Utah boat rental laws
5 rules for boat and jet ski rental businesses in Utah, from 2 official sources.
Rental-specific lawUtah's boat livery section (Utah Code 73-18-10, amended by H.B. 125, eff. 6 May 2026) requires a one-year hire record including where each vessel is launched, required equipment, and a briefing on the boating rules renters must obey. Liveries must also handle aquatic invasive species duties for renters, and from 1 January 2027 every motorboat or sailboat renter needs the annual watercraft operator safety course or a livery safety briefing.
Instruction before every rental
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Neither the livery owner nor an agent, independent contractor or employee may let a vessel leave the premises unless the owner equips it as the State Boating Act requires and advises the renter of the rules the renter must obey.
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Utah Code 73-18-10 — Owner of boat livery — Duties, as amended by H.B. 125 (2026), eff. 6 May 2026“(a) equips the vessel as required under this chapter”
Boater education card for renters
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From 1 January 2027 a livery may not rent a motorboat or sailboat unless the renter shows proof of the state watercraft operator safety course completed in the current calendar year, or the livery gives the Division’s watercraft operator safety briefing first.
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Utah Code 73-18-15.6 — Watercraft operator safety course, enacted by H.B. 54 (2026), eff. 1 Jan 2027“(9) A livery may not rent a watercraft to an individual unless:”
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From 1 January 2027 every operator of a motorboat or sailboat must complete the short state watercraft operator safety course once each calendar year and carry proof (renters may instead receive the livery briefing). It does not replace the separate PWC course for youth.
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Utah Code 73-18-15.6 — Watercraft operator safety course, enacted by H.B. 54 (2026), eff. 1 Jan 2027“(4) A watercraft operator shall complete the course once every calendar year.”
Records to keep
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The owner of a boat livery records each hirer’s name and address, the vessel’s identification number, the date and the bodies of water on which it is launched, and the departure and expected return times, and keeps the record at least one year.
Show the official wording
Utah Code 73-18-10 — Owner of boat livery — Duties, as amended by H.B. 125 (2026), eff. 6 May 2026“the date on which and the bodies of water on which the vessel is launched; … described in Subsection (1)(a) for at least one year.”
Other rules
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Before renting, a livery must have the renter complete the aquatic invasive species education course and give the renter proof of completion (exemptions apply, e.g. when the craft is not transported on a highway after rental). Liveries may not skip required decontamination, AIS fees or decals.
Show the official wording
Utah Code 23A-10-306 — Boat livery requirements, enacted by H.B. 125 (2026), eff. 6 May 2026“(2) Before renting or leasing a conveyance, the owner of a boat livery shall:”
Not confirmed yet
What we looked for and could not confirm from an official source. Ask the agency before you assume anything here.
Utah Code text was read from Internet Archive copies of the official enrolled bills (H.B. 125 and H.B. 54, 2026). Later amendments are not reflected.
Not confirmed from an official source: livery registration with the Division of Outdoor Recreation, the insurance rule for PWC/motorboat liveries (Title 73, Chapter 18c), and the PWC minimum-age and youth course rules (73-18-15.2).
Utah Administrative Code rules (R651) for liveries and the content of the 2027 livery safety briefing were not reviewed.
Federal rules still apply
On top of Utah 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.
Show the official wording
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 Utah.
Questions rental operators ask
Do I have to give renters instruction before a rental in Utah?
Neither the livery owner nor an agent, independent contractor or employee may let a vessel leave the premises unless the owner equips it as the State Boating Act requires and advises the renter of the rules the renter must obey. Source: le.utah.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
Does a renter need a boater education card in Utah?
From 1 January 2027 a livery may not rent a motorboat or sailboat unless the renter shows proof of the state watercraft operator safety course completed in the current calendar year, or the livery gives the Division’s watercraft operator safety briefing first. Source: le.utah.gov, checked October 18, 2026.
For your renters
Free boating-law page for Utah on VesselSOS — link it from your booking confirmation.
Utah 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.