Maryland Jet Ski License: Do you need a license to drive a jet ski?

Do You Need a License to Drive a Jet Ski (PWC) in Maryland?

Thinking about hitting the water on a jet ski in Maryland? Before you throttle up, make sure you understand the state’s rules. Maryland doesn’t issue a traditional “jet ski license,” but many operators must carry a boating safety education certificate, and there are PWC-specific rules you must follow.

Yes, if you were born on or after July 1, 1972, you need a Maryland Boating Safety Education Certificate to operate a jet ski (PWC). It’s not a traditional “license,” but it serves the same legal purpose. 

What Counts as a “Jet Ski” in Maryland

Maryland treats jet skis as personal watercraft (PWC)—small, jet-propelled vessels designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the craft rather than inside a traditional hull. PWCs are subject to Maryland’s general boating laws plus additional PWC-specific requirements.

Minimum Age to Operate a Jet Ski in Maryland

You must be at least 16 years old to operate a PWC in Maryland. This minimum age applies even if you hold a boating safety education certificate.

How to Get the Maryland Boating Safety Education Certificate

Maryland offers several ways to earn the required certificate:

• Eight-Hour Maryland Basic Boating Course (in person): Instructor-led classes following state guidelines. OR..

• Approved Online Course: Complete a NASBLA-approved Maryland course online and obtain your card once you pass the final exam. Recademics is a NASBLA & Maryland-approved boater education course you can take. 

Your boating safety education card does not expire, but you must carry it whenever you’re operating a motorized vessel and present it to law enforcement on request.

Note for visitors and rentals: Special short-term rules can apply to non-PWC motorized rental vessels (e.g., a 10-day temporary certificate after reading a safety sheet). These do not replace the 16-year-old minimum age for PWCs and do not waive PWC-specific rules.

PWC-Specific Safety Rules in Maryland

Maryland imposes additional requirements on PWCs to keep riders and others safe:

• Life Jackets: The operator and all passengers must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.

• Engine Cut-Off (Kill Switch): PWCs must have a functioning engine cut-off device or self-circling device, and the operator must use the lanyard/ECOS while riding.

• Speed and Distance: Operate at 6 knots (about 6.9 mph) or slower within 100 feet of any shore, pier, piling, bridge structure or abutment, another vessel or PWC, or anyone in the water.

• Time of Day: No PWC operation between sunset and sunrise.

• Atlantic Ocean Buffer: On Maryland’s Atlantic Ocean waters, stay at least 300 feet away from people in the water and surf-fishing activity.

• No Reckless Operation: Weaving through congested traffic, wake-spraying others, or otherwise operating carelessly is illegal.

PWC Sticker and Registration

Maryland-registered PWCs must display the Maryland PWC regulations sticker provided by the Natural Resources Police. Place it where the operator can clearly see and read it while riding (not under a compartment). Standard vessel registration and numbering rules also apply to PWCs.

Penalties and Enforcement

Violations, such as operating without the required education certificate, riding underage, speeding inside the 100-foot buffer, or riding at night, can result in citations and fines. Natural Resources Police regularly patrol Maryland waterways and may request to see your boating safety education card and registration.

Quick Tips Before You Ride

• Carry your boating safety education card and ID.

• Wear your life jacket and attach the kill-switch lanyard before starting the engine.

• Know local no-wake zones and posted restrictions.

• Keep an extra margin of space in crowded areas and near swimmers, anglers, and shorelines.

• If renting, ensure the livery verifies your age and (if required) your certificate, and that the PWC has the regulations sticker visible to you.