Do you own or rent a pleasure boat in Florida? Fabulous! To help you make the most of it, we’d like to remind you of a few points of Florida law, including the new laws recently passed.
Although no boating license is required in Florida, you must be at least 14 years old to drive a boat, and 18 to rent one. All persons born after January 1, 1988 (i.e. 36 years of age or younger) must take a boating safety course and carry a Boating Safety Education Identification Card at all times.
Children under the age of six must wear a lifejacket on any boat or motorized vehicle under 26 feet (7.92 m), whether moving or stationary.
All motorized boats (including jetskis) of 16 feet or more must be registered with the DMV (with annual renewal). Insurance is not compulsory.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is prohibited. Penalties for violations will become more severe on July 1, 2025, when the law nicknamed Lucy’s Law, in honor of a 17-year-old girl killed in a collision between two boats in 2022, comes into force.
At the same time, another Floridian law, the Boater Freedom Act, will come into force on July 1, 2025. Intended to make Florida the « boating and fishing capital of the world » according to the governor, the law defines the rights of boaters: boat inspections without probable cause will no longer be authorized ; it provides more funding for launching ramps, marina facilities and parking lots.
To preserve the environment, the law reaffirms that all manatee protection zones, seagrass beds and slow wake zones will be maintained.
