Watercraft Regulations of Pierce County

The information below contains summaries of selected watercraft regulations for Pierce County. The complete text of these regulations can be found at Chapter 8.8 of the Pierce County Code, RCW 79A.60 and WAC 352-60.

Vessel Registration
All vessels, including personal watercraft, are required to carry the registration certificate on board. The vessel registration expiration date is June 30 of every year. Numbers must be displayed on the forward half of the vessel in three-inch block numbers and be clearly visible from another vessel.

Legal Age of Operation
Unless under the direct supervision of their parent or legal guardian who is on board the vessel, a person under the age of 16 cannot operate any vessel with greater than 10 horsepower.

All persons operating a PWC in Pierce County must be at least 16 years old unless they are under the direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian who is also on board, in which case the minimum age is 14 years old.

Prohibited Operations
It is illegal to operate a vessel while under the influence of, or when affected by, an intoxicating liquor or narcotic; it is illegal for the owner or person in charge of a vessel to authorize or knowingly permit the vessel to be operated if the operator is under the legal age of operation.

Reckless Operation of Vessels
It will be considered reckless operation of a vessel when the vessel is operated in such manner as to endanger or be likely to endanger any persons or property. This includes, but is not limited to: operating within 100 feet of shore or a public swimming area; overloading; operating while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; excessive speed in violation of stated speed restrictions; operating in clearly dangerous waters; operating without proper lights at night; bow, seat back, gunwale or transom riding when going over 5 mph unless the vessel is specifically designed for that purpose; continued use or refusal to terminate use of boat after being ordered to correct an especially hazardous condition by a law enforcement officer.

Required Vessel Safety Equipment
Depending on the length, horsepower and vessel design, a number of regulations may apply to your vessel.

Personal Flotation Device
All vessels shall carry at least one wearable U.S.C.G.-approved type I, II or III PFD for every person on board, regardless of the vessel size. Every child 12 years old or under shall wear an approved PFD while on board any vessel, except while in a cabin. The PFD must be in good and serviceable condition and sized properly for the intended wearer and stored so that it is immediately available. In addition, vessels 16 ft. and over must have a minimum of one U.S.C.G.-approved type IV throwable PFD. Type V and V-hybrid devices may be used but must be worn to be legal.

Sound Producing Device
Every vessel, including PWCs, must have on board a sound producing device; i.e., a horn, whistle or bell.

Fire Extinguisher
Fire extinguishers must be readily accessible. Motorized vessels less than 26 feet must carry at least one B-1 type U.S.C.G.-approved fire extinguisher. A vessel 26 ft. but less than 40 ft., two extinguishers; 40 ft. and over, three extinguishers. One B-II type can be substituted for two B-I extinguishers. These are not required on vessels with outboard motors if the gas tank is not permanently installed and if there are no areas where vapors could be entrapped. If a portable tank is held down in any fashion, it is considered a permanent tank.

Visual Distress Signals
It is highly recommended that all vessels carry visual distress signals.

Speed Related Laws
Five (5) mph or less when within 200 feet of shore, docks, bridges or public swimming areas, within 100 feet of swimmers or boats, or within 300 feet of a public boat launch.

Eight (8) mph or less when between legal sunset and legal sunrise and not in a 5 mph area, except Puget Sound. No operation allowed when within 300 feet behind a skier, within 200 feet in front of a vessel pulling skiers, within 100 feet when alongside a skier or within.

100 feet of public or private bathing or swimming areas when the area is marked by buoys or some other device.

Damaging Wake
Operators are responsible for any damage or injuries caused by the wake of their vessel.

Direction of Travel
All vessels on fresh water shall keep the closest shore to the operator’s starboard or right-hand side for a counter-clockwise direction of travel.

Taking Off and Landing Laws for All Vessels, Including PWC
Taking off and landing shall be done perpendicular or as near to perpendicular as possible, and at no time less than a forty five (45) degree angle to any shore, dock or other launching facility.

Water Skier Related Laws
1. The vessel must have a competent operator who must be attentive to the duties of operating a vessel.

2. The vessel must be manned by a competent skier observer who must be facing the skier at all times.

3. At all times when a skier is down in the water, a flag, red or international orange in color, 1ft. by 1ft., and attached to a two-foot pole, must be displayed.

4. No skiing is permitted between sunset and sunrise.

5. All skiers shall wear a U.S.C.G. approved personal flotation device.

6. No water skiing, including taking off and landing, shall be permitted within 300 feet of any public boat launching area or fueling dock designated swimming area at a public park or a private designated swimming area. At no time will a vessel pulling a skier have any special privileges over any other vessel.

SCUBA Divers
Vessels must stay at least 300 feet away from any diver's flag raised from a vessel float.

Personal Watercraft (PWC) Laws
All persons operating a PWC in Pierce County must be at least 16 years old unless they are under the direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian who is also on board, in which case the minimum age is 14 years old.

Anyone riding a PWC must wear a PFD at all times.

If the PWC is equipped with a lanyard-type engine cutoff switch, the operator shall attach the lanyard to his/her person, clothing or PFD. It is illegal for any person to remove or disable a cutoff switch that was installed by the manufacturer.

