Use this checklist as a guide to the materials and conditions you should have for a boating trip. Your needs will vary depending on the type of boat, the water you will be in, and the activities planned. Add to the list as needed.
Children 12 years old or younger may not operate a motorboat or a personal watercraft powered by a motor rated at more than 10 horsepower unless accompanied by someone 18 years of age or older.
Youths 13 and 14 years of age may not operate those vessels without possessing a valid Montana motorboat operator's safety certificate or evidence of completing an approved boating safety course, or unless accompanied by someone 18 years of age or older.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks offers a boat safety education program that includes a home-study course for motorboat and personal watercraft operators. Persons 13 years of age or older who successfully complete the course will receive a motorboat operator's certificate. To obtain a motorboat home-study course packet contact your regional Fish, Wildlife and Parks office or call the state headquarters at 406-444-2535. Boating classes are also offered by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary.
A person must be 18 years or older to rent a motorboat or a personal watercraft powered by a motor rated at more than 10 horsepower. All required equipment, as described in this booklet, and a copy of the rental agreement must be on board rented vessels.
Designated swimming areas are marked with white and orange buoys. It is unlawful to deface, disturb, remove or relocate any authorized buoys.
It is unlawful to operate or be in actual physical control of a motorboat, sailboat, water skis, surfboard, or similar device attached to a motorboat while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A person with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more is considered under the influence of alcohol.
Operating a vessel in a manner which may endanger the personal health or damage the property of any person is considered negligent operation. A boat's owner is liable for any injury or damage resulting from negligent operation.
Observe all "no wake" and speed-limit signs located on the water. Boaters are responsible for any damage caused by their wake.
Check with a local game warden or the Fish, Wildlife and Parks office for additional speed and use restrictions that may apply.
Powerboats, sailboats and boats under sail may not be used to kill, capture, take, pursue, concentrate, drive or stir up any upland game birds, game or fur-bearing animals. Motor- driven vehicles may not be used to drive, molest, flush or harass any game animal or game bird while hunting.
Boats must be launched from established launching areas if provided. Boat owners should prepare their vessel for launching before parking at the boat ramp, should launch the vessel quickly, and move the tow vehicle so that others may use the area.
Boats may not be left unattended while moored or attached to a public boat dock. Docks are to be used only for loading and unloading unless otherwise posted.
It is illegal to discharge any garbage, refuse, waste or sewage into or near the water. Boats equipped with toilets or porta-potties must dispose of waste properly. Because there are so few marine pumpout stations in Montana, boaters should check on the local availability of waste disposal stations before using their on- board facilities.
It is illegal as well as unsafe to overpower a boat. The U.S. Coast Guard Capacity Plate on each boat provides the recommended horse power for that vessel.
Motorboats and personal watercraft may not emit noise in excess of 86 decibels measured at a distance of 50 feet. At idle speed, exhaust noise may not be in excess of 90 decibels measured one meter from the muffler.
More restrictive noise standards are in effect for Flathead Lake (Flathead and Lake Counties), Echo Lake (Flathead County) and Swan Lake (Lake County) because of population density and heavy recreational use. On these waterways, a person may not operate a motorboat or personal watercraft in proximity to the shore- line if the noise emitted is greater than 75 decibels measured at shoreline in accordance with the shoreline sound level measurement procedure.
Certain exceptions are made for state-sanctioned regattas or boat races and by special permit.
Written permission from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is necessary to conduct a boating race, regatta or other marine event on Montana's waters. Letters of application must be sent at least 30 days prior to the scheduled event. Mail to: Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Boating Law Enforcement, P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701.
(See also: Closures and Use Restrictions )
In addition to state boating laws, local government and federal agency regulations may apply to boating activities in some areas. Contact the county sheriffs office or the federal agency for the area where you will be boating to find out if any additional regulations are in effect.
Boaters must stay at least 200 feet away from a "diver down" flag. If a boat must approach this warning flag, it must do so at a "no wake" speed.
