Chapter 37. VESSEL SAFETY AND REGISTRATION

equipment and registration requirements, vessel operation and waterway zoning, and vessel occurrence reporting requirements. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

storage, the owner shall return the registration certificate to the county recorder with an affidavit on an appropriate department form. The county recorder shall notify the department of each registered vessel placed in storage. When the owner of a stored vessel desires to renew…

37.100(1) A motorboat equipped with any power unit mounted or carried aboard the vessel may be operated on the following listed artificial marshes under the jurisdiction of the department at a speed not greater than 5 miles per hour between January 1 and August 31 and with no spe…

natural marshes, except Shimon Marsh Wetland Complex, Pocahontas County, which is restricted to nonmotorized vessels only. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

follows: 37.102(1) Aids to navigation. a. A red buoy or sign that indicates that side of the channel to be kept to the right side of the vessel when entering the channel from the main water body or when proceeding upstream. b. A green buoy or sign that indicates that side of the …

37.103(1) No waterway marker shall be placed on, in, or near the waters of the state unless such placement is authorized by the agency or political subdivision of the state exercising jurisdiction, with respect to regulation of boating, over the area where placed, except that the…

37.104(1) Waterway markers will be maintained in proper condition or be replaced or removed. 37.104(2) Zoned areas shall extend not less than 50 feet nor more than 400 feet from shore. 37.104(3) Buoys delineating the restricted speed zone shall be placed no more than 400 feet apa…

37.105(1) A waterway marker may be displayed as a sign or a fixed support, as a buoy bearing a symbol on its surface, or as a sign mounted on a buoy. 37.105(2) When a buoy is used to carry a symbol on its surface, it will be white, with bands of international orange on the top, a…

37.106(1) The size of a display area shall be as required by circumstances, except that no display area shall be smaller than 1 foot in height. The size shall increase in increments of 6 inches; provided, however, that this specification for increase in increments shall not apply…

commission, the following apply: 37.107(1) Mooring buoys shall be white with a 2-inch blue reflectorized band clearly visible above the water, extend a minimum of 12 inches above the surface of the water, and have at least 1 square foot of surface visible from any direction. 37.1…

37.108(1) A diver’s flag shall, when displayed on the water, indicate the presence of a diver in the water in the immediate area. 37.108(2) Recognition of this flag by regulation will not be construed as conferring any rights or privileges on its users, and its presence in a wate…

report is required in the case of loss of consciousness, disability in excess of 24 hours, and the disappearance of any person from onboard a vessel under circumstances that suggest any possibility of death or injury. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

system shall consist of three parts. The first part shall consist of the letters “IA” indicating this state. The second part shall consist of not more than four Arabic numerals. The third part shall consist of not more than two letters. Since the letters “I,” “O,” and “Q” may be …

the department using forms provided by the department. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

2024). [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25] These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code sections 321G.2, 321I.2, 462A.3, 462A.5, 462A.6A, 462A.7, 462A.9, 462A.11, 462A.12, 462A.13, 462A.15, 462A.16, 462A.17, 462A.20, 462A.24, 462A.26, 462A.31, 462A.32, 462A.36, and 456…

37.12(1) The identification number awarded to any vessel under the Iowa numbering system shall be displayed thereon by being: a. Painted on, or attached to, each side of the bow (i.e., the forward half) of the vessel; read from left to right, and in such position as to provide ma…

operate an unregistered vessel for purposes of transporting, testing, demonstrating, or selling the vessel after first obtaining a special certificate from the department. An application for a special certificate shall be submitted on the appropriate department form. A manufactur…

shall file, before May 5 of each year, an annual report with the department on the appropriate form listing all used vessels held by the dealer for sale or trade and for which the registration fee for the current year has not been paid. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

report to the department listing all vessels registered in that county in the previous month. The applicable fees shall accompany the monthly report. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

boats used to operate for hire with block characters of good proportion not less than three inches in height, in the following manner: Upon making application for a number for commercially operated vessels, the following type number will be assigned: Example IA-1555-E. To identif…

rating in whole persons as evidenced by a U.S. Coast Guard capacity plate affixed to the vessel, that capacity shall be recognized as the registration capacity. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

been assigned a U.S. Coast Guard capacity rating in whole persons but that contain capacity information in whole persons on a plate affixed to the vessel furnished by the boating industry association, national marine manufacturer association or any similar organization, that capa…

capacity information provided by the U.S. Coast Guard or the manufacturer, the passenger capacity designated on the registration shall be O.R., “Operator’s Responsibility.” The operator of the vessel has responsibility for determining passenger capacity of a vessel so designated.…

