Boating Under the Influence (BUI)

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The following is excerpted from the 2024 Connecticut Boater’s Guide, published by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

Under Connecticut law, no person may operate a boat or watercraft on Connecticut’s waterways while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. An operator must be free from physical or mental disabilities which might interfere with the control of the boat. The penalties for operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs in Connecticut have been increased. The laws for boating under the influence mirror motor vehicle law, in which a person shall be considered to be under the influence of intoxicating liquor if the ratio of alcohol in the blood is 8-hundredths (.08) of one percent or more of alcohol, by weight. If one is under 21 years of age the level is .02.

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SOURCE: Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Boating Regulations; U.S. Coast Guard Boating Safety; Connecticut General Statutes sec. 15-133
PREPARED BY: 211/nl
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: May2024