Boating Licences:
In Tasmania, a Motor Boat Licence is required to pilot any powered boat with a motor of 4hp or greater, with licence applicants being required to log 20 hours of sea time or undertake a practical course before a licence is granted. These licences are issued by Marine and Safety Tasmania. Visitors are permitted to pilot vessels if in possession of a current boating licence issued by another Australian state.

Boat Registration:
All Tasmanian vessels with a motor of 4hp or greater are required to be registered with Marine and Safety Tasmania and to display a registration label and numbers visible from outside the vessel. Any vessel carrying valid registration from another Australian state does not require Tasmanian registration.

Mandatory Safety Equipment:
Tasmanian regulations make the carriage of safety equipment on board of all vessels mandatory. Precise requirements vary depanding on the size of the vessel and the area in which the vessel operates. A complete list of requirements is available here. An approved personal flotation device (PFD) must be provided for each person on board. It is compulsory to wear a PFD in any recreational motor boat or motor-propelled tender that is under six metres in length and is under power.

Prohibited Areas for Navigation:
Some areas within Tasmania are closed to navigation of any kind. An up-to-date list of these areas may be found here.

Speed Limits:
The following speed limits exist for recreational vessels in Tasmania and on-the-spot fines can be issued to offenders.

• No boat shall exceed a speed of 5 knots when within 60 metres of a wharf, jetty, mooring, the shoreline or other boat.
• No boat shall exceed a speed of 5 knots when within 120 metres of a person swimming, a person diving (displaying the A flag) or a person wading in the water.
• There are also a number of designated areas around the state where a speed limit of 5 knots exists. These areas are normally around popular swimming beaches where MAST has previously encountered dangerous behaviour from PWC and boat operators in close proximity to swimmers.

A complete list of restricted speed zones may be found here.

Special Inland Fisheries Regulations:
The Tasmanian Inland Fisheries Service also has specific boating regulations for some waters, but these restrictions only apply to the fishing activity.

• Fishing from a boat within 100 metres of an angler fishing from the shore is prohibited unless the boat is securely moored.
• Lakes Lea, Bantic, Garcia, Bellinger, Ashford and Ada Lagoon - a boat must only be rowed.
• Lake Leake - a boat must only be rowed except if using an electric motor while fishing from a boat (ie trolling).
• Lakes Botsford, Dudley, Carter Lakes, Howes Bay Lagoon, East Rocky and Rocky lagoons, and all lagoons between the track from Augusta Dam to the former Lake Augusta and the James River, and Middle Myrtle Pond - no fishing from a boat.
• Penstock and Little Pine lagoons - no trolling of flies from a boat.
• Brumbys Creek and its tributaries - no fishing from a boat (except the ponds immediately above No's 1 and 3 weirs where fishing from a stationary boat is permitted).
• Curries River Dam - only electric outboards can be used when either fishing or travelling on this water. Other non-fishing rules apply to boats on this water.
• Middle Myrtle Pond - no person can take fish whilst floating with the aid of any device that provides buoyancy such as a float tube or pontoon boat.

Tide Information:
Predicted tidal information for Tasmania is available from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology here.