North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 75A Boating and Water Safety

Article 1 - Boating Safety Act.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-1. Declaration of policy
It is the policy of this State to promote safety for persons and property in and connected with the use, operation, and equipment of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-2. Definitions
As used in this Chapter, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning: (1) "Abandoned vessel" means a vessel that has been relinquished, left,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-3. Wildlife Resources Commission to administer Chapter; Boating Safety Committee; funds for administration
(a) The Commission shall enforce and administer the provisions of this Chapter. (b) The chair of the Commission shall designate from among the members...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-4. Identification numbers required
Every vessel on the waters of this State shall be numbered, except those vessels exempted from numbering under G.S. 75A-7. No person shall operate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-5. Application for certificate of number; fees; reciprocity; change of ownership; conformity with federal regulations; records; award of certificates; renewal of certificates; transfer of partial interest; destroyed or junked vessels; abandonment; change of address; duplicate certificates; display
(a) Application for Certificate of Number. - The owner of each vessel requiring numbering by this State shall file an application for a certificate...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-5.1. Repealed by Session Laws 2013-360, s. 14.22(c), effective October 1, 2013
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-5.2. Vessel agents
(a) In order to facilitate the convenience of the public, the efficiency of administration, the need to keep statistics and records affecting the conservation...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-6. Classification; rules
(a) Vessels subject to the provisions of this Chapter shall be divided into five categories as follows: (1) Class A. Less than 16 feet...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-6.1. Navigation rules
(a) Every vessel operated on the waters of this State that is required to obtain an identification number pursuant to this Chapter, has a...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-7. Exemption from numbering requirements
(a) A vessel shall not be required to be numbered under this Chapter if it is: (1) A vessel that is required to be...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-8. Vessel liveries
An owner of a vessel livery shall not rent a vessel to any person unless the provisions of this Chapter have been complied with....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-9. Muffling devices
(a) Every internal combustion engine used on a vessel shall have effective muffling equipment installed and used on the exhaust to muffle the noise...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-9.1. Repealed by Session Laws 2006-185, s. 1, effective January 1, 2007, and applicable to offenses committed on or after January 1, 2007
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-10. Operating vessel or manipulating water skis, etc., in reckless manner; operating, etc., while intoxicated, etc.; depositing or discharging litter, etc
(a) No person shall operate any motorboat or vessel, or manipulate any water skis, surfboard, or similar device on the waters of this State...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-10.1. Family purpose doctrine applicable
The family purpose doctrine, as applicable in this State to tort cases arising from the operation of motor vehicles, shall apply to tort cases...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-10.2. Proof of ownership of a vessel
(a) In all actions to recover damages for injury to the person or to property or for the death of a person, arising out...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-11. Duty of operator involved in collision, accident, casualty, or other occurrence
(a) For the purposes of this section, the term "occurrence" means a collision, accident, casualty, or other similar occurrence involving a vessel. The operator...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-12. Furnishing information to agency of United States
In accordance with any request duly made by an authorized official or agency of the United States, any information compiled or otherwise available to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-13. Water skis, surfboards, etc
(a) No person shall operate a vessel on any water of this State for towing a person or persons on water skis, a surfboard,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-13.1. Skin and scuba divers
(a) No person shall engage in skin diving or scuba diving in the waters of this State that are open to boating, or assist...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-13.2. Repealed by Session Laws 1999-447, s. 3
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-13.3. Personal watercraft
(a) No person shall operate a personal watercraft on the waters of this State at any time between sunset and sunrise. For purposes of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-14. Repealed by Session Laws 1999-248, s. 4
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-14.1. Lake Norman No-Wake Zone
It is unlawful to operate a vessel at greater than no-wake speed within 50 yards of a vessel launching area, bridge, dock, pier, marina,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-14.2. Temporary waiver of enforcement of no-wake zones
The Wildlife Resources Commission may temporarily and conditionally waive enforcement of a no-wake zone upon petition by a unit of local government that encompasses...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-15. Rules on water safety; adoption of the United States Aids to Navigation System
(a) In accordance with subsection (b) of this section, the Commission is empowered to adopt rules, for the local water in question, as to:...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-16. Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 830, s. 9, effective July 1, 1980
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-16.1. Boating safety course
(a) The Commission shall institute and coordinate a statewide course of instruction in boating safety, and in so doing may cooperate with any political...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-16.2. Boating safety education required
(a) No person shall operate a vessel with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater on the public waters of this State unless the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-17. Enforcement of Chapter
(a) Every wildlife protector and every other law-enforcement officer of this State and its subdivisions shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-18. Penalties
(a) Except as otherwise provided, a person who violates a provision of this Article is responsible for an infraction as provided in G.S. 14-3.1....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-19. Operation of vessels by manufacturers, dealers, etc
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Chapter, the Commission may adopt rules regarding the operation of vessels by manufacturers, distributors, dealers, and demonstrators as...

