Know the Ropes: Georgia Boating Laws

Extracted from Kick-Off to Summer Newsletter 2025

Knowing the ropes will help you navigate a busy lake, emergency situations, and take care of the lake that you love while on the water. Everyone can benefit from being well-read on boating safety regulations and local laws, new and experienced boaters alike.

#1: Boating Education Requirement | In Georgia, people born on or after January 1, 1998, must take a boating education course before operating a vessel. The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) must approve this course. Anyone born before this date are not required to take the course, but it is highly recommended by the DNR. Staying up to date on boating laws can ensure your boating experience is safe and worry-free.

#2: Rip Cord Law | A federal law went into place back in 2021 that requires any operator with a boat that has an engine cut off switch, to wear the link on their person. This is typically on a coiled loop that can be worn on the arm, clothes, PFD / life jacket, etc. This ensures the vessel’s engine will shut off when the operator is separated from the operating area. The engine shutoff is necessary in case the operator is ejected from the vessel, and helps them avoid the spinning propeller. The shut off can also help the integrity of the drifting vessel with no captain.

#3: 100 ft Rule | The 100 foot law includes all boats, not just personal watercraft (such as Jet Skis or Sea Doos), and requires boat operators to slow to idle speed when they are within 100 feet of docks, piers, bridges, shorelines or people in the water. Georgia DNR states that “No person shall operate any vessel or tow a person or persons on water skis, an aquaplane, a surfboard, or any similar device on the waters of this state at a speed greater than idle speed within 100 feet of any vessel which is moored, anchored, or adrift outside normal traffic channels, or any wharf, dock, pier, piling, bridge structure or abutment, person in the water, or shoreline adjacent to a fulltime or part-time residence, public park, public beach, public swimming area, marina, restaurant, or other public use area.”

#4: 200 FT RULE – New Wakesurfing & Wakeboarding Law | This new Georgia law requires wakesurfers and wake boarders to maintain a distance of 200ft away from shorelines habited by residents and public use, moored vessels, and certain docks and structures along the water. This law also requires wake surfers and wake boarders to wear a U. S. Coast Guard approved personal floatation device. Engaging in these activities between sunset and sunrise are also prohibited.

#5: Rules of the Road | Last but not least, the rules of the road. Before you find yourself at the helm of a vessel, it’s critical that you’re familiar with the rules of the road and navigation markers. This is not only important for your safety, but the safety of others too. The water is a fun place, but it’s a highway without lanes. The rules of the road dictate how you should operate your vessel to prevent a collision and help keep everyone safe.

The best memories are made when everyone remains safe around the water!

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