Code of Virginia - Title 29.1 Game, Inland Fisheries And Boating - Chapter 7 Boating Laws

29.1-700 Definitions
As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires a different meaning: "Motorboat" means any vessel propelled by machinery whether or not the machinery ...
29.1-701 Department to administer chapter; Motorboat Committee; funds for administration; records; rules an...
A. It shall be the duty of the Department to enforce and administer the provisions of this chapter. B. The chairman of the Board shall ...
29.1-701.1 Authority of Board to set fees
Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the Board may by regulation adopt revisions in the fees, as it deems appropriate, charged for motorboat registration ...
29.1-702 Registration requirements; display of numbers; cancellation of certificate; exemption
A. 1. The owner of each motorboat requiring numbering by the Commonwealth shall file an application for a number with the Department on forms approved ...
29.1-702.1 Making false affidavit or swearing falsely, perjury; penalty
Any person who knowingly makes any false affidavit or knowingly swears to or affirms falsely any matter or thing required by this chapter or Chapter ...
29.1-703 Identification numbers required; decals
Every motorboat on the waters of this Commonwealth shall be numbered except those specifically exempt in § 29.1-710. No person shall operate or give permission ...
29.1-703.1 Temporary registration certificate; fee; application
A. An owner may obtain a temporary registration certificate from the Department or an authorized agent of the Department. The fee for the temporary registration ...
29.1-703.2 Designation of agents; compensation to agents; deposit of temporary registration certificate money...
A. The Director may authorize any person to act as an agent to issue temporary registration certificates. Persons accepting such authorization may be issued temporary ...
29.1-704 Recording previously awarded numbers
The owner of any motorboat already covered by a number in effect which has been awarded to it pursuant to then operative federal law or ...
29.1-705 Change of ownership of motorboat; lost certificates
Should the ownership of a numbered motorboat change, a new application form with the appropriate fee as provided in § 29.1-702 shall be filed with ...
29.1-706 Agents awarding numbers
The Director may award any certificate of number directly or may authorize any person to act as an agent to make award. Persons accepting such ...
29.1-707 Records
All records of the Department made or kept pursuant to this section shall be public records and shall be open for inspection subject to conditions ...
29.1-708 Transfer, destruction or abandonment of motorboat
The owner shall furnish the Department with notice of (i) the transfer of all or any part of his interest other than the creation of ...
29.1-709 Change of address of certificate holder
Any holder of a certificate of number shall notify the Department within fifteen days if his address appearing on the certificate changes, and he shall ...
29.1-710 Exemption from numbering requirements
A motorboat shall not be required to be numbered under this chapter if it is: 1. A motorboat which has been awarded a number pursuant ...
29.1-711 Dealers and manufacturers of motorboats
The following shall apply to dealers and manufacturers: 1. The registering and numbering requirements of this chapter shall apply to dealers and manufacturers of motorboats. ...
29.1-712 Definitions
As used in this article: "Dealer" means any watercraft dealer as defined in § 29.1-801. "Watercraft" means any vessel, other than a seaplane, on the ...
29.1-713 Who must or may apply for certificate of title; authority of employees of Department
A. Any owner, except a registered dealer, of any watercraft shall apply to the Department for a certificate of title in the name of the ...
29.1-714 Form and contents of application
A. Every application for a certificate of title shall be made by the owner or his duly authorized attorney-in-fact and shall contain the name, residence, ...
29.1-715 Notice by owner of change of address
Whenever any person, after applying for or obtaining the certificate of title of a watercraft, moves from the address shown in the application or upon ...
29.1-716 Certificate of title prerequisite to issuance of certificate of number
The Department shall neither issue nor renew a certificate of number to any watercraft required to be titled in this Commonwealth unless the Department has ...
29.1-717 Certificate of title required; certificate as evidence; duration; transfer of title
A. Except for amphibious vessels which have a valid title issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles, a watercraft owned by a bona fide dealer ...
29.1-717.1 Transfer when certificate of title lost, etc
Whenever the applicant for the numbering of a watercraft or a new certificate of title thereto is unable to present a certificate of title by ...
29.1-717.2 Transfer by operation of law
In the event of a transfer by operation of law of the title or interest of an owner in and to a watercraft numbered and ...
29.1-717.3 Transfer of title when no qualification on estate
If the holder of a certificate of title is dead and there has been no qualification on his estate, a transfer may be made by ...
29.1-718 Department's records; fees; exemption
A. The Department shall maintain a record of any certificate of title it issues. The Department shall charge seven dollars for issue of each certificate ...
29.1-719 Acquisition of watercraft by dealer
Any registered dealer who acquires a watercraft for resale shall be exempt from the titling requirement in this chapter. Any dealer transferring a watercraft required ...
