Title XXII, Navigation; Harbors; Coast Survey

I. Any seaplane or any helicopter on floats which lands on public waters shall be exempt from all laws and rules concerning the operation of boats for the purpose of landing and taking off from such public waters. II. Any seaplane or any helicopter on floats shall exercise due ca…

No person shall use, operate, or have aboard or attached to any watercraft or motorboat, a petroleum-powered inboard or outboard motor upon the waters of Ledge Pond in Sunapee. A person may operate a boat propelled solely by an electric-powered motor on Ledge Pond. Whoever violat…

No person shall use or operate any watercraft, as defined in RSA 270:73, or powerboat equipped with a gas-powered internal combustion engine on the open waters of Head's Pond in the town of Hooksett. The use of electric-powered motors is authorized. Any person who violates the pr…

The division of state police shall institute a no wake order encompassing all of Silver Lake whenever the department of environmental services gauging station on Silver Lake measures 467.0 feet or more above sea level. The order shall remain in effect until the measure falls belo…

A person desiring to register a vessel shall apply for registration and pay the required boat fee and registration fee to the department or an agent of the department. Upon receipt of such application and fees, the department or agent of the department shall issue to the purchase…

The commissioner, or designee, shall issue a temporary certificate of safe boating education to a person 16 years of age or older who passes a temporary safe boater examination administered by the department or its agents and approved by the commissioner. The temporary certificat…

The commissioner shall have the authority to suspend or revoke the registration of any manufacturer or dealer who violates any of the provisions of this chapter. Any manufacturer or dealer who violates any of said provisions shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

A person shall not be required to obtain a certificate of boating safety education if the person holds a certificate from any state indicating successful completion of boating safety education that meets or exceeds the requirements of this subdivision, a certificate from the Unit…

I. A person who engages in the business of maintaining or repairing vessels may make application to the department for a general distinguishing number for the boats which he is maintaining or repairing. II. The commissioner may, if he is satisfied of the facts stated in the appli…

Upon request, the commissioner or agent authorized by the commissioner shall provide safe boater education materials to persons who plan to take the safe boater education course.

Any person who knowingly operates or allows to be operated any boat after his privilege or registration to operate said boat has been suspended or revoked shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

In addition to any other authority provided by law, the commissioner is hereby authorized to revoke or suspend any registration issued pursuant to this chapter or any privilege to operate a boat, or both, upon a showing that: I. The owner has violated any provision of this chapte…

I. (a) The department shall charge a fee of $10 for issuing a safe boater education certificate. (b) The fee for a temporary certificate shall be $10. II. (a) The department may charge a fee for offering a safe boater education course or exam. The fee shall not exceed the costs i…

I. If any person operates any boat required to be registered under RSA 270-E without registration, or violates any provision of RSA 270, or RSA 270-E, or any rule adopted by the department of safety relating to the equipment or operation of such boats, or does not exhibit, upon r…

I. No person shall operate a vessel as a common carrier of passengers or property on a regular route and schedule between points on public waters of the state, unless the department authorizes the operation. II. An order authorizing, in whole or in part, an operation for which ap…

The insurance commissioner may adopt rules under RSA 541-A requiring admitted insurers to provide a reduction in premium rates for vessel liability insurance to qualified vessel operators who provide proof of successful completion of an approved safe boater education course.

If any such boat is owned by a corporation, sentence may also be imposed upon any officer or agent of said corporation having the custody and control of said boat and committing, or permitting or assenting to the violation of RSA 270:18.

Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit any person who is 16 years of age or older from attending a safe boater education course approved by the commissioner under this subdivision and obtaining a safe boater education certificate upon successful completion of the safe boater educ…

Every common carrier by water shall establish and charge just and reasonable rates for transportation of passengers or property on the public waters of the state. Such rates and tariffs, together with a schedule of the service offered, shall be published, filed with the departmen…

A houseboat may be beached or grounded, or tied to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period, or any part of an overnight period, only when on or at a location owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the owner or operator of the h…

Any boat found unattended in a sunken, beached, or drifting condition shall be deemed abandoned by the owner. In the interest of the public safety such boat may be removed and impounded for safekeeping and disposal in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

In this chapter: I. "Airboat" means any shallow-draft vessel propelled by an airplane propeller and steered by an airplane rudder or any vessel, including a hovercraft, which is designed to travel on a cushion of air on or within 2 feet of the water, not including any mechanical …

The following words and phrases as used in this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: I. [Omitted.] II. The term "person" means any individual, firm, co-partnership, corporation, company, association or joint-stock association, …

I. Vessels shall be operated at headway speed only, while passing under all bridges. II. (a) It shall be the duty of each vessel to keep to the right when vessels are approaching each other head on. (b) When the courses of vessels are so far to the starboard of each other as not …

The department of safety, division of state police, shall publish the New Hampshire Boaters guide.