Article 2 - Local Water Safety Committees.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-20 through 75A-25. Repealed by Session Laws 1983 (Regular Session, 1984), c. 1082, s. 3, effective July 5, 1984
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-26. Local water safety committees
(a) In order that responsible State and local officials may consult with an advisory body as to the needs and desires of the public...

Article 3 - Boat Hull Anti-Copying Act.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-27 through 75A-31. Repealed by Session Laws 1991, c. 191, s. 1

Article 4 - Vessel Titling Act.

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-32. Short title
This Article shall be known as the Vessel Titling Act. (1989, c. 739, s. 1; 2006-185, s. 2.)
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-33. Definitions
The definitions set forth in G.S. 75A-2 shall apply to this Article, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning. (1989, c. 739, s....
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-34. Who may apply for certificate of title; authority of employees of Commission
(a) Any owner of a motorized vessel or sailboat 14 feet or longer or any personal watercraft, as defined in G.S. 75A-13.3(a), that is...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-35. Form and contents of application
(a) The owner or the owner's attorney shall apply for a certificate of title for a vessel. The application shall contain the name, residence,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-36. Notice by owner of change of address
Whenever any person, after applying for or obtaining the certificate of title of a vessel, moves from the address shown on the application or...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-37. Certificate of title as evidence; duration; transfer of title
(a) A certificate of title is prima facie evidence of the ownership of a vessel. A certificate of title shall remain in force for...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-38. Commission's records; fees
(a) The Commission shall maintain a record of any title it issues. (b) The Commission shall charge a fee of thirty dollars ($30.00) to...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-39. Duplicate certificate of title
The Commission may issue a duplicate certificate of title plainly marked "duplicate" across its face upon application by the person entitled to hold the...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-40. Certificate to show security interests
The Commission, after receiving an application for a certificate of title for a vessel, shall, upon issuing the certificate of title to the owner,...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-41. Security interests subsequently created
Except for security interests in vessels that are inventory held for sale, security interests created in vessels by the voluntary act of the owner...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-42. Certificate as notice of security interest
A certificate of title, when issued by the Commission showing a security interest, shall be deemed adequate notice to the State, creditors, and purchasers...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-43. Security interest may be filed within 30 days after purchase
If application for the recordation of a security interest to be placed upon a vessel is filed in the principal office of the Commission...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-44. Priority of security interests shown on certificates
Except for security interests in vessels that are inventory held for sale, security interests shown upon the certificates of title issued by the Commission...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-45. Legal holder of certificate of title subject to security interest
The certificate of title of a vessel shall be delivered to the person holding the security interest having first priority upon the vessel and...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-46. Release of security interest shown on certificate of title
An owner, upon securing the release of any security interest upon a vessel shown upon the certificate of title issued for the vessel, may...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-47. Surrender of certificate required when security interest paid
It is unlawful and constitutes a Class 1 misdemeanor for a secured party who holds a certificate of title as provided in this Article...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-48. Levy of execution, etc
A levy made by virtue of an execution or other proper court order, upon a vessel for which a certificate of title has been...
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 75A-49. Registration prima facie evidence of ownership; rebuttal
A valid certificate of number issued under the provisions of this Chapter, or any similar document issued under the jurisdiction of any other state...

Last modified: March 23, 2014