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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>357176</law_id><section_number>29.1-749.2</section_number><catch_line>Local regulation of personal watercraft rentals; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="72" identifier="29.1">Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="12" identifier="7">Boating Laws</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="5" identifier="4">Personal Watercraft</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> The City of Virginia Beach may by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> regulate <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> as provided in this section. Any <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> enacted pursuant to this section may include any of the following provisions: <a id="paragraph-1329274" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-749.2/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Any business which offers <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> for rent shall (i) require any person to whom a <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> is rented to present, prior to such rental, a government-issued identification card containing his photograph and (ii) retain such identification card, or a copy thereof, during the time the <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> is being rented. <a id="paragraph-1329275" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-749.2/#A1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> No person who rents or leases a <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> shall knowingly misrepresent any <span class="dictionary">material</span> <span class="dictionary">fact</span> or falsify any information requested on the rental agreement or application. <a id="paragraph-1329276" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-749.2/#A2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Any business which offers <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> for hourly short-term rental shall have at least one <span class="dictionary">motorboat</span> of at least fifty horsepower operated by an employee or agent of the business, in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to monitor and ensure the safe operation of the <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span>. <a id="paragraph-1329277" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-749.2/#A3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> No business which offers <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> for rent shall rent a <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> that has an engine displacement which exceeds 800 cubic centimeters. <a id="paragraph-1329278" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-749.2/#A4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="A5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Any business which offers <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> for rent shall have at least two marine VHF radios in operation during the time that a <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> rental is being operated. The radios shall monitor channel 16 whenever they are not being actively used on a working channel. <a id="paragraph-1329279" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-749.2/#A5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any locality may by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> establish standards for insurance coverage for any business which offers <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> for rent. <a id="paragraph-1329280" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-749.2/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> adopted by a locality pursuant to this section may provide for a <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for violation of the <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> not to exceed the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> applicable to a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-1329281" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-749.2/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1998, c. 563; 1999, c. 536; 2007, c. 813.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