29.1-720 Transfer to or from dealer; manufacturer's or importer's certificate
A. No dealer shall purchase or acquire a new watercraft without obtaining from the seller a manufacturer's or importer's certificate. B. No manufacturer, importer, dealer, ...
29.1-721 Dealer's records
Every dealer shall maintain a record for six years of any watercraft he bought, sold, exchanged or received for sale or exchange. This record shall ...
29.1-722 Duplicate certificate of title
The Department may issue a duplicate certificate of title plainly marked "duplicate" across its face upon application by the person entitled to hold such certificate ...
29.1-723 Certificate to show security interests
The Department, upon receiving an application for a certificate of title to a watercraft showing security interests upon the watercraft, shall, upon issuing the certificate ...
29.1-724 Security interests subsequently created
Security interests, other than a security interest in inventory held for sale to be perfected only as provided in §§ 8.9A-309 to 8.9A-505, created in ...
29.1-725 Certificate as notice of security interest
The certificate of title, when issued by the Department showing a security interest, shall be deemed adequate notice to the Commonwealth, creditors, and purchasers that ...
29.1-726 Security interest may be filed within thirty days after purchase
If application for the recordation of a security interest to be placed upon a watercraft is filed in the principal office of the Department within ...
29.1-727 Priority of security interests shown on certificates
The security interests, except security interests in watercraft which are inventory held for sale and which are perfected under §§ 8.9A-501 through 8.9A-527, shown upon ...
29.1-728 Who to hold certificate of title subject to security interest
The certificate of title of the watercraft shall be delivered to the person holding the security interest having first priority upon the watercraft and retained ...
29.1-729 Release of security interests shown on certificate of title
An owner, upon securing the release of any security interest upon a watercraft shown upon the certificate of title issued for the watercraft, may exhibit ...
29.1-730 Surrender of certificate required when security interest paid
It shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor for a secured party who holds a certificate of title as provided in this chapter to refuse or ...
29.1-731 Levy of execution, etc
A levy made by virtue of an execution, fieri facias or other proper court order, upon a watercraft for which a certificate of title has ...
29.1-732 Possession of certificate of title issued to another unlawful
It shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor for any person in the Commonwealth to have in his possession a certificate of title issued by the ...
29.1-733 Registration prima facie evidence of ownership; rebuttal
Issuance of registration under the provisions of § 29.1-702 shall be prima facie evidence of ownership of a watercraft and entitlement to a certificate of ...
29.1-733.1 Acquiring title to an abandoned vessel
A. Any vessel abandoned for a period exceeding 60 days is subject to the provisions of this section. B. A landowner, his lessee, or his ...
29.1-734 Authorization for and placing of markers in waters of the Commonwealth used for public swimming are...
A. Any owner of real estate which touches any of the waters of this Commonwealth or the agent of the owner may petition the Board ...
29.1-734.1 Skin and scuba divers
A. No person shall engage in skin diving or scuba diving from a boat in the waters of this Commonwealth which are open to boating, ...
29.1-735 Regulations for vessel operation and equipment
A. The Board shall adopt such regulations as it deems appropriate: (i) to provide rules for the safe and reasonable operation of vessels so as ...
29.1-735.1 Board authorized to promulgate regulations for seaplanes
The Board may promulgate regulations governing the takeoff, landing and taxi of seaplanes on impoundments located in the inland waters of the Commonwealth, so as ...
29.1-735.2 Boating safety education required; Board to promulgate regulations
A. No person shall operate a motorboat with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater or personal watercraft on the public waters of the Commonwealth, ...
29.1-735.3 Regulation of parasail operators
The Board of Game and Inland Fisheries shall promulgate regulations applicable to the commercial operations of parasail operators on waters of the Commonwealth. Such regulations ...
29.1-736 Boat rentals; equipment; safety course
A. It shall be unlawful to rent a motorboat to any person unless the provisions of this chapter have been complied with. It shall be ...
29.1-737 Muffling devices
The exhaust of every internal combustion engine used on any motorboat shall be effectively muffled by equipment so constructed and used as to muffle the ...
29.1-738 Operating boat or manipulating water skis, etc., in reckless manner or while intoxicated, et...
A. No person shall operate any motorboat or vessel, or manipulate any skis, surfboard, or similar device, or engage in any spearfishing while skin diving ...
29.1-738.01 Operating boat in an improper manner; penalty
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 29.1-738, upon the trial of any person charged with reckless boating where the degree of culpability is slight, the court ...
29.1-738.02 Persons under age twenty-one operating watercraft after illegally consuming alcohol; penalt...
A. It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of twenty-one to operate any watercraft or motorboat upon the waters of the Commonwealth ...
29.1-738.03 Reckless operation of a personal watercraft
A person shall be guilty of reckless operation of a motorboat or vessel who operates any personal watercraft recklessly or at a speed or in ...
