State Law vs. Federal Law

Registration and Titling Requirements:

All motorized vessels used principally in the waters of Oklahoma, must be titled and registered. The following are the only exceptions:

• Boats properly registered in another state using Oklahoma waters for less than 60 consecutive days.
• Vessels federally documented with the U.S. Coast Guard. However, federally documented vessels using Oklahoma waters for more than 60 consecutive days must be registered with Oklahoma and display a current validation decal – display of Oklahoma registration number is not required.
• Non motorized boats that are propelled manually, like canoes, kayaks, rowboats, punts and rubber rafts.

To register your vessel, you must visit one of the 300 motor license agents statewide or Write or Call:

Oklahoma Tax Commission
Motor Vehicle Division
2501 North Lincoln Blvd.
Oklahoma City, OK 73194
(405) 521-3221
www.oktax.state.ok.us

Once in receipt of required information, fees and applicable taxes, the state will issue a Certificate of Registration. This must be kept aboard the boat at all times and be readily available for inspection by an enforcement officer at all times.

The Certificate of Registration and Validation Decals
must be renewed each year by June 30th!

The state will also issue a set of registration decals valid for one year. You must display your registration stickers and registration numbers (beginning with OK) on the forward half of your vessel. Letters and numbers must be at least 3” tall, black or another color that contrasts with the hull, and affixed where it can be easily read by law enforcement officials. They must be separated by a hyphen and the decals must be affixed aft of and in-line with the number.

Outboard motors over 10 horsepower (hp) are also required to be titled and have a current Certificate of Registration. This process is separate and in addition to the boat registration. Registration of the motor must be done annually. Motor registration decals should be displayed on the upper backside of the motor cowling extending from the left side to the rear.

Keep your boat and motor titles in a safe place – this is your proof of ownership.

Laws for Required Wearing of PFDs :

In addition to the federal PFD carriage requirements, Oklahoma has the following requirements for wearing a PFD:

• If boating on a vessel that is less than 26 feet in length, children under the age of 13 must wear a Coast Guard approved PFD whenever underway.
• Every person on board a personal watercraft (PWC), sailboard, or any person being towed behind a vessel must wear a Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III or V PFD. Ski belts do not meet this requirement and should be carried aboard as excess equipment only. Inflatable PFDs are not intended for use while participating in tow activities or other high impact sports.

Children under the age of 13 must wear a PFD on boats less than 26 feet while underway!

Additional Equipment Requirements:

Beyond minimum federal equipment requirements, some states may have other requirements for certain bodies of water. At this time, Oklahoma does not require any specific additional safety equipment, but the following are some recommended items:

• Compass and charts
• Marine VHF radio
• Anchoring equipment
• Bailing device
• Spare parts & tools
• Extra starting battery
• Oars or paddles
• Flashlight

Mufflers and Noise Levels:

An effective muffling system is required for the exhaust of each engine. Any boat operated on the waters of Oklahoma must be muffled with a factory type muffler or water exhaust manifold to effectively reduce noise. Cut outs, removing baffles, or cutting or punching holes in the muffling system is illegal.

In general, do not modify your factory exhaust if the result makes it louder!

Loud boat noise not only bothers other operators and users of the waterways, it is also can disrupt peace ashore because of sound’s ability to travel great distances over water. Excessive noise can also prevent a boat operator from hearing other boat’s sound signals and warnings and approaching law or rescue personnel.

Requirements for Waste Discharge:

• Federal regulations and equipment standards established jointly by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard govern the uses of marine sanitation devices (MSDs).
• All boats that have onboard toilet facilities must have a method to collect and contain all waste products, preventing it from entering surrounding waters. State law forbids the discharge of sewage, treated or untreated, or any waste derived from sewage, into the fresh waters of Oklahoma.
• Type I and II MSDs must have a “Y” valve secured to allow for waste to enter a proper on board holding tank for future drainage at a pump-out station. Type III MSDs will typically have a built in holding tank with no external plumbing and cannot be pumped overboard.

