Personal Watercraft Regulations – Georgia
Who doesn’t like spending a day on the water having fun with jet skis? But, personal watercraft are not toys and they are subject to state rules and regulations. It’s important that you know the age requirements that go along with using personal watercraft. According to www.boatus.org the below are the rules and regulations in Georgia:
Age Requirements
Operators Under 12:
May not operate any vessel over 16 feet in length.
May legally operate a vessel under 16 feet in length which is either non-motorized or powered by a motor of 30 horsepower or less only if they are accompanied by a competent adult.
*A competent adult is defined as a person 18 years of age or older who is not under the influence of alcohol or drugs and who is carrying proper identification such as a government-issued ID that contains a photo, a description of the person, and date of birth.
Operators aged 12 through 15:
May not legally operate any vessel 16 feet in length or longer.
May operate a personal watercraft or a vessel less than 16 feet long if he or she:
Have passed a boating safety course approved by the Georgia DNR, OR is accompanied by a competent adult.
Operators 16 and over:
May operate any boat on the waters of Georgia if they have proper identification onboard.
All operators born after January 1, 1998 must have passed a boater education course approved by the Department of Natural Resources and have proof of completion on board to operate any vessel.
Other Information
Operators Under 12:
Children under the age of 12 are legally prohibited from operating a PWC.
Operators Under 12-15:
Children that are aged 12 to 15 may legally operate a PWC if they:
have passed a boating safety course approved by the Georgia DNR, or are accompanied by a competent adult.
Operators 16 and older:
Persons 16 years of age or older may operate any PWC on the waters of Georgia if they carry aboard proper identification such as a government-issued ID containing a photo, a description of the person, and date of birth.
All operators born after January 1, 1998 must have passed a boater education course approved by the Department of Natural Resources and have a card on board to operate any vessel.
Rental: A person must be at least 16 years of age in order to rent or lease a PWC.
This is a summary of the personal watercraft regulations in Georgia. They may have changed, so please check to make sure you are up to date, and please consider a boating safety course. You can find the current regulations online here.
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