“A Scale” or “A” means the physical scale marked “A” graduated in decibels on a sound level meter that meets the requirements of the American National Standards Institute, Incorporated, publication S1.4 — 1983 General Purpose Sound Level Meters. “Buoy” means any device designed t…

vessel is found to be incorrect regarding vessel length, vessel width, or passenger capacity, officers appointed by the department may, upon inspection of the vessel, or the county recorder, upon presentation of adequate documentation, including but not limited to an affidavit by…

37.21(1) The passenger capacity of boats as assigned by the commission shall be painted or attached to the starboard side (the right side while in boat and facing the bow) of boat within nine inches of transom in three-inch or larger block numbers in a color contrasting to the bo…

this state shall conform to Subpart B, “Steering and Sailing Rules,” Rules 11 through 18, of the Inland Navigation Rules Act of 1980 (June 1, 2024). [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

marking system adopted by the commission and shall be constructed, placed, and maintained in accordance with Iowa Code chapter 462A and this chapter. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

distance or involve special zoning restrictions shall be approved by the commission. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

in compliance with, and all persons engaged in water recreation activities shall obey, restrictions with posted areas marked with a uniform waterway buoy or official signs adopted by the commission. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

special speed and distance or zoning restrictions by the commission may be appealed by aggrieved party upon written notice. A hearing thereon shall be held by the commission within 30 days thereafter. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

Iowa owns riparian property adjacent to sovereign land or water, mooring of vessels is prohibited between sunset and sunrise on those riparian or sovereign lands or waters where posted by either official buoys or official signs of the department. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effectiv…

vessel shall only be operated with an electric motor or with an outboard motor where permitted by the rules in division II, part II, of this chapter. On artificial lakes of more than 100 acres, vessels may be operated with unrestricted horsepower motors at a speed not greater tha…

artificial lakes under the authority of Iowa Code chapter 462A and these rules shall be as determined by the manufacturer when the motor was originally produced. An outboard motor that has been altered to increase its horsepower in excess of ten as rated by the original manufactu…

within the state of Iowa are as follows: 37.3(1) Fire extinguisher type. Fire extinguishers shall be a U.S. Coast Guard-approved B-I or B-II type as described in 33 CFR Part 175, Subpart E (June 1, 2024). 37.3(2) Number of fire extinguishers. The number of fire extinguishers requ…

vessel, while not being used or operated as a source of propulsion, shall be lawful on artificial lakes, so long as the auxiliary power unit being used or operated as a source of propulsion is within the lawful horsepower limitation established for that lake. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14…

operated at a speed not greater than 5 miles per hour. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

vessels may be operated at a speed not greater than 5 miles per hour. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

speed not greater than 5 miles per hour. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

Beaver Creek within the property boundaries of the Camp Dodge military reservation in Polk County. 37.34(1) Watercraft and vehicles shall be prohibited from entering the safety zone in order to prevent access to areas within Camp Dodge where a hazard to the public may exist. This…

speed not greater than 5 miles per hour. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

than 5 miles per hour within the zoned area marked by the regulatory buoys. The zoned area shall be the area commonly known as Town Bay on the northwest corner of Black Hawk Lake. Areas may be specifically designated for swimming by the use of regulatory buoys. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/…

speed not greater than 5 miles per hour. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

than 5 miles per hour within the two zoned areas designated by regulatory buoys or other approved uniform waterway markers. Areas may be specifically designated for swimming by the use of regulatory buoys. 37.38(1) Zone 1 shall extend 570 yards from the boat ramp east to the regu…

known as Shoal Pointe Canal shall be operated at a speed not greater than 5 miles per hour. The City of Carter Lake shall designate and maintain the 5-mile-per-hour speed zone with marker buoys approved by the commission. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

with an efficient flame arrestor, backfire trap or other similar device. An acceptable flame arrestor shall have evidence of compliance with UL Standard 1111 (October 31, 2008) or the revised 2020-02 Society of Automotive Engineers Standard J1928, titled “Devices Providing Backfi…

37.40(1) Black Hawk County waters. All vessels shall be operated at a speed not greater than 5 miles per hour when within 600 feet of the Franklin Street bridge. This 600-foot zone shall be designated by buoys, signs, or other approved uniform waterway marking devices. No vessel …

swimming with the use of regulatory buoys. Areas within close proximity of dredging operations may be designated as areas where the speed of vessels is restricted to not greater than 5 miles per hour. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

swimming, wading, and restricted speed areas. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]

vessels may be operated at a speed not greater than 5 miles per hour. [ARC 9219C, IAB 5/14/25, effective 6/18/25]