All installed MSDs must be US Coast Guard certified
and have a “Y” valve in proper positioning!

• Discharge of fuel, oil or any oil product, including contaminated bilge water, is strictly prohibited. All boats 26 feet or longer must properly display a 5x8 inch Oily Waste Discharge placard near the bilge pump switch.
• All boats 26 feet or longer, when operating in waters under federal jurisdiction, must display an informational placard on the subject of federal marine pollution prevention laws. The placard must be 4x9 inches and placed in a location where crew and passengers can read it.

Education Requirements and Age & Operator Restrictions:

Restrictions for Children Under 12 – No person under the age of 12 may operate a vessel powered by a motor or combination of motors in excess of ten (10) horsepower, a personal watercraft (PWC) or any sail-powered vessel sixteen (16) feet or greater in length.

Restrictions for Children 12 to 16 Years of Age – In order for persons of this age to legally operate a vessel powered by a motor or combination of motors in excess of ten (10) horsepower, a personal watercraft (PWC) or any sail-powered vessel sixteen (16) feet or greater in length, they:

• must possess during operation, a boating safety education certificate indicating they have successfully passed a state approved boating course or equivalency exam and
• must be supervised by a competent adult who is at least 18 years of age.

If the vessel is a PWC, the adult must be visually supervising within 500 yards of the PWC. If the vessel is other than a PWC, the supervising adult must be on board and in position to take immediate control.

Proof of Identity and Boating Education – All vessel operators must carry with them during operation either their boating safety education certificate/card as approved by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety or photo identification proving the operator is at least16 years of age.

Non-Residents & Visiting Boaters – Visiting boaters who have completed another state’s boating safety course as recognized by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and approved by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety are exempt from Oklahoma’s boater education requirement.

Reckless & Negligent Operation:

No person shall operate any vessel or manipulate water skis or similar towed devices in a reckless or negligent manner. The failure to exercise the degree of care necessary to prevent endangering life, limb, or property is considered reckless and negligent.

Some activities considered Reckless or Careless Operation in Oklahoma:

• Speeding in no-wake zones or boating in areas marked as restricted.
• Operating at excessive speed in congested areas and at times of restricted ability.
• Allowing a passenger to ride on the gunwale, bow, transom or in any other position obviously dangerous is illegal when operating at greater than idle speed unless the boat has adequately designed guards or railings of at least 24 inches.
• Operating or giving permission to operate a boat or PWC when wind warnings have been posted or other hazardous conditions exist that pose a risk to persons or property.
• Failing to yield or stop for an authorized emergency vessel making an audible or visible signal.
• Parking, mooring or beaching a boat at the edge of or within a marked swimming area.

Additional laws that apply to personal watercraft (PWC):

Boat Speed Limits:

Boat speed limits are regulated by law for certain areas and conditions. When no speed limit is posted, operate your boat so that it will not endanger others. Always keep a proper lookout and never load a boat with passengers or cargo beyond its safe carrying capacity.

• White buoys with red markings and black letters will indicate speed limits and no wake zones.
• If you are operating your boat in a no-wake zone and cause damage to another person’s boat or property, you are responsible. Proceed slowly in these areas.
• Idle speed or no-wake speed is defined as the slowest speed possible necessary to maintain steerage.
• When operating a boat or PWC, you must you not proceed at a greater than idle speed if within 150 feet of a dock or pier, a boat ramp, or an anchored or moored boat.
• You may not operate a boat or PWC at speeds greater than 10 miles per hour on public waters within 50 feet of another boat or PWC.
• In times of restricted visibility such as in fog, stormy conditions or nighttime operation, you must be able to stop your vessel within half the distance of forward visibility. At all times, operators must be prepared to avoid a collision and have engines ready for immediate maneuvering.

Special Activities Restrictions and Considerations:

Many states regulate certain activities that take place aboard such as waterskiing, parasailing and diving. For your safety, and for those who may be in the water, you should abide by these special laws.

