On The Water
Idaho Code § 67-7034 and Idaho Code § 67-7037 — 0.08 on a boat as on the road, 0.02 under twenty-one, and a $200 penalty for refusing the test
0.08, and 0.02 under twenty-one. No one may operate or be in actual physical control of a vessel on Idaho waters while under the influence, or with an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more. For anyone under twenty-one the line is 0.02.
Operating a vessel is consent to an evidentiary test when an officer has reasonable grounds to believe the operator is impaired, and there is no right to consult a lawyer first. Refusing carries a $200 civil penalty, with seven calendar days to ask the court for a hearing on the refusal.
Negligent operation. Operating a vessel carelessly and heedlessly, or too fast to stop within the clear distance ahead, is negligent operation: jumping another boat's wake at an unsafe distance, weaving through traffic, or running so close that someone must swerve at the last moment.
A vessel that must be numbered is registered within fifteen days of purchase, with the number and validation sticker shown on each side of the bow and the certificate on board.
After a test, the operator may have additional tests made at their own expense by someone of their choosing. A particular stop is a question for a licensed Idaho attorney.
Sources for this section (4)
- Idaho Code § 67-7034 — Persons under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other intoxicating substances
- Idaho Code § 67-7037 — Test of operator for alcohol concentration, presence of drugs or other intoxicating substances
- Idaho Code § 67-7017 — Negligent operation
- Idaho Code § 67-7008 — Certificate of number — Expiration — Fees
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Idaho attorney.