Oregon Law
Law as of Jan 1, 2026
Chapter contents
830.005Definitions for chapter 830.010[Formerly 488.005; 1991 c.67 §230; repealed by 1999 c.1051 §97] 830.015Application of ORS 830.005, 830.015 to 830.050, 830.175, 830.210 to 830.420 and 830.475 to 830.490; exemptions 830.025Other boating laws not affected 830.035Peace officers to enforce chapter; fleeing; attempts to elude 830.037Notification of stolen boat; notice in electronic file system; issuance of new title or certificate of number 830.040Contrary local laws prohibited 830.050Reporting lost boat 830.053False or fraudulent report of theft of boat 830.055Oregon Adopt-a-River Program; implementation; rules 830.060Consistency with federal law 830.080Boating Offense Compact 830.082Mandatory boating safety education program 830.084Requirements for mandatory boating safety education program; education card; rules; fee 830.086Boating safety education card; requirements; fee 830.088Operation of motorboat by person 12 to 15 years of age 830.090Operation of motorboat by person 16 years of age or older 830.092Exemption from requirement to obtain boating safety education card 830.094Boating safety education card required to operate motorboat 830.096Conditional suspension of fine for violation of boating safety requirements 830.100Boating safety policy 830.105State Marine Board 830.110Powers and duties of board; rules 830.115Boating survey 830.120Term; vacancies 830.125Compensation and expenses 830.130Officers; quorum; meetings 830.135State Marine Director 830.137Disposition of funds received through Clean Vessel Act and through Boating Infrastructure Grant Program; priority 830.140Boating Safety, Law Enforcement and Facility Account; sources; disposition; enforcement by cities and counties 830.145[Formerly 488.865; 1987 c.905 §24; 1999 c.1051 §298; repealed by 2011 c.597 §118] 830.150Disbursement of funds for boating facilities; priorities; water quality protection; hearing 830.155Revolving fund; limit 830.160Board authority to remove obstructions from water 830.165Boating safety educational program; youthful boat operator program 830.170Agreements with other jurisdictions 830.172County boat use permit program review 830.175Regulations for specific areas; rules 830.180Use of motors prohibited on certain lakes; exceptions; rules 830.185Speed restrictions in certain areas 830.187Restrictions for Waldo Lake 830.190Temporary suspension of speed restrictions 830.195Board to protect traditional boating uses and prevent user conflicts 830.200County boat use permits 830.210Operating improperly equipped boat prohibited 830.215Personal flotation devices; rules 830.220Fire extinguishers; rules 830.225Lights; rules 830.230Sound signaling devices; rules 830.235Carburetors 830.240Ventilation systems; rules 830.245Safety devices on boat operated in tidewater; rules 830.250Additional equipment; rules 830.260Muffling devices 830.270Notice to board on noise violation charge; board to supply information to court; suspension of certificate 830.300Operating boat in violation of chapter prohibited 830.302Draining water from boat; exceptions 830.305Unsafe operation 830.315Reckless boating; speed 830.325Operating boat while under influence of intoxicants 830.330Liability of owner for negligent operation of boat 830.335Operator to maintain lookout 830.340Navigation rules 830.345Traffic lanes; swim areas 830.350Testing racing motorboat 830.355Overloading 830.360Riding on bow, gunwale or transom 830.362Operating motorboat with person holding on to or occupying parts aft of transom 830.365Waterskiing, surfboarding and similar activities 830.370Mooring to buoys and beacons; defacing or destroying navigational markers 830.375Authorization required to hold marine event; rules 830.380Peace officer authority to require operator to remedy especially hazardous condition 830.383Person required to remedy especially hazardous condition 830.385Commercial fishing boats exempt from regulation of especially hazardous condition 830.390Minimum equipment and safety requirements for vessels engaged in Klamath Lake plankton fishery 830.410Operator of boat livery to provide properly equipped boats 830.415Records of operator of boat livery 830.420Minimum equipment requirements for rental or charter boats; rules; inspection; cancellation or revocation of certificate for failure to comply 830.425Minimum requirements for boat livery operation 830.430Definitions for ORS 830.430 to 830.465 and 830.997 830.435Charter boat license; reciprocity with Washington license holders 830.437Licensing; safety standards; rules 830.440License application; contents; fees; bond or financial security; transfer of license; rules 830.445Liability insurance form; notice to board upon termination of coverage; license suspension for failure to maintain insurance 830.447Optional charter boat licensing; rules 830.450Equipment requirements; rules 830.460Prohibited activities 830.465Disciplinary actions 830.475Duties of operators and witnesses at accidents 830.480Accident report required; rules 830.485Form of report; sending death record to State Marine Board 830.490Confidential nature of report 830.495Report of accident resulting in death or disappearance; duties of passengers 830.505Implied consent to chemical tests for intoxicants; refusal to submit; consequences 830.510Chemical evidence of use of intoxicants 830.515Evidence of refusal to submit to test in legal proceeding 830.520Circumstances under which chemical tests may be administered 830.525Chemical tests obtained by subject 830.535Criteria for chemical analyses 830.545Information about rights and consequences 830.550Implied consent to field sobriety tests for intoxicants; refusal to submit; consequences 830.555Additional penalties for failing to submit to testing for intoxicants 830.560Launching boat with aquatic invasive species prohibited; rules 830.565Permit required 830.570Board to issue permit; fees 830.575Annual fee for permit 830.580Rules 830.585Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Fund; uses of fund 830.587Definitions 830.589Watercraft check stations; rules; penalty 830.590Watercraft check stations; operation by local public bodies and tribal governments 830.591Request to proceed to nearest station; penalty 830.594Report of prevention efforts 830.600Applicability of boating laws to seaplanes 830.605State Marine Board and Oregon Department