Thrill Craft
This page is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace official laws and administrative rules regarding thrill craft. Please view Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) and Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR) for official legal authority.
Thrill craft (also known as jet skis and personal watercraft/PWCs) have become very popular in Hawaii. In response to increased user conflicts, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) implemented an administrative rule in 2005 (HAR Section 13-256-16) requiring all thrill craft operators to be certified in the safe use of their watercraft. The certification required by HAR Section 13-256-16 is in addition to the basic boating safety course (approved by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) and the State of Hawaii) that is required to operate a motorized vessel in the State.
ONLINE THRILL CRAFT EDUCATION COURSE NOW AVAILABLE: Please visit https://www.boat-ed.com/hawaii-thrillcraft for more information on the online course.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
As defined in HRS Section 200-23, “thrill craft” means any motorized vessel that falls into the category of personal watercraft, and which:
(1) Is generally less than thirteen feet in length as manufactured;
(2) Is generally capable of exceeding a speed of twenty miles per hour;
(3) Can be operated by a single operator, but may have the capacity to carry passengers while in operation; or
(4) Is designed to provide similar operating performance as a personal watercraft through a combination of small size, power plant, and hull design.
The term includes, but is not limited to, a jet ski, waverunner, wet bike, surf jet, miniature speed boat, hovercraft, and every description of vessel which uses an internal combustion engine powering a water jet pump as its primary source of motive propulsion, and is designed to be operated by a person or persons sitting, standing, or kneeling on, or being towed behind the vessel.
JetLev and Flyboard have been deemed thrill craft by DOBOR. Please contact DOBOR before you launch Seabreacher, Surfjet, motorized wakeboards and similar jet powered devices to ask about pertinent regulations and requirements.
Effective 12/31/18, the rule language requiring thrill craft certification through an institution of higher education has been amended. Certification is now required through a State-approved course. Contact the DOBOR boating safety program at 808-587-1972 for information. The two mile outer limit for thrill craft operation has been repealed. Operation in waters off Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai and Niihau is officially prohibited (HAR 13-256-17(B)).
Effective 7/14/20, land access to the Waiakea Access Corridor along Hilo Bay (as described in HAR 13-256-141 [page 187] and depicted in HAR 13-256 Exhibit DDD [page 193]) to launch thrill craft has been blocked off. Thrill craft operators should use the ramp at Wailoa Sampan Basin and Boat Harbor to access waters of Hilo Bay. Thrill craft operators may still approach the shore with their vessels through the access corridor to anchor temporarily, change passengers, change operators and resume operation. Parking immediately inland of the Waiakea Access Corridor on State property is restricted.
Pursuant to HAR Section 13-256-16, an individual must be fifteen years of age or older to operate a thrill craft in Hawaii.
Maps of riding areas are provided through the certification course. Riding area maps are available at DOBOR harbor offices and the administrative office in Honolulu. For addresses and contact numbers, visit any of the DOBOR facilities listed at:
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/dobor-facilities
https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/contacts
Some maps/illustrations of the riding zones are already available on-line for the following areas. You can access these maps through the respective harbor pages or directly at:
WAILOA SAMPAN BASIN AND BOAT HARBOR
Hilo Bay Thrill Craft Riding Zone, Hawaii Island
KAILUA-KONA WHARF
Kailua-Kona Thrill Craft Riding Zone, Hawaii Island
HALEIWA HARBOR
Haleiwa Thrill Craft Riding Zone, Oahu
HEEIA KEA SMALL BOAT HARBOR
Kaneohe Bay ORMA Zones, Oahu
MAUNALUA BAY
Maunalua Bay ORMA Zones, Oahu
Access to and from designated recreational thrill craft operating areas shall be by the most direct route consistent with safety considerations. Thrill craft operators shall not exceed a speed of slow-no-wake when within three hundred feet of the shoreline.
In non-designated ocean recreation management areas, recreational thrill craft may operate only in state waters between five hundred feet from the shoreline or the outer edge of the fringing reef whichever is greater and seaward of the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii. Commercial or recreational use of controlled ocean sports equipment is prohibited around the islands of Kahoolawe, Lanai and Molokai and Niihau.
In designated ocean recreation management areas, recreational thrill craft may operate only within locations designated for recreational thrill craft use.
Recreational thrill craft may gain access to state waters only from launching or harbor facilities or from private beachfront property.
No person shall operate thrill craft within a marine life conservation district or marine natural area reserve. This includes Molokini Atoll.
Thrill craft operations are curtailed in certain designated areas as necessary, to:
- avoid possible adverse impacts on humpback whales or other protected marine life;
- provide for increased public access;
- reduce user conflicts; and
- promote overall public safety.