Special Activities, Restrictions & Requirements:

• Watercraft used to tow a water skier or similar device must have the capacity to accommodate 2 or more people.
• In addition to the boat operator, a person of at least 8 years of age must be aboard to observe the person being towed. The exception to this is if the boat is equipped with a wide angle convex mirror or mirrors so that the operator can face forward and still be in a position to observe the participant at all times.
• When towing a person on water skis or similar device, the participant must wear a properly fitting vest style PFD approved by the U.S. Coast Guard.
• You may not tow a parasailor, skier or similar device between sunset and sunrise.
• Vessels engaged in scuba diving and snorkeling must display a red and white diver down flag measuring at least 20 inches by 2 inches with 4 inches of white You may not post a diver down flag with the intent of diving or snorkeling within 100 yards to any functional boat ramp.
• Vessels engaged in diving activity and are restricted in their ability to maneuver, must hoist a blue and white alpha flag that measures when conducting operations in federal and international waters.
• It is illegal to transport firearms or discharge weapons from a vessel except for the legal purposes of hunting animals and fowl.

Operating Under the Influence

Operating a boat while intoxicated is a federal offense. State Boating Under the Influence (BUI) are becoming more stringent. As on the roadways, on-water enforcement officers may administer sobriety tests and conduct a blood alcohol content (BAC) examination.

In Oklahoma

• No person shall operate any vessel, personal watercraft, water skis or similar device while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Boaters who have a BAC of 0.10% or greater as measured in the person’s breath or blood are considered to be under the influence, or any operator that is under the influence of another intoxicating substance to a degrees that makes him or her incapable of safe operation is consider BUI.
• Oklahoma law prescribes fines and possible jail times for those who violate state BUI laws.
• By operating your vessel in the waters of Oklahoma, you have consented to be tested for drugs or alcohol if requested by a peace officer. Refusal to submit to testing may result in increased penalties upon conviction.

Officer Authority, Compliance & Assistance

In Oklahoma, officers of the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, Lake Patrol Section, and any authorized law enforcement officer has the authority to stop and/or inspect vessels to enforce Oklahoma and federal boating laws. The United States Coast Guard has enforcement authority on federally controlled waters.

These officers also have the authority to terminate voyages, escort boaters ashore, or order boaters to the nearest moorage if an unsafe condition is found that cannot be corrected on the spot.

Boat operators must immediately yield and reduce speed when being overtaken, approached or directed by a law enforcement official operating a siren and/or displaying an illuminated blue light. When operating in an area of law enforcement activity, you must reduce speed and give a wide berth until beyond the area of operation of the law enforcement vessel.

Accident Reporting Requirements

• Anyone involved in a boating accident is required to stop and give assistance as long as it will not personally endanger the operator, passengers or vessel.
• All accidents must be reported to the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety, Lake Patrol Division.
• Any boating accident that involves death, disappearance, or injury that requires medical treatment beyond first aid, or that involves property damage in excess of $500 (to one vessel or combination of both vessels) must be submitted on accident report form.
• Be prepared to give your name, address and Certificate of Registration information to others involved in the accident and those authorities investigating the accident.
• Reports that involve death or disappearance must be made by the quickest possible means to the local police department, county sheriff’s office or highway patrol office.
• Operators over 16 years of age operating in a reckless manner that are involved in an accident which results in death, may be guilty of negligent homicide.

Other State Boating Laws

Oftentimes counties, cities and districts within a state will have different, more restrictive laws. Boating laws are subject to change and it is your responsibility to be informed of the law as it applies to you and your on water activities. To be absolutely certain about specific boating laws in your state it is wise to contact your state boating agency.

It is Your Responsibility – Be Informed!

We provide this information as a service and strive to keep this website up to date. Please let us know of any inconsistencies by bringing them to our attention at once at onlinecourse@boatus.com. Resources for these pages include state statutes, state web pages and state approved boating guides. BoatU.S. is not responsible for any misinterpretation of the law or any change in the law that is not adequately reflected in these pages. Damages as a result of failing to abide by stated law shall not be the responsibility of BoatU.S., BoatU.S. Foundation or its employees.

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