What You Need For Your Boat
The Missouri watercraft registration certificate issued by the Missouri Department of Revenue.
Outboard motors, regardless of horsepower (excluding electric trolling motors), are required to have a certificate of title registered with the state of Missouri.
Life Jackets
A Coast Guard approved, wearable life jacket for everyone on board, in the proper size, good condition and readily accessible. Each person under the age of seven who is on board any watercraft shall wear a personal flotation device which is approved by the United States Coast Guard. This law does not apply when the person under the age of seven is in a part of a watercraft which is fully enclosed, where such enclosure will prevent such person from falling out of or being thrown from the watercraft.
If your boat is 16 feet or longer, then you are also required to carry a Coast Guard approved throw-able device.
Fire Extinguishers
Motorboats must carry at least the following US Coast Guard approved fire extinguishers:
- Motorboat less than 26 feet: Carrying or using gasoline or any other flammable or toxic fluid — one B1 (5-B) type fire extinguisher.
- Class 2 motorboat: One B2 (20-B) or two B1 (5-B) type fire extinguishers.
- Class 3 motorboat: Three B1 type fire extinguishers; or one B2 type and one B1 type fire extinguisher; or a fixed fire extinguishing system and one B2 type fire extinguisher; or a fixed fire extinguishing system and two B1 type fire extinguishers.
Sounding Devices
All vessels from 16 to 40 feet shall have a sounding device, such as a horn or a whistle. All vessels over 40 feet shall have at least a sounding device and one bell.
Boating Safety Card
Every person born after January 1, 1984, who operates a vessel on the lakes of this state shall possess, on the vessel, a boating safety identification card issued by the Missouri State Highway Patrol or its agent, or a boating safety identification card issued by their home state from a NASBLA approved boating safety course. Missouri residents may also have the boating safety endorsement added to their Missouri driver's license in lieu of carrying the additional card.
Navigational Lights
All vessels shall display from sunset to sunrise proper navigational lights when underway, and during such time no other lights, continuous spotlights or docking lights, or other non-prescribed lights shall be exhibited.
What You Need For Your Personal Watercraft
- No person may operate or ride on a personal watercraft unless each person aboard is wearing a wearable type personal flotation device approved by the United States Coast Guard.
- A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by the manufacturer with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch must attach the lanyard to the person's body, clothing, or personal flotation device.
- No person under fourteen years of age may operate a personal watercraft, unless a person at least sixteen years of age is aboard the personal watercraft.
- Every personal watercraft must be operated in a reasonable and prudent manner.
Prohibited Acts
- Weaving through congested vessel traffic.
- Jumping the wake of another vessel when visibility is obstructed.
- Becoming airborne while crossing the wake of another vessel within one hundred feet of the vessel creating the wake.
- Operating at a speed in excess of a slow-no wake speed within fifty feet of any vessel or any person in or on the water.
- Operating at such a speed and proximity to another vessel so as to require the operator to swerve to avoid collision.
- Towing a person or persons on water skis, surfboard, or similar device unless there is a person on the personal watercraft in addition to the operator, or an approved ski mirror is attached.
No person who owns or who has control of a personal watercraft may permit it to be operated in violation of this section.
Personal watercraft may not be operated between sunset and sunrise unless equipped with proper navigational lights.
Personal watercraft must have a type B, USCG approved fire extinguisher on board.
What You Need For Your Canoe or Kayak
Federal law requires a Coast Guard approved, wearable life jacket for everyone on board, in the proper size, good condition, and readily accessible. Children under seven years of age must wear a USCG approved PFD at all times on board any vessel.
A white flashlight or lantern must be displayed between sunset and sunrise and during times of restricted visibility.
Emergency Contact
Missouri State Highway Patrol emergency contact number: 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.