Colorado schedules vessel program for repeal in 2036

Colorado law schedules the state vessel registration and regulation program for repeal on September 1, 2036. The schedule covers the Department of Natural Resources’ registration and regulation of vessels under state law. The program is scheduled for repeal on September 1, 2036, and must be reviewed before repeal.

A vessel rental business must keep renter, vessel, and trip records and make them available for inspection. A vessel rental business is a person who advertises and offers a vessel to another person for rent or lease in exchange for payment. A violation is a civil infraction punishable by a $100 fine. Keep each record for at least three years after the vessel is due back.

A vessel rental business and its agents or employees must ensure vessels meet registration and equipment rules before departure. The requirement applies to vessels leaving a vessel rental business’s premises. A violation is a civil infraction punishable by a $100 fine. The requirement applies before a vessel departs the rental business’s premises.

Vessel rental businesses must not rent a motorboat to someone under 18, subject to a boating-safety exception. The rule applies to vessel rental businesses, including their agents and employees, when renting a motorboat for operation. A person who is at least 14 but under 18 may operate a motorboat if they meet the boating safety and certificate requirements in state law. A violation is a civil infraction punishable by a $100 fine.

The vessel definitions exclude seaplanes on the water and certain small recreational items. The definitions apply to vessel registration and regulation under article 13 and to vessel definitions under article 32. The exclusions include fishing aids, air mattresses, beach and water toys, and inner tubes.