Between December 15 and May 15 of each year, no person shall operate a thrill craft, or engage in parasailing, water sledding, or commercial high speed boating, or operate a motor vessel towing a person engaged in water sledding or parasailing on the west and south shore of Maui (HRS section 200-38, HAR 13-256-112). Seasonal closure areas for PWC operations also exist in waters off of Haleiwa and in Maunalua Bay on Oahu, and in the waters of Kailua Bay, Kailua-Kona of Hawaii Island (HAR 13-256-155).
It is the responsibility of the PWC operator to know the boundaries of designated riding areas and to comply with all applicable laws.
If anchored and being used as a diving platform in periods of low light and low visibility, PWCs must be equipped with navigation lights just as any vessel as stipulated by the USCG.
A thrill craft must comply with all the carriage requirements of a vessel as specified by the U.S. Coast Guard.
For a complete set of requirements, visit any U.S. Coast Guard office, DOBOR harbor/office and ask for the Federal Requirements & Safety Tips for Recreational Boaters or access a digital copy online.
Because a thrill craft is generally about 13 feet in length, it would normally be considered a Class A vessel (<16′) and is required to have on board all carriage requirements for a Class A vessel, including: the vessel Certificate of Number/State Registration, a type B-1 fire extinguisher, and a sound producing device, such as a whistle. In addition, all operators/riders must wear a personal flotation device (PFD) while underway. The compartments of all vessels must be ventilated to reduce the buildup of explosive gases. Finally, the vessel must be equipped with a backflame arrestor and must bear appropriate state stickers and decals. Visual distress signal are not required to be carried on board if the vessel is NOT operated between sunset and sunrise. Similarly, navigational lights are not required unless the vessel is operated at night or during periods of reduced visibility.
Visiting vessels operating in Hawaii waters less than 60 days do not need to be registered in Hawaii.
DOBOR does not register trailers for any type of vessel. Trailers must be properly permitted by the appropriate county Department of Motor Vehicles.
To use the launch ramp at a DOBOR facility, both the trailer and vessel must bear the appropriate ramp use permit stickers. A ramp sticker also allows the registered owner to utilize the trailer parking areas and washdowns in DOBOR harbors. Washdowns are for boats and trailers only. Please do not wash cars. You may report unauthorized use to DOCARE at (808) 643-3567.
To operate in a tow-in surf zone, the vessel must be registered by DOBOR for that purpose and bear the appropriate tow-in sticker. There are equipment requirements as well listed in HAR 13-256-22. In general, a thrill craft operator engaged in tow-in surfing must be equipped with a two-way communication device, dive fins and a knife, a rescue sled, a bow tow-line, a 30-foot quick releas tow rope, etc. The surfers in a tow-in team are not required to wear a PFD. See HAR 13-256-22 for complete details.
In Hawaii, recreational vessels operating more than one mile offshore must be equipped with either a VHF radio or a USCG approved Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). Beginning January 1, 2007, older EPIRBs operating on the 121.5 MHz and 243 MHz frequencies were prohibited from use by the U.S. Coast Guard. The newer 406 MHz system greatly improves the functionality and accuracy of EPIRB units. DLNR is encouraging all boaters to employ the new technology. Thrill craft are exempt from this requirement. However, DOBOR highly recommends using a VHF Radio or EPIRB if operating more than one mile from shore because mobile phones may not have a signal and may not be as weather resistant.
Certified thrill craft operators and their tow-in surf partners may engage in tow-in surfing in the region for which a high surf warning is issued by the National Weather Service. For example, if the high surf warning is for Maui, tow-in surfing is allowed in designated tow-in surf zones in waters off of Maui.
Tow-in surfing is also allowed without the high surf warning, but only in areas designated tow-in surfing practice zones.
Rules pertaining to tow-in surfing are listed under HAR Chapter 13-256. This section specifies carriage requirements above and beyond what is required for a vessel as outlined by the U.S. Coast Guard. The rules also specify when and where thrill craft may operate and instances when thrill craft may enter a restricted area. Thrill craft may only enter an Ocean Recreation Management Area to retrieve a surfboard, personnel, or for rescue operations. Please refer to the administrative rule for complete details.
No. Ahu o Laka is part of a zone where thrill craft, commercial vessels, and water skiing is prohibited (HAR Section 13-256-73).
As of 5/31/14, successful completion of a NASBLA and State of Hawaii approved basic boating safety course is required prior to signing up for a thrill craft certification class. For information on basic boating safety courses, visit: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/rbs-faq
Once you have satisfied the boating safety prerequisite, you may sign up for a thrill craft certification class. You may contact DOBOR Boating Safety at (808) 587-1972 for more information.
Reciprocity is an exemption in Hawaii rules that allows some or all of your training completed in another state to satisfy certain requirements in Hawaii. In general, 85% of a course approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) is applicable. Just by itself, citing reciprocity does not satisfy all the requirements for operating a thrill craft in Hawaii. You are still required to understand rules that are specific to Hawaii before you can legally operate a PWC.
