Australian Capital Territory boating rules: licence, lifejackets and safety gear
What the rules in the Australian Capital Territory require on the water, from official sources and linked line by line: boat and jet ski licences, lifejackets, safety equipment, registration and who to call when things go wrong.
- Emergency
- 000 · ask for Police
- Lifejackets
- When you must wear one
Emergency on the water in the Australian Capital Territory
The ACT has inland lakes only: there’s no coastal radio service and JRCC Australia doesn’t cover inland waters. Call 000.
What the Australian Capital Territory tells boaters to do
National Capital Authority, Lake Burley Griffin Safety Guidelines (March 2024): 'IN AN EMERGENCY CALL TRIPLE ZERO (000)'. Lake User Guide (March 2024): 'Contact ACT Water Police on 000.' The ACT Water Police station is at Yarralumla Bay (West Lake); it is not staffed 24/7 but keeps a 24-hour on-call commitment, activated through ACT Police Communications on 000 or 131 444. Water police respond to drownings and accidents, rescue watercraft and swimmers in distress, and enforce lake rules. Life buoys are located at swimming areas, jetties, under bridges and high-use areas. ACT waters are inland lakes only – no coastal radio service; VHF/27 MHz guidance is not given by the NCA.
How to call for help on the water: 000, VHF 16, EPIRB
ACT boat licence and jet ski licence
Boat licence
The ACT does not run its own boat-licensing scheme in the Lakes Act 1976: a person may operate a power boat on an ACT lake if they hold a State or Commonwealth licence/permit (e.g. NSW boat licence or a Certificate of Competency) and follow its conditions (s 27), or without a licence if the power boat is not a PWC and is operated at less than 10 knots, subject to Ministerial conditions (s 28). Other power-boat use needs written Ministerial authorisation (s 29). On Lake Burley Griffin's national land, power boats need an NCA power boat permit (Category 1 rescue/coaching/judging boats for aquatic sports; Category 2 electric/solar boats and trailerable yachts with auxiliary power; Category 3 lake management and special-interest/traditional boats; Category 4 commercial tourist boats).
Jet ski (PWC) licence
PWC (jet skis, jet-powered surfboards) are excluded from the under-10-knot unlicensed rule; NCA policy encourages non-motorised use of Lake Burley Griffin and PWC are not a listed permit category – effectively PWC need specific approval. Water skiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing and parasailing are generally not permitted on Lake Burley Griffin.
Source: legislation.act.gov.au
ACT lifejacket rules
Lakes Act 1976 (ACT), Division 5.2: everyone on a recreational boat under 4.8 m, or an 'off-the-shore' sailing boat (e.g. Laser, Hobie Cat, skiff – unballasted, no cabin, keel or engine), must WEAR an appropriate lifejacket on a lake, and the operator must ensure they do. On boats under 8 m that are underway, children under 12 in an open area must wear one. Anyone must wear one when the master directs. 'Appropriate lifejacket' = AS 4758 Level 50S, 50, 100, 150 or 275 (or TfNSW-approved), not oral-inflation-only, correct size, and acquired/serviced within the last 12 months (or as the manufacturer says). Lifejackets must be stored accessibly under a 'lifejackets' sign. For the wear rules, 'recreational boat' excludes kiteboards, paddleboards, sailboards and surfboards. NCA guidelines: 'Wear a life jacket while on the Lake'.
Source: legislation.act.gov.au
Lifejacket levels: Level 50S is similar to the old Type 3, Level 50 to Type 2, and Level 100, 150 and 275 to Type 1 (NSW Maritime’s comparison). AS 4758 is the Australian standard for the levels. Lifejacket rules in every state →
Required safety equipment in the Australian Capital Territory
Inland lakes only. Lakes Act s 51: operators/owners of recreational boats must carry the 'required safety equipment for the boat', compliant, maintained, in date and quickly accessible, plus lifejackets for everyone (s 47); the detailed equipment list is set under the Act and was not confirmed on a primary page (null). Boats ordinarily operated in a State that meet that State's equipment rules are exempt for their first 90 consecutive days. NCA safety guidelines recommend: a mobile phone in a waterproof pouch, a noise maker attached to the craft, drinking water and sun protection, a paddle or leg leash in wind, appropriate lights at night, and checking water quality on the Swim Guide app.
Source: nca.gov.au
Boat registration in the Australian Capital Territory
No ACT boat registration scheme found in the Lakes Act 1976. On Lake Burley Griffin, power boats require an NCA power boat permit and moorings need an NCA mooring permit (annual, expiring 30 June).