The commonly used diver down warning flags are:
Boating accident reports are required by law and provide valuable information for use in the prevention of future boating accidents. An accident must be reported immediately to the local sheriffs office or game warden if it caused:
The operator of a boat involved in a collision, accident or other casualty must:
Boating accident report forms are available from the county sheriff's office, game wardens or any Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks office.
Authorized officers of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks have peace officer status for enforcement of the boating regulations. Sheriffs, peace officers, and U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement officers also have authority to enforce these provisions. Fish, Wildlife and Parks wardens are authorized to stop, halt or inspect vessels in order to enforce the laws of this state.
A person convicted of violating Montana's boating laws or regulations may be fined up to $500 and sentenced for up to six months in jail.
Montana and federal laws require that basic safety items be on board all boats.
All motorboats must carry on board a U.S. Coast Guard approved fire extinguisher as listed below:
A fire extinguisher is classified by the type of fire it is meant to extinguish and its size. Extinguishers approved for motorboats are hand-portable of either B-1 or B-II classification.
Classification (type-size)
Foam (minimum gallons)
Carbon Dioxide (minimum pounds)
Dry Chemical (minimum pounds)
Halon/Freon (minimum pounds)
Every inboard gasoline engine must be equipped with a backfire flame arrester that is securely attached to the carburetor and in proper working order.
All boats of closed construction (the engine or fuel compartments are not open to the atmosphere) and which use gasoline as fuel must be equipped with a ventilation system to remove explosive vapors from the bilges of engine and fuel tank compartments. The explosive vapors are heavier than air and accumulate in the bottom of the boat without proper venting, creating an extremely hazardous condition.
Montana requires at least two ventilation intake ducts fitted with cowls or their equivalent to vent bilges and fuel tank compartments. At least one intake duct must be installed so that it extends to the point at least midway to the bilge, or at least below the level of the carburetor air intake. At least one exhaust duct must be installed so as to extend to the lower portion of the bilge. The duct should not be located so that a normal accumulation of bilge water would obstruct it.
Remember to adequately ventilate your boat before starting it by running your blower for at least 4 minutes - especially after fueling.
Maneuvering and warning signals:
Between sunset and sunrise and at other times of restricted visibility, vessels in operation must display navigational lights. All white lights required by the rules must be visible from a distance of at least two miles. All colored lights must be visible for a distance of at least one mile.
Navigation lights include:
Manually propelled (non-motorized) boats may exhibit navigation lights or instead carry a white light which can be exhibited in time to prevent a collision.
Boats at anchor outside of a designated mooring area must display an all-around white anchor light between sunset and sunrise.
These rules of the road are the traffic laws of Montana's waterways. Like other traffic laws, they are legally binding on vessel operators. The rules dictate who has the right of way when vessels meet in open water and in crowded anchorages.
Individuals and non-profit organizations may identify hazards on state waterways by placing a sign or marker at the hazard. Only department approved signs, markers or buoys may be used to mark a hazard. A white plastic milk jug attached by a cord to the hazard may also be used. The sign or marker must:
Sailboats 12 feet long and longer and all motorboats and personal watercraft must be registered and numbered. Non-motorized sailboats less than 12 feet long and manually propelled boats, regardless of length, are exempt from registration and taxation.
Also exempt are a vessel's lifeboat, government- owned boats, and properly registered boats from out of state or country which will not be in Montana for more than 90 consecutive days.
Out-of-state boats used in Montana for more than 90 consecutive days must be registered at the county treasurer's office in the county where the boat will be principally used.
In Montana, boat owners must obtain a certificate of ownership (title) and certificate of number (which lists the boat’s registration, decal, hull and title numbers) and pay all fees to the County Treasurer in the county where the owner resides. The certificate of number must be carried on board the boat and be available for inspection whenever the boat is in operation. The boat owner will receive one registration decal as proof of payment of fees in lieu of tax.