If you have taken a NASBLA approved basic boating safety course in another state, in any of the US territories, or Canada, you may join DOBOR’s Registry of Certified Vessel Operators and request a Boater Safety Education Card. The card satisfies prerequisites for thrill craft certification. You can then register and complete the WCC Thrill Craft (PWC) certification course and the BoatEd.com internet thrill craft certification.
Through these methods, you must complete the portions of a certificate course for Hawaii that includes, but is not limited to: (1) Local ocean safety principles and practices; (2) The historical, cultural, and customary practices of Hawaii’s ocean users; and (3) Any rules or laws pertaining to protected species and thrill craft operation in the State.
Unfortunately, no because the MWR course is not NASBLA approved and is therefore not covered under the reciprocity clause in DOBOR’s rules. You may operate a thrill craft in federal waters with an MWR certification but cannot venture into State ocean waters without a NASBLA approved certification.
No. The certification requirement only applies to the operator of the vessel. However, please be aware that when engaging in tow-in surfing, the operator and surfer(s) must have a tow-in certification.
Yes, any person who wants to operate a thrill craft must be certified. No person under 15 years old may operate a thrill craft.
The basic boating safety course, thrill craft certification course, and tow-in certification course are valid for life once completed. There is no renewal requirement.
Thrill craft certification allows an operator to traverse the access corridors and ride their vessel in designated riding areas. The tow-in surfing certification gives the operator those same rights, plus the ability to use a thrill craft to engage in tow-in surfing. This type of surfing activity must be confined to the appropriate zones during a high surf warning within a specific region when declared by the National Weather Service. Some islands also have practice zones for tow-in surfing so novice tow-in surfers can practice their sport when the break is not as large.
It depends. If you are only thrill craft certified and only operate a thrill craft, you are exempt from the mandatory boating safety education (HAR Section 13-244-15.5), and you do not need any additional certifications. However, if you will be operating any vessels other than thrill craft, you would need to take a NASBLA and State of Hawaii approved basic boating safety course.
If possible, we recommend that visitors plan ahead to attend the thrill craft/tow-in classes during their visit.
Visitors can also rent a vessel from a commercial vendor (jet-ski rental) to ride in the commercial thrill craft riding zones. This rental must be preceded by a mandatory safety demonstration conducted by the vendor. Please note that rented thrill craft may only be ridden in a commercial thrill craft zone (a 200-foot radius circle) in an Ocean Recreation Management Area.
Residents and visitors can rent a thrill craft from a commercial vendor (jet-ski rental) to ride in the commercial thrill craft zones. Rented thrill craft are restricted to commercial thrill craft zones (a 200-foot radius circle) in an Ocean Recreation Management Area.
Education is not only required but will also provide you with the knowledge and information to properly and safely operate your vessel.
You should have adequate insurance to cover yourself, your passengers, and any damage you may cause in case of an accident. If you are involved in an accident and the damage is in excess of $2,000, HAR Sections 13-242-3 and 13-242-4 require that you submit an accident report form (available on the Forms page) to DOBOR. Failure to submit an accident report could result in administrative penalties.
You may also be held responsible for wake damage, so observe all slow-no-wake signage posted for inshore waters.
Know the rules. If you are unsure, read the rules or ask for clarification. Know before you go.
All thrill craft, because they are motorized and because of their size (generally under 13 feet in length), must be titled & registered with DOBOR and generally cannot be documented with the U.S. Coast Guard.
A new thrill craft is issued a certificate of title and registration number (known as an “HA” number) when it is first registered with DOBOR. After that, registration must be renewed annually to operate on State ocean waters. Titles do not need to be renewed and are valid for the life of the vessel or until ownership is transferred. Ownership can only be transferred via the title, and a bill of sale is no longer accepted. More information on vessel registration and titling is available here.
Under HAR Section 13-256-17, in non-designated Ocean Recreation Management Areas, recreational thrill craft may operate only in state waters between five hundred feet from the shoreline or the outer edge of the fringing reef whichever is greater and seaward of the islands of Kauai, Oahu, Maui and Hawaii. Therefore, you may be seeing thrill craft closer to shore because you are in a non-designated Ocean Recreation Management Area.
If you believe a violation has occurred and are able to provide a registration number, please report the violations to DOCARE at (808) 643-3567.
Violators are subject to fines of not less than $50 and not more than $1,000 or a term of imprisonment of not more than thirty days, or both for each violation; provided that in addition to, or as a condition to the suspension of, the fines and penalties, the court may deprive the offender of the privilege of operating any vessel, including but not limited to any thrill craft or vessel engaged in parasailing or water sledding, in the waters of the State for a period of not more than thirty days.
This page was last updated on 2/13/24.