29.1-738.1 Analysis of breath to determine alcohol content of blood
Any person who is suspected of a violation of subsection B of § 29.1-738 or § 29.1-738.02 shall be entitled, if such equipment is available, ...
29.1-738.2 Consent to blood or breath test
A. Any person who operates a watercraft or motorboat which is underway upon waters of the Commonwealth shall be deemed thereby, as a condition of ...
29.1-738.3 Presumptions from alcohol or drug content
In any prosecution for operating a watercraft or motorboat which is underway in violation of clause (ii), (iii) or (iv) of subsection B of § ...
29.1-738.4 Additional penalty for reckless or intoxicated operation of a watercraft or motorboat
In addition to any other penalties authorized by law, upon conviction of any person for violation of any provision of § 29.1-738, the court shall ...
29.1-738.5 Participation in rehabilitation program
A. Any person convicted of a violation of subsection B of § 29.1-738, or any ordinance of a county, city or town similar to the ...
29.1-738.6 When arrested person operating a vessel; how vessel removed from scene of arrest
In any case in which a law enforcement officer arrests the operator of a vessel, and there is no legal cause for the retention of ...
29.1-739 Duty of operator involved in collision, accident or other casualty; immunity from liability; repor...
A. It shall be the duty of the operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty, so far as he can ...
29.1-739.1 Disregarding signal by law-enforcement officer to stop; attempts to elude; penalty
A. Any person who, having received a visible or audible signal of a flashing light or siren from any conservation police officer or other law-enforcement ...
29.1-739.2 Conservation police officers to patrol lakes
The Department shall have an enhanced enforcement effort that is commensurate with the level of boating activity from Memorial Day through Labor Day in the ...
29.1-740 Duty to stop and render assistance; penalties for violations
It shall be the duty of every operator of a vessel involved in a collision to stop and render assistance as required by § 29.1-739. ...
29.1-741 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 the ...
29.1-742 Towing water skis, surfboards, etc
A. No person shall operate a vessel on any waters of the Commonwealth for towing a person or persons on water skis, a surfboard, or ...
29.1-743 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1997, c. 108. ...
29.1-744 Local regulation; application for placement or removal of "no wake" buoys, etc
A. Any political subdivision of this Commonwealth may, at any time, but only after public notice, formally apply to the Board for special rules and ...
29.1-744.1 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1998, c. 537, effective January 1, 1999. ...
29.1-744.2 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1998, c. 857, effective January 1, 1999. ...
29.1-744.3 Slacken speed and control wakes near structures
It shall be unlawful to operate any motorboat, except personal watercraft, at a speed greater than the slowest possible speed required to maintain steerage and ...
29.1-744.4 "Pass-through" zones; local ordinances; penalties
After providing notice to the Department, any locality may, by ordinance, establish "pass-through" zones in any portion of a waterway within its territorial limits where ...
29.1-745 Enforcement of chapter; vessels displaying Coast Guard inspection decal
Every conservation police officer, Marine Resources Commission inspector, and every other law-enforcement officer of the Commonwealth and its subdivisions shall have the authority to enforce ...
29.1-746 Penalties
A. Unless specified otherwise, any person who violates any provision of this chapter or any regulation adopted under this chapter shall be guilty of a ...
29.1-747 Description unavailable
Repealed by Acts 1998, cc. 84 and 563, and repealed by Acts 1998, cc. 443, 512, 514, 515, 537, effective January 1, 1999. ...
29.1-748 Restrictions on operation; penalty
A. It is unlawful for any person to: 1. Operate a personal watercraft unless he is at least sixteen years of age, except any person ...
29.1-748.1 Minimum distance from shoreline; local ordinances; penalty
The City of Virginia Beach may, by ordinance, regulate in any portion of a waterway located solely within its territorial limits, the minimum distance that ...
29.1-749 Owner of personal watercraft permitting violation; penalty
A. It shall be unlawful for the owner of or any person having control of a personal watercraft to authorize or knowingly permit a person ...
29.1-749.1 Identification of personal watercraft rentals
Every business located in a city with a population greater than 390,000 that provides personal watercraft for rent shall place the letter "R," at least ...
29.1-749.2 Local regulation of personal watercraft rentals; penalty
A. The City of Virginia Beach may by ordinance regulate personal watercraft as provided in this section. Any ordinance enacted pursuant to this section may ...
29.1-749.3 Personal watercraft instruction; rental agents
Any person who is in the business of renting personal watercraft to the public shall provide to any person who rents a personal watercraft instruction ...
29.1-750 Exemptions
The provisions of this article shall not apply to participants in regattas, races, marine parades, tournaments, or exhibitions approved by the Board or United States ...

Last modified: April 3, 2009