Idaho’s boating and alcohol laws

It is illegal in the state of Idaho for any person who is under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicating substance to operate a vessel.

In Idaho, a person over 21 years of age is considered to be under the influence if:

• They have a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level of 0.08% or higher.
• If a person is under 21 years of age, they are considered to be under the influence if they have a BAC level of at least 0.02% or higher.

FINES AND PENALTIES

In Idaho, a person convicted of operating a vessel while under the influence will be subject to the following penalties:

• A fine of up to $1,000 and/or a sentence of 6 months in the county jail.
• They may also be required to successfully complete a course on safe boating.
• They may lose the privilege to operate a boat for up to 2 years.

More severe penalties exist for additional convictions. Additionally, a person boating while under the influence who causes the death or serious injury of another person will, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony.

IDAHO BOAT REGISTRATION

To operate a vessel in Idaho, you must obtain a Certificate of Number and validation stickers. The Certificate of Number must be on board during operation and must be available for inspection by a law enforcement officer.

Certificate of Number expires on December 31st of each year. Renewal notices will be mailed out to vessel owners. You may renew by mail, online, or at a retail vendor or County Motor Vehicle office. You can obtain a Certificate of Number by submitting an application and fee to the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

If the Certificate of Number or validation stickers are lost or destroyed you must submit a fee and application to the IDPR in order to obtain a replacement.

THESE VESSELS DO NOT REQUIRE REGISTRATION IN IDAHO

• Human-powered craft (such as canoes and kayaks).
• Non-motorized float tubes.
• Sailboards.
• Vessels registered in another state and using Idaho waters for 60 consecutive days or less.
• Vessels federally documented by the Coast Guard.

BOAT TITLING REQUIREMENTS

In Idaho, the following vessels are required to be titled:

• Any vessel with a model year of 2000 or newer and a permanently attached mode of propulsion (i.e. sterndrives, inboards, PWCs and sailboats).
• Any vessel with an outboard motor that is over 12 feet in length.

DO I NEED BOAT INSURANCE IN IDAHO?

Boats in Idaho are not required to be insured, however it is recommended. 

Boats in Idaho are required to correctly display their registration number and validation stickers.

Registration numbers and stickers must be displayed as follows:

• Numbers must be applied as a decal, painted or permanently affixed to both sides of the bow, as high above the waterline as possible (no other numbers may be displayed on either side of the bow).
• Numbers must be in at least three-inch high vertical block letters in a color that contrasts sharply with the vessel’s background.
• Numbers must be separated from the letters by a space or hyphen equal to the letter width.
• Validation stickers must be affixed on both sides of the vessel, placed within six inches, and in line with the vessel number.
• Expired stickers must be removed or completely covered by the new sticker.

NEGLIGENT OPERATION

Negligent Operation of a vessel is the failure to exercise the care necessary to protect the rights, safety, or property of others. Some examples of negligent operation are:

• Boating in an area where buoys or other markers clearly mark a swimming area or some other restricted area.
• Becoming airborne while crossing the wake of another vessel at an unsafe distance from the vessel creating the wake.
• Weaving through congested waterway traffic.
• Swerving at the last possible moment in order to avoid a collision.
• Causing danger or damage from the wake of your vessel.

NEGLIGENT OPERATION

Some other examples of negligent operation are:

• Chasing, harassing, or disturbing wildlife with your vessel.
• Riding on a seat back, gunwale, transom, or bow.
• Operating at speeds that are too fast for the operator to bring the vessel to a stop within an assured clear distance ahead.
• Overloading – exceeding the maximum allowed number of persons, maximum allowed pounds of persons, or maximum allowed combined pounds of persons and equipment.
• Overpowering – if your vessel is powered by an outboard motor, you must not exceed the allowed horsepower

Environmental Protection

The spread of Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) like Quagga Mussels, Zebra Mussels, Eurasion Watermilfoil and New Zealand Mud Snails, pose a risk to Idaho’s native aquatic wildlife, ecosystems and to all of Idaho’s water-based recreation. Idaho’s most common ANS include the zebra mussel (a small, striped, shell, or mollusk) and the Eurasion Watermilfoil (a long, thick floating weed that sometimes has a pink flower (between June-August). Both of these Aquatic Nuisance Species attach themselves to boat hulls and to boat motors.

Unfortunately, Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) spread easily from one body of water to the next, which is why the Idaho legislature has passed The Idaho Invasive Species Act of 2008 and enacted the following state laws regarding ANS:

• It is illegal to introduce aquatic invasive species into Idaho waters.
• It is illegal to buy, distribute, sell or possess ANS, unless you have a permit from the Idaho Department of Agriculture, or, you meet other unique requirements specified in the Idaho Invasive Species Act.

If you violate these laws, you’ll be guilty of a misdemeanor and will be punished with a fine up to $3,000 and/or up to 12 months imprisonment.

Keep in mind, Idaho authorities, such as the Director of the Idaho Department of Agriculture, are permitted to inspect both public and private land and waters if there is suspicion of invasive species, in order to detect and destroy them.

Help prevent the spread of non-native species

In the state of Idaho, boaters must actively prevent the spread of ANS. Your boat could be infected without you even knowing it! As a preventative measure, perform the following actions every time your boat leaves a waterway:

• Look closely for ANS and remove anything you find!
• Drain all of the boat’s components on land before you trailer the boat away, this includes the bilge, motor, live well and any bait buckets (live boat is illegal in most of Idaho’s waterways!)
• Wash, rinse and air-dry your boat before you leave the area!

Idaho requires boaters (both motorized and human-powered) to purchase an Idaho Invasive Species Fund (IISF) decal from the Idaho Department of Agriculture, prior to boat operation on Idaho waterways. These decals generate funds that go directly into Idaho’s ANS prevention programs.

This includes all motorized boats (both registered and from out of state) and all human-powered craft (i.e. canoes, kayaks and rowboats). Inflatable, human-powered craft that are less than 10 feet in length are exempted from this decal requirement.