It is against the law in Missouri to drive a boat while drunk or intoxicated. The punishment depends on how many times a person has done it before and whether anyone got hurt. First-time offenders face a minor charge, but repeat offenders or those who hurt or kill someone face much more serious charges, up to a felony. Judges are limited in how lenient they can be — for example, repeat offenders must serve real jail time before they can get parole or probation.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
577.013. Boating while — . — 1. A person commits the of boating while intoxicated if he or she operates a while in an .
2. The offense of boating while intoxicated is:
(1) A ;
(2) A if:
(a) The is a ; or
(b) A person less than seventeen years of age is present in the vessel;
(3) A if:
(a) The defendant is a ; or
(b) While boating while intoxicated, the defendant acts with to cause to another person;
(4) A if:
(a) The defendant is an ;
(b) While boating while intoxicated, the defendant acts with criminal negligence to cause physical injury to a or emergency personnel; or
(c) While boating while intoxicated, the defendant acts with criminal negligence to cause to another person;
(5) A if:
(a) The defendant is a ;
(b) While boating while intoxicated, the defendant acts with criminal negligence to cause serious physical injury to a law enforcement officer or emergency personnel; or
(c) While boating while intoxicated, the defendant acts with criminal negligence to cause the death of another person;
(6) A if:
(a) The defendant is a ; or
(b) While boating while intoxicated, the defendant acts with criminal negligence to cause the death of a law enforcement officer or emergency personnel;
(7) A if the defendant is a as a result of being of an act described under paragraph (d) of (12) of section 577.001 and is found guilty of a of such paragraph.
3. the of 2 of this section, a person found guilty of the offense of boating while intoxicated as a first offense shall not be granted a :
(1) Unless such person shall be placed on for a minimum of two years; or
(2) In a where a or created under section 478.007 or other is available, and where the offense was committed with fifteen-hundredths of one percent or more of alcohol in such person's blood, unless the individual participates in and successfully completes a program under such DWI court or docket or other court-ordered treatment program.
4. If a person is found guilty of a second or subsequent offense of boating while intoxicated, the court may the person to submit to a period of or verifiable breath alcohol testing performed a minimum of four times per day as a condition of probation.
5. If a person is not granted a suspended imposition of sentence for the reasons described in subsection 3 of this section:
(1) If the individual operated the vessel with fifteen-hundredths to twenty-hundredths of one percent by weight of alcohol in such person's blood, the required term of imprisonment shall be not less than forty-eight hours;
(2) If the individual operated the vessel with greater than twenty-hundredths of one percent by weight of alcohol in such person's blood, the required term of imprisonment shall be not less than five days.
6. A person found guilty of the offense of boating while intoxicated:
(1) As a prior boating offender, persistent boating offender, aggravated boating offender, chronic boating offender or habitual boating offender shall not be granted a suspended imposition of sentence or be sentenced to pay a a term of imprisonment, section 557.011 to the contrary notwithstanding;
(2) As a prior boating offender shall not be granted or probation until he or she has a minimum of ten days imprisonment:
(a) Unless as a condition of such parole or probation such person performs at least two hundred forty hours of under the supervision of the court in those jurisdictions which have a program for community service; or
(b) The participates in and successfully completes a program established under section 478.007 or other court-ordered treatment program, if available;
(3) As a shall not be eligible for parole or probation until he or she has served a minimum of thirty days imprisonment:
(a) Unless as a condition of such parole or probation such person performs at least four hundred eighty hours of community service under the supervision of the court in those jurisdictions which have a recognized program for community service; or
(b) The offender participates in and successfully completes a program established under section 478.007 or other court-ordered treatment program, if available;
(4) As an aggravated boating offender shall not be eligible for parole or probation until he or she has served a minimum of sixty days imprisonment;
(5) As a chronic or habitual boating offender shall not be eligible for parole or probation until he or she has served a minimum of two years imprisonment; and
(6) Any probation or parole granted under this subsection may include a period of continuous alcohol monitoring or verifiable breath alcohol testing performed a minimum of four times per day.
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Source & history notes
(L. 2014 S.B. 491, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1371, A.L. 2015 S.B. 254, A.L. 2016 H.B. 2332) Effective 1-01-17
Related Missouri laws
Boating with excessive blood alcohol content
RSMo 577.014
Driving with excessive blood alcohol content
RSMo 577.012
Operating an aircraft while intoxicated
RSMo 577.015
Operating an aircraft with excessive blood alcohol content
RSMo 577.016
Driving while intoxicated
RSMo 577.010
Consumption of alcoholic beverages while driving
RSMo 577.017
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.