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Emerald Coast Dispatch Destin, 30A and Panama City Beach news: Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Bay counties
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Boating/Checked Nov. 1, 2026

Florida boating rules on the Emerald Coast

In Florida, a child under 6 must wear a life jacket on a boat under 26 feet while underway, jet skis can't run from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, and operators are presumed impaired at .08 (.02 under 21) (FWC).

Rules checked on Nov. 1, 2026 by our Outdoors Desk. The agency's page always wins.

119public ramps and landings listed below
Jan. 1, 1988FL: boater card needed if born on or after this date
10boat rentals in our directory

Can I rent or drive a boat? Check in 10 seconds

  • FL: born on or after Jan. 1, 1988, motor of 10 hp or more. You need a Florida Boating Safety Education ID Card, a NASBLA-approved card from another state, or a temporary certificate from an FWC-approved online exam (valid up to 90 days). Carry it with a photo ID. Liveries can't rent a motorboat or jet ski to anyone under 18. You must be at least 14 to operate a jet ski in Florida, and everyone aboard wears a non-inflatable life jacket. Source: FWC: boating education FAQ; FWC: livery rules; FWC: boating regulations

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Rules that get boaters ticketed

  • Kids under 6

    A child under 6 must wear a USCG-approved life jacket on a boat under 26 feet while it's underway, which means any time it isn't anchored, moored, tied to shore or aground.

    Source: FWC: boating regulations

  • Jet skis

    No riding from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise. Everyone aboard or being towed wears a non-inflatable life jacket. Minimum age to operate: 14.

    Source: FWC: boating regulations

  • Alcohol

    Operators are presumed impaired at .08. For anyone under 21 operating a boat, the limit is .02.

    Source: FWC: boating regulations

  • Crab Island

    Crab Island sits in Gulf Islands National Seashore waters over state-owned submerged land. Commercial vendors there need Okaloosa County and National Park Service approval. Okaloosa County rules cover anchoring floating structures, alcohol and an emergency vessel exclusion zone (Ordinances 18-19, 20-03 and 15-14).

    Source: Okaloosa County: waterway safety

  • Destin Harbor and East Pass

    Okaloosa County Ordinance 19-06 sets restricted areas in Destin Harbor, East Pass and Sandpiper Cove.

    Source: Okaloosa County: waterway safety

Boaters, help keep this guide right

  • Ramp closed or fee changed? Tell us the ramp and what changed. We check it and post it in Reader reports. Send it.
  • How was it on the water? Crowds, parking, fog or chop: a line and a photo from today. Send it.

What readers send is checked by our editors and published as "Reader reports", apart from the official rules. We never publish your email.

Sources

Rules change by law and by emergency order; the agency's page always wins. Data for AI and developers: llms.txt and boating.csv.