§ 307 Buoy And Beacon Protection

Harbors and Navigation Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law says you can't tie your boat to a regular buoy or beacon, and you can't damage or take down buoys or beacons that the state put in the water.

Key Takeaways

•Only use buoys that are marked as mooring buoys for tying up a boat.
•Tying a boat to any other buoy or beacon can lead to a fine of up to $100.
•Intentionally removing, damaging, or destroying a state‑placed buoy or beacon is a misdemeanor, which is a more serious crime.

Example

A person ties their boat to a regular navigation buoy in a lake and leaves it there overnight.

Because the buoy isn’t a special mooring buoy, the person can be fined up to $100 for breaking the rule.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 307 Buoy And Beacon Protection

(a) A person who moors a vessel to, or hangs on with a vessel to, a buoy or beacon, except a designated mooring buoy, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100). (b) A person who willfully removes, damages, or destroys a buoy or beacon, placed by competent authority in any navigable waters of this state, is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 67, Sec. 1. (SB 1162) Effective January 1, 2015.)

Last verified: January 11, 2026

Key Terms

infraction misdemeanor buoy or beacon designated mooring buoy navigable waters

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Harbors and Navigation Code. Section 307.

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Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

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