On The Water
MCL 324.80176 — under 6 in the jacket on an open deck, and 0.08
In Michigan, the motorboat rules sit in the natural resources and environmental protection act, and they reach the owner who hands over the controls as well as the person at them.
Under 6, on an open deck. A person may not operate a vessel unless each person less than 6 years of age in an open deck area is wearing a type I or type II personal flotation device, and a parent or guardian on board makes sure of it. Inspected charter boats are excepted, and a violation is a civil infraction with a fine of not more than $100.
0.08, or visibly impaired. A person may not operate a motorboat under the influence of liquor or a controlled substance, with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 grams or more, or with any amount of certain controlled substances in the body, and may not operate one while visibly impaired. An owner or person in charge may not knowingly let someone in that condition operate it.
- Under 21 years of age, any bodily alcohol content is a violation, meaning 0.02 grams or more but less than 0.08, or any alcohol from drinking outside a religious service.
- Operating in violation while a person less than 16 years of age is aboard is its own violation.
- Causing a death is a felony punishable by up to 15 years, and causing a serious impairment of a body function a felony punishable by up to 5 years.
What operate means. Being in control of a vessel propelled by machinery while it is underway, and not docked, at anchor, idle, or otherwise secured.
| The assumption | What the law actually does |
|---|---|
| The assumptionOnly the person at the controls can be charged | What the law actually doesAn owner or person in charge who knowingly permits an impaired person to operate also violates the section |
| The assumptionA teenager under 0.08 is within the law | What the law actually doesUnder 21, any bodily alcohol content is a violation |
Registration and numbering, boating education, the rest of the equipment rules and the higher penalties for repeat offenses are not all on this page. What a particular citation carries is a question for a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- MCL 324.80176 — Operation of a motorboat while under the influence
- MCL 324.80142 — Wearing of personal flotation device by child required
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.