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HomeHarbors and Navigation CodeDiv. 3Ch. 5Art. 1§ 668 Boating Equipment Violations

§ 668 Boating Equipment Violations

Harbors and Navigation Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 668 Boating Equipment Violations

This law tells how much money you might have to pay and if you could go to jail when you break rules about boat equipment or safety.

Key Takeaways

  • •Minor boat rule breaks are called infractions and usually only cost money (up to $250‑$500).
  • •More serious or repeat boat rule breaks are misdemeanors and can bring bigger fines (up to $1,000) and short jail stays.
  • •If you break a big safety rule (like Section 656.2/656.3), the fine can be between $1,000 and $10,000, but the court can lower the minimum if you can’t afford it.

Example

A person stands on the front edge (bow) of a motorboat while it is moving.

Because the law says you can't ride on the bow of a powered boat, the person could be charged an infraction and fined up to $250.

How to Calculate

Fine = amount within the range the law sets (e.g., $1,000 – $10,000) after the court looks at the person's ability to pay.

  1. Find the rule that was broken (for example, Section 656.2).
  2. Look at the fine range the law gives for that rule (here, $1,000 to $10,000).
  3. The court decides where in that range the fine should fall, considering how much money the person can afford.
  4. The court sets the fine and, if needed, adds jail time.

Jamie was caught using illegal navigation lights on his boat, which is a violation of Section 656.2.

Result: The judge decides Jamie can pay $2,500, so the fine is set at $2,500 and Jamie gets no jail time.

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

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 668 Boating Equipment Violations