Jet ski (PWC) rules in the Australian Capital Territory
PWC cannot use the unlicensed under-10-knot provision (Lakes Act s 28) and need Ministerial or NCA approval; towed water sports are generally not permitted on Lake Burley Griffin. Motor-powered vessels must give way to all non-powered vessels on Lake Burley Griffin. Speed limits are set by signs (Lakes Act s 20).
Kayak, canoe, paddle board and kite rules
Kiteboards, paddleboards (SUP), sailboards and surfboards are excluded from the Lakes Act lifejacket wear rule for 'recreational boats'; canoes and kayaks are excluded from the lifejacket-carriage and safety-equipment divisions. NCA strongly advises wearing a lifejacket on the lake, using a paddle or leg leash in windy conditions, carrying a noise maker, and using appropriate lighting at night. Rowing, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking and dragon boating are permitted activities on Lake Burley Griffin; Lake water can be very cold in winter.
Popular boating waters in the Australian Capital Territory
- Lake Burley Griffin
- Lake Ginninderra
- Lake Tuggeranong
- Molonglo Reach
- Kingston Harbour
- Yerrabi Pond
Some of the waters Australian Capital Territory boaters know best. This is our list, not an official one, and it isn’t complete.
VesselSOS on Australian Capital Territory waters
- Life in danger? Tap “Yes, life in danger” and the app dials Triple Zero (000). The screen shows your GPS position in words and a word-for-word script that starts “Police. Boat emergency, I’m on the water.”, then the waterway, the nearest town and the state.
- A live link for family ashore (Plus, free during the beta): your position, speed, course and phone battery in any browser, no app needed on their end. You send it by text yourself.
What it doesn’t do: it doesn’t log you on with Marine Rescue or anyone else, and it isn’t connected to 000, Police, Marine Rescue or AMSA. Nobody is alerted automatically if you’re late: the return-time check only asks “Are you OK?” on your own phone. Marine rescue log-on services do follow up when you don’t log off, so log on with them as well. A phone doesn’t replace a marine radio, an EPIRB or PLB, or the safety gear your state requires.
iPhone only, in invite-only TestFlight beta. Not in the App Store yet, no Android. Australian support (000 routing) is in beta version 1.5 and later.
Quick answers
Do you need a boat licence in the ACT?
The ACT does not run its own boat-licensing scheme in the Lakes Act 1976: a person may operate a power boat on an ACT lake if they hold a State or Commonwealth licence/permit (e.g. NSW boat licence or a Certificate of Competency) and follow its conditions (s 27), or without a licence if the power boat is not a PWC and is operated at less than 10 knots, subject to Ministerial conditions (s 28). Other power-boat use needs written Ministerial authorisation (s 29). On Lake Burley Griffin's national land, power boats need an NCA power boat permit (Category 1 rescue/coaching/judging boats for aquatic sports; Category 2 electric/solar boats and trailerable yachts with auxiliary power; Category 3 lake management and special-interest/traditional boats; Category 4 commercial tourist boats).
Do you need a jet ski licence in the ACT?
PWC (jet skis, jet-powered surfboards) are excluded from the under-10-knot unlicensed rule; NCA policy encourages non-motorised use of Lake Burley Griffin and PWC are not a listed permit category – effectively PWC need specific approval. Water skiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing and parasailing are generally not permitted on Lake Burley Griffin.
Do you have to register a boat in the ACT?
No ACT boat registration scheme found in the Lakes Act 1976. On Lake Burley Griffin, power boats require an NCA power boat permit and moorings need an NCA mooring permit (annual, expiring 30 June).
Sources
Marine safety agency: National Capital Authority (Lake Burley Griffin, national land) and ACT Government under the Lakes Act 1976 (ACT territory lakes)
- https://www.nca.gov.au/environment/lake-burley-griffin
- https://www.nca.gov.au/environment/lake-burley-griffin/boat-permits
- https://www.nca.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-03/lake_user_safety_guidelines_march_2024_0.pdf
- https://www.nca.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-03/lake_burley_griffin_user_guide_march_2024_0.pdf
- https://web.archive.org/web/2026id_/https://www.nca.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-03/lake_burley_griffin_user_guide_march_2024_0.pdf
- https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/a/1976-65/
- https://www.legislation.act.gov.au/DownloadFile/a/1976-65/current/PDF/1976-65.PDF
- https://www.nca.gov.au/environment/lake-burley-griffin/legislation-and-policies/australian-capital-territory-national-land-lakes-ordinance-2022
Checked October 2026. Rules change — confirm with the National Capital Authority or the ACT Government before you go.
This page summarises the rules for planning; it isn’t legal advice. Where this page and the official text differ, the official text wins. Spotted an error? Email support@vesselsos.com.