Code of Virginia
Chapter 7 - Boating Laws
§ 29.1-748.1. Local ordinances; operation on lakes; minimum distance from shoreline; penalty

A. Any locality in Planning District 23 may, by ordinance, prohibit the operation of a personal watercraft on a public lake measuring less than 50 acres in extent. Such ordinance shall provide that a violation of the prohibition constitutes a Class 4 misdemeanor. Any violation of such an ordinance shall be subject to the provisions of subsection C of § 29.1-748.
B. The City of Virginia Beach may, by ordinance, regulate in any portion of a waterway located solely within its territorial limits, the minimum distance that personal watercraft may be operated from the shoreline in excess of the slowest possible speed required to maintain steerage and headway. Such ordinance shall provide for distances of 100 feet from the shoreline and 200 feet from swimmers in ocean waters, and shall provide for local enforcement and penalties not exceeding those applicable to Class 4 misdemeanors. Nothing in this subsection prohibits access to and from waters where operation is not otherwise restricted.
2003, c. 117; 2007, c. 813; 2018, c. 426.

Structure Code of Virginia

Code of Virginia

Title 29.1 - Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating

Chapter 7 - Boating Laws

§ 29.1-700. Definitions

§ 29.1-701. Department to administer chapter; Motorboat Committee; funds for administration; records; rules and regulations

§ 29.1-701.1. Authority of Board to set fees

§ 29.1-702. Registration requirements; display of numbers; cancellation of certificate; exemption

§ 29.1-702.1. Making false affidavit or swearing falsely, perjury; penalty

§ 29.1-703. Identification numbers required; decals

§ 29.1-703.1. Temporary registration certificate; fee; application

§ 29.1-703.2. Designation of agents; compensation to agents; deposit of temporary registration certificate moneys

§ 29.1-704. Recording previously awarded numbers

§ 29.1-705. Change of ownership of motorboat; lost certificates

§ 29.1-706. Agents awarding numbers

§ 29.1-707. Records

§ 29.1-708. Transfer, destruction or abandonment of motorboat

§ 29.1-709. Change of address of certificate holder

§ 29.1-710. Exemption from numbering requirements

§ 29.1-711. Dealers and manufacturers of motorboats

§ 29.1-712. Repealed

§ 29.1-733.2. Definitions

§ 29.1-733.3. Applicability

§ 29.1-733.4. Supplemental principles of law and equity

§ 29.1-733.5. Law governing watercraft covered by certificate of title

§ 29.1-733.6. Certificate of title required

§ 29.1-733.7. Application for certificate of title

§ 29.1-733.8. Creation and cancellation of certificate of title

§ 29.1-733.9. Content of certificate of title

§ 29.1-733.10. Title brand

§ 29.1-733.11. Maintenance of and access to files

§ 29.1-733.12. Action required on creation of certificate of title

§ 29.1-733.13. Effect of certificate of title

§ 29.1-733.14. Effect of possession of certificate of title; judicial process; levy; penalty

§ 29.1-733.15. Perfection of security interest

§ 29.1-733.16. Termination statement; delivery of certificate of title; penalty

§ 29.1-733.17. Transfer of ownership

§ 29.1-733.18. Effect of missing or incorrect information

§ 29.1-733.19. Transfer of ownership by secured party's transfer statement

§ 29.1-733.20. Transfer by operation of law

§ 29.1-733.21. Application for transfer of ownership or termination of security interest without certificate of title

§ 29.1-733.22. Replacement certificate of title

§ 29.1-733.23. Rights of purchaser other than secured party

§ 29.1-733.24. Rights of secured party

§ 29.1-733.25. Acquiring title to an abandoned watercraft

§ 29.1-733.26. Duties and operation of the Department

§ 29.1-733.27. Uniformity of application and construction

§ 29.1-733.28. Relationship to Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act

§ 29.1-733.29. Savings clause

§ 29.1-734. Authorization for and placing of markers in waters of the Commonwealth used for public swimming areas; no motorboating, waterskiing in marked area

§ 29.1-734.1. Skin and scuba divers

§ 29.1-735. Regulations for vessel operation and equipment

§ 29.1-735.1. Board authorized to promulgate regulations for seaplanes

§ 29.1-735.2. Boating safety education required; Board to promulgate regulations

§ 29.1-735.3. Regulation of parasail operators

§ 29.1-736. Boat rentals; equipment; safety course

§ 29.1-737. Muffling devices

§ 29.1-738. Operating boat or manipulating water skis, etc., in reckless manner or while intoxicated, etc.

§ 29.1-738.01. Operating boat in an improper manner; penalty

§ 29.1-738.02. Persons under age twenty-one operating watercraft after illegally consuming alcohol; penalty

§ 29.1-738.03. Reckless operation of a personal watercraft

§ 29.1-738.1. Analysis of breath to determine alcohol content of blood

§ 29.1-738.2. Consent to blood or breath test

§ 29.1-738.3. Presumptions from alcohol or drug content

§ 29.1-738.4. Additional penalty for reckless or intoxicated operation of a watercraft or motorboat

§ 29.1-738.5. Participation in rehabilitation program

§ 29.1-738.6. When arrested person operating a vessel; how vessel removed from scene of arrest

§ 29.1-739. Duty of operator involved in collision, accident or other casualty; immunity from liability; report of collision, etc.; summons in lieu of arrest

§ 29.1-739.1. Disregarding signal by law-enforcement officer to stop; attempts to elude; penalty

§ 29.1-739.2. Conservation police officers to patrol lakes

§ 29.1-740. Duty to stop and render assistance; penalties for violations

§ 29.1-741. Furnishing information to agency of United States

§ 29.1-742. Towing water skis, surfboards, etc.

§ 29.1-743. Repealed

§ 29.1-744. Local regulation; application for placement or removal of "no wake" buoys, etc.

§ 29.1-744.1. Repealed

§ 29.1-744.2. Repealed

§ 29.1-744.3. Slacken speed and control wakes near structures

§ 29.1-744.4. "Pass-through" zones; local ordinances; penalties

§ 29.1-745. Enforcement of chapter; vessels displaying Coast Guard inspection decal

§ 29.1-746. Penalties

§ 29.1-747. Repealed

§ 29.1-748. Restrictions on operation; penalty

§ 29.1-748.1. Local ordinances; operation on lakes; minimum distance from shoreline; penalty

§ 29.1-749. Owner of personal watercraft permitting violation; penalty

§ 29.1-749.1. Identification of personal watercraft rentals

§ 29.1-749.2. Local regulation of personal watercraft rentals; penalty

§ 29.1-749.3. Personal watercraft instruction; rental agents

§ 29.1-750. Exemptions