A person shall not operate a PWC between the hours of sunset and sunrise.

PWC shall not be operated in a reckless manner, nor jump the wake of another vessel within 100 yds. In addition, when operating on saltwater, non-destination-bound repetitive maneuvers including, but not limited to, erratic speed and course changes, tight turns, and race course ovals and figure eights can only be done when in an area that is at least 500 yards from any shoreline.

Accident Reports
The operator of any vessel that is involved in any accident that causes an injury or death to any person, or damages any property, shall stop and give full identification of both the operator and vessel and render any assistance necessary. The owner or operator of any vessel involved in an accident where death, personal injury requiring medical treatment, or with property damage in excess of five hundred dollars ($500.00) shall file a written boating accident report within forty-eight (48) hours with the Sheriff’s Department.

Unsafe Vessels
Law enforcement officers can order an unsafe vessel back to shore. Unsafe conditions are, but not limited to: insufficient lifesaving (PFD) devices, insufficient fire fighting devices, overloading conditions, improper navigation light display, fuel leakage, fuel in the bilge, improper ventilation, improper backfire flame control.

Specific Area Laws

Class 'A' Lakes: Lake Tapps, Alder Lake, and Lake Kapowsin

Lake Tapps-Lake Ridge Cove - the maximum speed is 5 mph except for the purpose of taking off and landing water skiers from property along the cove. You must approach the entrance at a right angle for at least 200 feet. Vessels exiting the cove have priority over vessels entering the cove. The channel must be clear prior to entering the cove. Vessels shall keep to the right half of the entrance and the skier must stay directly behind the vessel. If the entrance is obstructed, unsafe, or it is unlawful to proceed, the vessel shall come to a complete stop and pick up the skier. No wading, swimming, taking off or landing of water skiers is permitted with 100 feet in either direction from the entrance to the cove.

Lake Ridge Addition, Deer Island Channel, Deer Island & Island 21 Channel - the maximum speed is 5 mph unless you are taking off or landing a skier from property within the channel or adjacent cove. The operator shall keep the vessel on the right half of the channel with the skier directly behind the vessel. You are not allowed to pass another vessel traveling in the same direction. You are required to keep 200 feet behind the vessel and come to a full stop and bring the skier on board if the channel is obstructed, unsafe, or it is unlawful to proceed. Drifting, anchoring or rafting of motorized vessels is prohibited in Deer Island/Lakeridge Cove, except at private docks.

Alder Lake - It is illegal to operate any vessel or swim within 200 feet of any log boom. East of Rocky Point Park the speed limit is 5 mph. Motorized vessels are not allowed in the buoyed-off cove near Alder Park.

Lake Kapowsin - Except for coaching and safety launches operating under the Kapowsin Rowing Center authority, it is illegal to: operate any vessel in excess of 5 mph, create a wake greater than three (3) inches in height, water ski, operate a personal watercraft or similar vessel, or take off and land an airplane.

Class 'B Lakes: Spanaway, Ohop, Tanwax, Clear, Bay, Harts and Silver. At all times maximum speed is 40 mph and it is illegal to exceed 5 mph between sunset and sunrise.

Spanaway Lake - It is illegal to operate a vessel in excess of 5 mph or any other speed less than 5 mph which produces a damaging wake within the area formed by drawing an imaginary line from the northernmost part of the Spanaway Park boathouse to the nearest point of land on Enchanted Island and then extending the line north to the Enchanted Island Bridge. Water skiing in this area is prohibited. It is illegal to operate a vessel in excess of 5 mph within the Northwest Cove, from the southernmost point of Enchanted Island, as described above, and extending southwesterly to the shoreline of Spanaway Lake unless the operator of the vessel is dropping off or picking up a skier from the property within the Cove. It is illegal to operate a vessel in excess of 5 mph within 200 feet of the Enchanted Island Bridge.

Clear Lake - It is illegal to operate any boat longer than 22 feet, or less than 22 feet which produces a damaging wake.

Ohop Lake - It is illegal to operate a vessel in excess of 8 mph, except between the hours or 11:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Class 'C' Lakes: Florence, Rapjohn, Crescent, Whitman, Twin, Jackson, Palmer, Josephine and Holiday. At all times the maximum spees is 35 mph and it is illegal to operate any vessel in excess of 5 mph between sunset and sunrise.

Lakes Jackson & Holiday - It is illegal to operate a motor-powered vessel on these waters.

Crescent Lake - It is illegal to operate a vessel in excess of 5 mph, except between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. or legal sunset, whichever comes first.

Saltwater areas of Amsterdam Bay, Day Island Lagoon, Gig Harbor, Lay Inlet - It is illegal to operate a vessel within Amsterdam Bay and its cove, Day Island Lagoon or within 200 feet to the entrance to Day Island Lagoon, Gig Harbor or within 200 feet of the entrance to Gig Harbor, or on the inner waters of Lay Inlet in excess of 5 mph.

Pierce County Sheriff Marine Services Unit Boating Hotline:
(253) 798-3300