Texas Statutes
Subchapter D. Boating Regulations
Section 31.106. Personal Watercraft

Sec. 31.106. PERSONAL WATERCRAFT. (a) No person shall operate a personal watercraft in the following manner or under the following circumstances:
(1) unless each person riding on or towed behind the vessel is wearing a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device;
(2) if the vessel is equipped by the manufacturer with a lanyard type engine cutoff switch, unless such lanyard is attached to the person, clothing, or personal flotation device of the operator as appropriate for the vessel involved;
(3) during the period between sunset and sunrise;
(4) within 50 feet of any other vessel, person, stationary platform or other object, or shore, except at headway speed;
(5) if the operator is under 13 years of age unless the operator is supervised by another person who:
(A) is at least 18 years of age;
(B) can lawfully operate the watercraft; and
(C) is on board the watercraft when under way;
(6) if the personal watercraft is a motorboat, within any area prohibited for operation of a motorboat by state law or local rule or regulation;
(7) while towing water skis, an aquaplane, a surfboard, a tube, or any other similar device, unless the towing vessel is designed to carry on board a minimum of two persons;
(8) by jumping the wake of another vessel recklessly or unnecessarily close to that vessel; or
(9) in a manner that requires the operator to swerve at the last possible moment to avoid collision.
(b) The provisions of this section do not apply to professional exhibitions or an officially sanctioned race, tournament, or exhibition.
(c) Subsection (a)(4) of this section does not prohibit the operation of personal watercraft on bodies of water less than 100 feet in width.
(d) An owner of a personal watercraft permitting a person under 18 years of age to operate the personal watercraft in a manner prohibited by this section may be notified of the violation.
(e) For the purposes of this section, a person is considered to be accompanying the operator of a personal watercraft if the person is on board the personal watercraft when underway.
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 571, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 739, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1363, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
Amended by:
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 269 (H.B. 1395), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.