Who Enforces Boating Laws?

Illinois DNR officers and all other law enforcement officers enforce the boating laws of Illinois. USCG officers also patrol and have enforcement authority on federally controlled waters.

• Officers have the authority to stop and board your vessel in order to check that you are complying with state and federal laws.
• It is illegal to refuse to follow the directive of a person with a law enforcement authority. An operator who has received a visual or audible signal from a law enforcement officer must bring his or her vessel to a stop.
• You must yield or slow to “slow, no wake speed” when being approached by or passing an emergency vessel using legal visual signals. Failure to yield or slow will result in a mandatory suspension of vessel operating privileges for a period of three months up to two years.