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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>357173</law_id><section_number>29.1-748.1</section_number><catch_line>Local ordinances; operation on lakes; minimum distance from shoreline; 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> Any locality in Planning District 23 may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, prohibit the operation of a <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> on a public lake measuring less than 50 acres in extent. Such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> shall provide that a violation of the prohibition constitutes a Class 4 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. Any violation of such an <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> shall be subject to the provisions of subsection C of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Restrictions on operation; penalty" href="/29.1-748/">29.1-748</a>. <a id="paragraph-1329261" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-748.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The City of Virginia Beach may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span>, regulate in any portion of a waterway located solely within its territorial limits, the minimum distance that <span class="dictionary">personal watercraft</span> may be operated from the shoreline in excess of the slowest possible speed required to maintain steerage and headway. Such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> shall provide for distances of 100 feet from the shoreline and 200 feet from swimmers in ocean waters, and shall provide for local enforcement and penalties not exceeding those applicable to Class 4 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanors</span>. Nothing in this subsection prohibits access to and from waters where operation is not otherwise restricted. <a id="paragraph-1329262" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/29.1-748.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2003, c. 117; 2007, c. 813; 2018, c. 426.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
