Compliance Guides

Nebraska Regulatory Guide

Nebraska has regulations related to the operation of vessel, including boats used for leasing. These regulations cover various aspects of vessel operation, such as equipment requirements, safety procedures, and licensing requirements for operators. On this page, we navigate you through everything you need to have in place in order to ensure that your boat rental business is compliant with Nebraska’s regulations, along with some other important things to keep in mind.

Boxes you need to tick

These are requirements as defined by law:

Record Requirement

The record shall be preserved for at least six months.

The owner of a boat livery shall cause to be kept a record of the name and address of the person or persons hiring any vessel which is designed or permitted by him to be operated as a motorboat, the certificate of number thereof, the departure date and time, and the expected time of return.

Rental Agreement

Boat livery owners or their agents must include the names and ages of all authorized motorboat operators on each rental or lease agreement.

The renter is responsible for ensuring that only those listed as authorized operators operate the motorboat.

Briefing and Acknowledgment Requirement

Boat livery owners, or their agents, must present a summary of laws, rules, and safe operation instructions to each authorized motorboat operator.

These operators must review and sign a statement confirming they have understood this information before leaving the rental office.

Age Requirement

Renters must be minimum 18 years old

The owner of a boat livery, or his or her agent or employee, shall not lease, hire, or rent a motorboat or personal watercraft to any person under eighteen years of age.

The information provided is intended to be general and informative, and should not be interpreted as regulatory, legal, or insurance advice. It does not constitute professional advice from a licensed insurance agent and does not establish an attorney-client or insurer-insured relationship. This information should not replace the counsel of a qualified legal, regulatory, or insurance professional. Always consult with a qualified professional for legal, regulatory, or insurance advice pertaining to your specific circumstances.

Boat Rental Accident Reporting

After an accident has occurred the operator of a vessel involved in a collision, accident, or other casualty must give their name, address and identification of their vessel in writing to anyone injured and to any owner of damaged property.

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The operator of every vessel involved in a boating accident is required to file a written report in duplicate, whenever a boating accident results in:

Loss of life (report within 48 hours)
Disappearance of a person (report within 48 hours)
Loss of consciousness (report within 48 hours)
Medical treatment/injury (report within 48 hours)
Property damage in excess of $500 (report within 5 days)

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Reports shall be submitted to:
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Box 30370
Lincoln, NE 68503

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Any person failing to comply with these requirements is subject to a fine of $100.00. The owner of a vessel is liable for any injury or damage caused by negligent operation of any powered vessel.

Rental Boat Accident Reporting Form

Report Accident

Federal Regulation

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) regularly provides updates on recentchanges in regulation and have overviews of specific requirements for boatrental companies

Boater’s Guide to Federal Requirements for Recreational Boating

Passenger Vessel Charters

Requirements for Uninspected Passenger Vessels

Marine Safety Information Bulletin

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Nebraska Regulatory Guide

Boxes you need to tick

Keep in mind when renting out boats

Required

Recommended

Not required

Boat Rental Accident Reporting

Federal Regulation

Compliance by State

Buoy is your one-stop shop for compliance & insurance