businesses may issue a temporary (up to 7-day) boating safety ID card to renters through the Highway Patrol's online system.
Boater education card for renters
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A rental business may issue a temporary boating safety ID card (up to 7 days, once per person) to a renter of legal operating age who shows a driver’s licence and signs an affidavit of having reviewed the state boating handbook. Expires 31 Dec 2032.
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RSMo § 306.127 — Boating safety identification card (eff. 28 Aug 2026)“Any person or company that rents or sells vessels may issue a temporary boating safety identification card to an individual to operate a rented vessel or a vessel being considered for sale, for a period of up to seven days”
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People born after 1 January 1984 (and before 2006) need a boating safety ID card to operate a vessel on Missouri lakes; from 1 January 2027 anyone born on or after 1 January 2006 needs one on all state waters (exemptions apply).
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RSMo § 306.127 — Boating safety identification card (eff. 28 Aug 2026)“2. Beginning January 1, 2027, every person born on or after January 1, 2006, or as required pursuant to section 306.128 , who operates a vessel on the waters of this state shall possess, on the vessel, a boating safety identification card”
Jet ski (PWC) rentals
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No one under 14 may operate a PWC unless a person at least 16 is aboard. Everyone aboard wears a USCG-approved life jacket, the cut-off lanyard is attached, and an owner or person in charge may not knowingly permit operation in violation of these rules.
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RSMo § 306.142 — Personal watercraft, regulations (eff. 24 Jun 1997)“3. No person under fourteen years of age shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this state, except that a person under fourteen years of age may operate a personal watercraft if a person at least sixteen years of age is aboard the personal watercraft.”
Safety equipment
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Neither the livery owner nor an agent or employee may let any watercraft leave the premises unless it is equipped (by owner or renter) with the equipment required by § 306.100 and its rules.
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RSMo § 306.150 — Watercraft livery — records — equipment to be furnished (eff. 28 Aug 1995)“Neither the owner of a watercraft livery, nor the owner's agent or employee shall permit any watercraft to depart from the owner's premises unless the watercraft has been equipped, either by the owner or the renter, with the equipment required pursuant to section 306.100”
Records to keep
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The owner or operator of a watercraft livery keeps a record of each hirer’s name and address, the vessel’s identification number, the departure date and time and the expected return time, for at least six months, available to any law enforcement officer on request.
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RSMo § 306.150 — Watercraft livery — records — equipment to be furnished (eff. 28 Aug 1995)“The record shall be preserved for at least six months and shall be available for inspection upon request by any law enforcement officer of this state.”
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Only a business able to submit the temporary card information and payment electronically, through the Highway Patrol’s online registration process, may issue temporary cards.
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RSMo § 306.127 — Boating safety identification card (eff. 28 Aug 2026)“No person or company may issue a temporary boating safety identification card to an individual under the provisions of this subsection unless such person or company is capable of submitting the applicant's temporary boating safety identification card information and payment in an electronic format”
Not confirmed yet
What we looked for and could not confirm from an official source. Ask the agency before you assume anything here.
No state licence or permit for the rental business, no insurance requirement and no mandatory pre-rental briefing (beyond the optional temporary-card affidavit and checklist) were found in RSMo chapter 306.
The Highway Patrol rules for the temporary card and its boating safety checklist (11 CSR 50) were not read.
Federal rules still apply
On top of Missouri 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 Missouri.
Questions rental operators ask
Does a renter need a boater education card in Missouri?
A rental business may issue a temporary boating safety ID card (up to 7 days, once per person) to a renter of legal operating age who shows a driver’s licence and signs an affidavit of having reviewed the state boating handbook. Expires 31 Dec 2032. Source: revisor.mo.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
What are the rules for jet ski rentals in Missouri?
No one under 14 may operate a PWC unless a person at least 16 is aboard. Everyone aboard wears a USCG-approved life jacket, the cut-off lanyard is attached, and an owner or person in charge may not knowingly permit operation in violation of these rules. Source: revisor.mo.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
For your renters
Free boating-law page for Missouri on VesselSOS — link it from your booking confirmation.
Missouri 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.