I. No person shall rent a vessel for operation on any waters of this state, including tidal and coastal waters and all inland waters, unless the rental operator initials a rental safety checklist, prepared by the department of safety, which certifies the rental operator's knowled…

The commissioner shall adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, relative to: I. Approval of boating safety education courses. II. Criteria for boating safety equivalency examinations. III. The enforcement of provisions of this subdivision and the rules adopted pursuant to it.

Unless the department otherwise orders, no change shall be made in any rate, fare, charge or price, which has been filed or published by a common carrier by water in compliance with the requirements hereof, except after 30 days' notice to the department and such notice to the pub…

I. The department may require: (a) Annual reports from all common carriers by water. (b) Specific answers to any questions deemed necessary by the department. II. The department or its representative shall have access, at reasonable times, to all accounts, records and other docum…

I. Any person who shall use any commercial vessel or commercial outboard motor on any public waters in this state without a certificate of inspection, or shall act as captain, master, pilot, engineer or operator on any such boat or launch without having passed a written examinati…

There shall be paid to the commissioner for every certificate of captain, master, pilot, or engineer, $15. A certificate shall entitle the holder thereof to act in the capacity named on any vessel of the class described in the certificate. Only one certificate shall be required t…

I. Any person renting or leasing motorized watercraft shall register as a rental agent with the department. Applications for registration shall include the name of the applicant, including any additional names under which the applicant may be doing business, the address or addres…

I. No rental agent shall: (a) Rent or lease any motorized watercraft to any other person without having a rental agent safety certificate. This subparagraph shall not apply to the use of any motorized watercraft which is included in the rental or lease of real property. (b) Rent …

I. No person shall own or operate or sell or offer for sale, within the jurisdiction of this state, a boat propelled in whole or in part by gas, gasoline, diesel, or naphtha unless the boat is provided with an underwater exhaust or other muffling device constructed and used so as…

I. No airboat shall be operated in the state unless, in addition to complying with the provisions of this chapter, it complies with the following provisions: (a) The airboat shall be equipped with an enclosure to prevent contact with the propeller; (b) The airboat shall not be op…

I. Any person who knowingly removes, destroys, moves, or injures any buoy, beacon, or other navigational aid placed in, on, or adjacent to any of the public waters of the state for the purpose of guiding and protecting navigation and boating thereon shall be guilty of a misdemean…

No person shall, without the consent of the owner of the vessel, wilfully and maliciously cut away or let loose any vessel which is fastened to any mooring place or lying at anchor. Whoever violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation.

I. No owner of any float, dock, raft or similar device or structure shall employ for flotation in the public waters of the state any container which formerly contained any hazardous or toxic substance, as defined by RSA 147-B:2, which poses a danger to public health or the enviro…

No commercial boat, private boat, or sail boat shall race with another such boat over a predetermined course on any of the public waters of the state unless the course is laid out and marked in a manner satisfactory to the director of state police and said race is held under a pe…

While motorboats are racing on a course as described in RSA 270:27, no aircraft, in landing or taking off from the water, and no boat, however propelled, shall traverse or cross said course within 1/2 mile of an approaching boat, except in an emergency or when engaged in the comm…

It shall be unlawful to operate a boat or canoe propelled by mechanical power on any stream or body of water within the boundaries of that part of the White Mountain National forest that is situated within the state of New Hampshire. The provisions of this section shall not apply…

Any person who shall operate a power boat upon any waters of the state in a careless and negligent manner or so that the lives and safety of the public are endangered shall be guilty of a violation.

Any person who shall operate a power boat upon any waters of the state in a reckless manner or so that the lives and safety of the public are endangered shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. A violation of this section shall include payment of a fine of not less than $500, a loss of …

I. (a) No person shall operate a motorboat while towing water skiers, aquaplanes, or similar devices, or while engaged in wake surfing, unless another person is present in the motorboat who is physically able to observe and assist the person or appurtenance being towed or wake su…

The director of state police or his or her authorized representatives may impound any such abandoned boat or may order the removal and storage at a place of safe keeping of any such abandoned boat. All reasonable charges of such impoundment, removal, and storage shall be a lien a…

No houseboat shall be beached or grounded, or tied to the shore of any of the inland surface waters of the state for an overnight period or any part of an overnight period, except as permitted in RSA 270-A:2 or in cases of emergency. No houseboat shall be anchored on any of the i…