Certificate of Ownership (title)
$10
Certificate of Number (registration)
$15.50
Fee-In-Lieu of Tax - By vessel type and length
$50
$110
$280
Effective January 1, 2004, an additional .50 cent surcharge will be added to the total fee in lieu of tax collected. The .50 cent fee will fund Montana Search and Rescue operations, training and equipment.
Failure to pay the fee in lieu of tax is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine equal to four times the applicable fee.
All motorboats, sailboats or personal watercraft that are numbered must display two validation decals. Red validation decals expire February 29, 2008. New validation decals, in effect for another 3-year period expiring February 28, 2011, are green. Boat owners should remove each red decal or cover it with the new green decal. Validation decals may be obtained, free of charge, at any Fish, Wildlife and Parks regional or area offices or the Fish, Wildlife and Parks website at Order Your Validation Decals.
The boat's registration number must:
When ownership of a boat changes, the previous owner must sign the back of the certificate of ownership before a county treasurer, deputy county treasurer or notary public. Within 40 days, the new owner must apply for a change of certificate of ownership (title) and registration and validation decals. If the boat is operated during the 40-day application period, a temporary registration permit issued by the county treasurer must be kept on board and shown upon request.
A boat owner also must contact the county treasurer within a reasonable amount of time when there is a change of address or upon the sale, destruction, abandonment or theft of the boat.
All boats sold or manufactured in Montana must comply with all applicable equipment requirements.
To determine the length of a boat, measure the distance down the centerline from the foremost part to the aftermost part of the boat. Do not include bowsprits, rudders, outboard motors, brackets, or similar fittings in the measurement.
All watercraft operating on public lakes and reservoirs greater than 35 surface acres within the western fishing district are limited to no-wake speed from the shoreline to 200 feet from the shoreline. The exceptions include:
No Wake Speed is defined as a speed whereby there is no "white" water in the track or path of the vessel or in created waves immediate to the vessel.
All watercraft operating on public lakes and reservoirs in the western fishing district that are 35 acres or less of surface water are limited to no-wake speed. The following list of lakes has been determined 35 acres or less by means of the 1:100,000-scale hydrography layer within the department's geographic information system (GIS).
Courtesy - Because many different types of recreators may be sharing a boating area, show respect by operating at safe speeds and keeping an adequate distance from others. Due to their limited maneuverability, give sailboats and other non-motorized craft a wide berth. Remember, you are responsible for any damage your boat, or the wake from your boat, may cause.
Weather - It's unpredictable in Montana, so watch carefully for changing conditions. Be prepared to protect your passengers and yourself in case of foul weather.
Tell somebody - Make sure a friend, relative or neighbor knows of your boating plans. Leave your destination, time of departure and expected time of return, because this information may save your life in the event of an accident.
Safety equipment -The items covered in this booklet cover only the bare essentials. Additional recommended equipment which could allow you an extra margin of safety might include and extra fire extinguisher, extra PFDs, a tool kit, spare parts, a bailing bucket, an anchor and line, a flashlight, a paddle, a radio, a towline, extra fuel and oil, and a first aid kit.
Cliff and bridge diving – Look before you jump and check the water for hidden rocks, trees, etc. Make sure the water is deep enough. Always jump feet first; never dive head first.
Hypothermia – When a body loses heat faster than it can produce it, the body temperature goes below normal. That's hypothermia, and it can be deadly. Immersion in Montana's cold water (less than 70 F) will cause a body's core temperature to decrease. Symptoms can include shivering, poor coordination, and numb hands and feet. Learning how to treat hypothermia could save a life.
Dams – Currents above dams can suck boats into the water going through the dam. The currents and turbulent waters below can swamp boats and drown boaters. Even low head dams, which sometimes seem to have a very small drop, are dangerous, because the water going over the dam circulates back toward the face of the dam and can trap a person or boat.
For your own enjoyment and for the well-being of the wildlife, please observe these viewing tips:
