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HB 940

Boats, Boating - As enacted, generally increases from 12 to 14, the age that a person must be to lawfully operate a personal watercraft upon the waters of Tennessee without being under the direct supervision of an adult, except that persons 12 and 13 may continue to operate a personal watercraft upon the waters of Tennessee without being under the direct supervision of an adult on Monday through Friday, excepting legal holidays. - Amends TCA Title 69, Chapter 9.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Karen Camper

Tennessee raises unsupervised personal watercraft operation age from 12 to 16 and mandates motor vehicle-equivalent liability insurance for all PWC operators.

Pub. Ch. 584
#boating #boats
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Bill Summary · HB 940

Legislative bill overview

HB 940 raises the minimum age for unsupervised personal watercraft (PWC) operation from 12 to 16 years old in Tennessee and requires PWC operators to carry the same financial responsibility insurance as motor vehicle drivers. The bill amends Tennessee's boating regulations to align safety and liability requirements across recreational vessels and automobiles.

Why is this important

Personal watercraft accidents involving young operators can result in serious injuries, drowning, and fatalities. Requiring insurance creates a financial accountability mechanism similar to roadway safety, potentially incentivizing safer operation and ensuring victims have recourse for damages. This addresses a regulatory gap where PWCs—which operate at high speeds in crowded waterways—previously had less stringent age and insurance requirements than cars.

Potential points of contention

  • Insurance cost burden: Mandatory financial responsibility insurance may increase participation costs for families, potentially pricing out lower-income youth from recreational boating activities
  • Enforcement feasibility: Verifying insurance compliance on waterways presents practical challenges compared to roadway checkpoints; unclear how violations would be detected and penalized
  • Age appropriateness debate: The jump from 12 to 16 is significant; some argue 14-15-year-olds demonstrate sufficient maturity for supervised PWC operation, while others contend 16 remains too young for unsupervised high-speed watercraft

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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