(a) Any person who violates subdivision (c) of Section 652, Section 654, 654.05, 654.06, 655.7, 658.3, 659, 673, 674, or 754, or any regulations adopted pursuant thereto, or any regulation adopted pursuant to Section 655.3 relating to vessel equipment requirements, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250). (b) (1) (A) Except as provided in subdivision (a), any person who violates any regulation adopted pursuant to Section 655.3 is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100) or imprisonment in a county jail for not more than five days, or by both that fine and imprisonment, for each violation. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), any person who violates subdivision (b) of Section 6695 of Article 5 of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations relating to blinding lights, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100). (C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), any person who violates Section 6600.1 of Article 5 of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, by violating United States Coast Guard Navigation Rule 20, relating to navigation lights, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100). (2) Any person who violates subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 658 is guilty of an infraction and shall be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars ($200) for each violation. (3) (A) Any person who violates subdivision (d) of Section 652, subdivision (a) of Section 655, Section 655.05, 656, or 656.1, subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 658, Section 663.6 or 665, or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 660, is guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisonment in a county jail for not more than six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment, for each violation. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), any person who violates subdivision (a) of Section 655 by violating subdivision (a) of Section 6697 of Article 5 of Chapter 1 of Division 4 of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, relating to riding on the bow, gunwale, or transom of a vessel propelled by machinery is guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250). (4) Any person who violates Section 652.5 is guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100). (5) Any person who violates Section 655.2, or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, is guilty of an infraction, punishable by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100). (c) (1) Any person convicted of a violation of Section 656.2 or 656.3 shall be punished by a fine of not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment. (2) In imposing the minimum fine required by this subdivision, the court shall take into consideration the defendant’s ability to pay the fine and, in the interest of justice for reasons stated in the record, may reduce the amount of that minimum fine to less than the amount otherwise required by this subdivision. (d) Any person convicted of a violation of Section 658.5 shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars ($100). (e) Any person convicted of a first violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 655, or of a violation of Section 655.4, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisonment in a county jail for not more than six months, or by both that fine and imprisonment. If probation is granted, the court, as a condition of probation, may require the person to participate in, and successfully complete, an alcohol or drug education, training, or treatment program, in addition to imposing any penalties required by this code. In order to enable all persons to participate in licensed programs, every person referred to a program licensed pursuant to Section 11836 of the Health and Safety Code shall pay that program’s costs commensurate with that person’s ability to pay as determined by Section 11837.4 of the Health and Safety Code. (f) Any person convicted of a second or subsequent violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 655 within seven years of the first conviction of any of those subdivisions or subdivision (f) of Section 655, or any person convicted of a violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 655 within seven years of a separate conviction of subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, or a separate conviction of Section 23152 or 23153 of the Vehicle Code or Section 191.5 or subdivision (a) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, when the separate conviction resulted from the operation of a motor vehicle, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by both that fine and imprisonment. If probation is granted, the court, as a condition of probation, may require the person to do either of the following, if available in the county of the person’s residence or employment: (1) Participate, for at least 18 months subsequent to the underlying conviction and in a manner satisfactory to the court, in a program licensed pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 11836) of Part 2 of Division 10.5 of the Health and Safety Code, as designated by the court. In order to enable all required persons to participate, each person shall pay the program costs commensurate with the person’s ability to pay as determined pursuant to Section 11837.4 of the Health and Safety Code. (2) Participate, for at least 30 months subsequent to the underlying conviction and in a manner satisfactory to the court, in a program licensed pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 11836) of Part 2 of Division 10.5 of the Health and Safety Code. A person ordered to treatment pursuant to this paragraph shall apply to the court or to a board of review, as designated by the court, at the conclusion of the program to obtain the court’s order of satisfaction. Only upon the granting of that order of satisfaction by the court may the program issue its certificate of successful completion. A failure to obtain an order of satisfaction at the conclusion of the program is a violation of probation. In order to enable all required persons to participate, each person shall pay the program costs commensurate with the person’s ability to pay as determined pursuant to Section 11837.4 of the Health and Safety Code. No condition of probation required pursuant to this paragraph is a basis for reducing any other probation requirement. (g) Any person convicted of a violation of subdivision (f) of Section 655 shall be punished by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 of the Penal Code, or in a county jail for not less than 90 days or more than one year, and by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more than five thousand dollars ($5,000). If probation is granted, the court, as a condition of probation, may require the person to participate in, and successfully complete, a program licensed pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 11836) of Part 2 of Division 10.5 of the Health and Safety Code, if available in the person’s county of residence or employment, as designated by the court. In order to enable all required persons to participate, each person shall pay the program costs commensurate with the person’s ability to pay as determined pursuant to Section 11837.4 of the Health and Safety Code. (h) (1) If any person is convicted of a violation of subdivision (f) of Section 655 within seven years of a separate conviction of a violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 655 and is granted probation, the court shall impose as a condition of probation that the person be confined in a county jail for not less than five days or more than one year and pay a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more than five thousand dollars ($5,000). (2) If any person is convicted of a violation of subdivision (f) of Section 655 within seven years of a separate conviction of a violation of subdivision (f) of Section 655, of subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, or Section 23152 or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, or Section 191.5 or subdivision (a) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, when the separate conviction resulted from the operation of a motor vehicle, and is granted probation, the court shall impose as a condition of probation that the person be confined in a county jail for not less than 90 days or more than one year, and pay a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), and the court, as a condition of probation, may order that the person participate in a manner satisfactory to the court, in a program licensed pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 11836) of Part 2 of Division 10.5 of the Health and Safety Code, if available in the county of the person’s residence or employment. In order to enable all required persons to participate, each person shall pay the program costs commensurate with the person’s ability to pay as determined pursuant to Section 11837.4 of the Health and Safety Code. (i) The court shall not absolve a person who is convicted of a violation of subdivision (f) of Section 655 within seven years of a separate conviction of a violation of subdivision (b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of Section 655, of subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, or Section 23152 or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, or Section 191.5 or subdivision (a) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, when the separate conviction resulted from the operation of a motor vehicle, from the minimum time in confinement provided in this section and a fine of at least two hundred fifty dollars ($250), except as provided in subdivision (h). (j) Except in unusual cases where the interests of justice demand an exception, the court shall not strike a separate conviction of an offense under subdivision (b), (c), (d), (e), or (f) of Section 655 or of subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, or Section 23152 or 23153 of the Vehicle Code, or Section 191.5 or subdivision (a) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code, when the separate conviction resulted from the operation of a motor vehicle, for purposes of sentencing in order to avoid imposing, as part of the sentence or as a term of probation, the minimum time in confinement and the minimum fine, as provided in this section. When a separate conviction is stricken by the court for purposes of sentencing, the court shall specify the reason or reasons for the striking order. On appeal by the people from an order striking a separate conviction, it shall be conclusively presumed that the order was made only for the reasons specified in the order, and the order shall be reversed if there is no substantial basis in the record for any of those reasons. (k) A person who flees the scene of the crime after committing a violation of subdivision (a), (b), or (c) of Section 192.5 of the Penal Code shall be subject to subdivision (c) of Section 20001 of the Vehicle Code. (l) Any person who violates Section 654.3 is guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars ($500) for each separate violation. (Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 67, Sec. 3. (SB 1162) Effective January 1, 2015.)

Last verified: January 11, 2026

Key Terms

infractionimprisonmentnavigationregulationfinevesselmisdemeanorequipment

Related Statutes

  • § 651 Boat Alcohol Definitions
  • § 654 Boat Muffler Requirements
  • § 654.03 Recreational Vessel Muffler Requirements
  • § 654.05 Boat Noise Level Limits
  • § 654.5 Projecting Objects At Vessels

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Harbors and Navigation Code. Section 668.
View Official Source