of Aviation to distribute information on regulation of seaplanes 830.615Waterway Access Fund 830.618Grants for nonmotorized boat waterway access; rules 830.621Grants for boating safety education, boating equipment and waterway access to underserved communities; rules 830.624Permit requirements for person 14 years of age or older; exceptions; rules 830.627Fees for issuance of permit 830.630Issuance of permits; agents 830.640Towed watersports program 830.643Towed watersports endorsement and certificate; issuance; fees; rules 830.646Fees; rules 830.649Newberg Pool Congested Zone 830.652Additional penalties for violations occurring within Newberg Pool Congested Zone 830.655Suspension 830.700Definitions for ORS 830.060 to 830.140 and 830.700 to 830.870 830.705Applicability of numbering, title and license requirements 830.710Report of transfer, abandonment or destruction of boat, boathouse or floating home or change of address of owner 830.715Record of certificates and numbers; fees for furnishing information 830.720Cancellation of title upon scrapping of boat, boathouse or floating home 830.725Distribution of lists of owners 830.730False information prohibited 830.740Perfection of security interest in boats, boathouses and floating homes covered by certificate of title; applicability of Uniform Commercial Code 830.745Notation on title of creation, satisfaction or assignment of security interest; fee 830.750Transfer of title subject to security interest; dealer transferees; fee 830.755Transfer by operation of law of title subject to security interest; fee 830.770Certificate of number required on boat; exceptions 830.775Operation of certain boats without certificates of registration 830.780Identifying number on forward half of boat 830.785Application for boat number 830.790Certificate or registration fees 830.795Issuance of certificate of number and validation stickers; stickers placed on boats 830.800Expiration of certificate of number; renewal of certificate and stickers 830.805Application by owner having number awarded by federal government or another state 830.810Certificate of title; exceptions; rules; application fees; penalty fee 830.815Refusal to issue or suspension or cancellation of certificate 830.820Duplicate certificates or validation stickers 830.825Hull identification number required 830.830Dealer or boat manufacturer number; fee 830.850Identifying number plate required on floating homes and boathouses; certificate of title required; fee 830.855Application for floating home or boathouse identifying plate; fee; issuance of certificate of title 830.860Validity of certificate of title; new certificates; fee 830.865Rules 830.870Duplicate certificate of title; fee 830.875Definitions for ORS 830.880 to 830.895 830.880Seizure of boats and equipment from which identification number has been removed; inspection of property; check for stolen boats; renumbering 830.885Return of seized property; investigation to determine ownership; notice to owner 830.890Public notice to persons having interest in seized property; court action; sale of property at public auction; disposition of proceeds 830.895Renumbering; inspection requirement 830.905[Formerly 488.650; repealed by 1999 c.692 §13] 830.907[1999 c.692 §2; 2003 c.693 §4; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.908Definitions for ORS 830.908 to 830.948 830.909[1999 c.692 §3; 2003 c.693 §5; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.910[Formerly 488.655; repealed by 1999 c.692 §13] 830.911Authority to seize abandoned vessel or derelict vessel 830.912[1999 c.692 §4; 2003 c.693 §6; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.914[1999 c.692 §5; 2003 c.693 §7; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.915[Formerly 488.660; repealed by 1999 c.692 §13] 830.917[1999 c.692 §6; 2003 c.693 §8; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.918Preseizure notice 830.919[1999 c.692 §7; 2003 c.693 §9; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.920[Formerly 488.665; repealed by 1999 c.692 §13] 830.922[1999 c.692 §8; 2003 c.693 §10; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.923Seizure without notice 830.924[1999 c.692 §9; 2003 c.693 §11; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.925[Formerly 488.670; repealed by 1999 c.692 §13] 830.926[2003 c.693 §2; 2013 c.680 §13; renumbered 830.948 in 2013] 830.927[1999 c.692 §10; 2003 c.693 §12; repealed by 2013 c.680 §16] 830.928[2013 c.680 §5a; repealed by 2025 c.90 §13] 830.930[Formerly 488.675; repealed by 1999 c.692 §13] 830.931[2013 c.680 §6; repealed by 2025 c.90 §13] 830.933Reclamation of seized vessel and personal property 830.935[Formerly 488.680; repealed by 1999 c.692 §13] 830.936Hearing 830.938Liability for costs of salvage, towing and storage 830.940Use of contractor 830.944Offenses 830.948Salvaged Vessel Subaccount; sources; limits; uses 830.950Definitions for ORS 830.955 830.955Prohibition of installation of submersible polystyrene device 830.990Penalties 830.992Penalty for purchase of boat or equipment from which hull or component identification number removed 830.993Penalties for violation of ORS 166.155 or 166.165 830.994Additional penalties for violation of ORS 830.325 830.995[Formerly 488.995; repealed by 1999 c.1051 §97] 830.997Penalty for charter boat violations 830.998Penalty for failing to stop at an aquatic invasive species check station 830.999Penalty for transporting aquatic invasive species; exceptions; use of penalty moneys; rules

Chapter 830 — Small Watercraft

ORS 830.340 Navigation rules

(1)(a)

Except as provided by paragraph (b) of this subsection, when two boats are approaching each other “head on” or nearly so (so as to involve risk of collision), each boat shall bear to the right and pass the other boat on its left side.

(b)

On rivers, or those sections of rivers, which are state waters, boats proceeding downstream shall have the right of way over boats proceeding upstream.

(2)

When boats approach each other obliquely or at right angles, the boat approaching on the right side has the right of way.

(3)

One boat may overtake another on either side but shall grant right of way to the overtaken boat.

Official sources · 2Tap to view provenance and version history

Online copy of the published ORS edition

Provenance

Version history

Earlier statutory text is available in an ingested published ORS edition.