Laws and Safety Equipment

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PERSONAL WATERCRAFT

PWC REGULATIONS

Personal watercraft (PWC) operators must adhere to additional legal requirements that apply specifically to the operation of PWCs on Indiana waters.

• Each person riding on or towed behind a PWC must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved wearable personal flotation device. Recommended PFDs are designed to withstand the impact of hitting the water at high speed.
• PWCs must either be equipped with an ignition safety switch or have a self-circling feature in case the operator falls off. An operator of a PWC equipped with lanyard-type ignition safety switch must always attach the lanyard to his or her person, clothing, or PFD.
• PWCs may be operated only during daylight hours unless equipped with appropriate lighting.

AGE RESTRICTIONS AND BOATER SAFETY EDUCATION

Effective January 1, 1996, all motorboat or PWC operators must have a valid driver’s license to operate on all Indiana public waters. Any person who is at least 15 years old may operate a motorboat or PWC only if they successfully complete a boater education course approved by the Department of Natural Resources and have onboard an I.D. issued by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. No one under 15 years of age may legally operate a PWC or a motorboat with greater than 10 horsepower.