Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Who May Operate a Vessel

• All motorboat and PWC operators must have a valid vehicle driver’s license to operate on any of Indiana’s public waters.
• Motorboat operators who are 15 years of age may operate a motorboat or PWC until they become a licensed driver only if they complete a boater education course approved by the Department of Natural Resources and have on board an ID card issued by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV). A person who has never been licensed by the BMV must complete an approved boater education course successfully and have on board an ID issued by the Indiana BMV to operate a motorboat legally.
• No one under 15 years of age may legally operate a motorboat greater than 10 horsepower or a PWC.
• If you recklessly operate your motorboat while intoxicated or break the PWC laws, you could have points assessed against your vehicle driver’s license.
• On Indiana boundary waters, Indiana residents are required to have a driver’s license. Non-residents are not required to have a license unless operating in an embayment, river, or stream in Indiana.