North Dakota boat rental laws
3 rules for boat and jet ski rental businesses in North Dakota, from one official source.
General boating law onlyNorth Dakota has no livery statute: the former licensing and annual inspection of watercraft for hire (N.D.C.C. § 20.1-13-04) was repealed in 2017. The only rental-specific rule found lets the owner keep the certificate of number ashore for short rentals; general youth-operator and PWC rules apply to renters.
Age limits
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Under 12: no motorboat over 10 hp unless accompanied by someone 18+. Ages 12–15: over 10 hp only if accompanied by someone 18+ or after passing an approved boating course. No one may knowingly let a minor under 16 operate contrary to these rules.
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N.D.C.C. § 20.1-13-07 — Prohibited operation“4. An individual of twelve through fifteen years of age may not operate a motorboat propelled by over a ten horsepower motor unless the operator is accompanied by an individual eighteen years of age or older or the operator has taken and passed a boating course approved by the department.”
Jet ski (PWC) rentals
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No one may operate or permit operation of a PWC unless everyone aboard wears a USCG-approved life jacket and the cut-off lanyard is attached; slow/no wake within 100 feet of shore anglers, swimmers, or anchored or non-motorized vessels.
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N.D.C.C. § 20.1-13-07 — Prohibited operation“7. An individual may not operate or permit the operation of a personal watercraft: a. Without each person on board the personal watercraft wearing a United States coast guard approved type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device;”
Registering rental boats
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For a vessel under 26 feet rented for non-commercial use of less than 24 hours, the owner may keep the certificate of number ashore at the departure point; the vessel must still be identified while in use.
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N.D.C.C. § 20.1-13-03 — Numbering and licensing of motorboats“12. The certificate of number for vessels less than twenty -six feet [7.92 meters] in length and leased or rented to another for the latter's noncommercial use of less than twenty-four hours may be retained on shore by the vessel's owner or owner's representative”
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 statute or regulation specific to boat or PWC rental businesses found beyond § 20.1-13-03(12) (N.D.C.C. chapters 20.1-13 and 20.1-13.1 searched for livery/rent/lease/hire). No adult boater-education requirement and no rental insurance or record rule found.
North Dakota Administrative Code (Game and Fish, title 30) and Game and Fish guidance were not reviewed.
Federal rules still apply
On top of North Dakota 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 North Dakota.
Questions rental operators ask
How old must a renter be in North Dakota?
Under 12: no motorboat over 10 hp unless accompanied by someone 18+. Ages 12–15: over 10 hp only if accompanied by someone 18+ or after passing an approved boating course. No one may knowingly let a minor under 16 operate contrary to these rules. Source: ndlegis.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
What are the rules for jet ski rentals in North Dakota?
No one may operate or permit operation of a PWC unless everyone aboard wears a USCG-approved life jacket and the cut-off lanyard is attached; slow/no wake within 100 feet of shore anglers, swimmers, or anchored or non-motorized vessels. Source: ndlegis.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
For your renters
Free boating-law page for North Dakota on VesselSOS — link it from your booking confirmation.
North Dakota 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.