Wake-Boat Rules · No wake-surf-specific rule
Missouri Wakesurf & Wake-Boat Rules
Missouri has no statewide wakesurfing-specific law; wake surfing falls under the general definition of skiing/towed activity. Boaters must hold slow/no-wake speed within 100 feet of docks, piers, occupied anchored boats and buoyed restricted areas, and a 2018 law allows cove-width-based no-wake restrictions for large vessels. No wake-surf-specific distance/depth/acreage thresholds exist statewide.
Missouri has no statewide wakesurfing-specific law; wake surfing falls under the general definition of skiing/towed activity. Boaters must hold slow/no-wake speed within 100 feet of docks, piers, occupied anchored boats and buoyed restricted areas, and a 2018 law allows cove-width-based no-wake restrictions for large vessels. No wake-surf-specific distance/depth/acreage thresholds exist statewide.
Wake-boat rules change often and vary by individual lake. Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division is the governing authority — confirm the current regulation before you ride. This summary is informational, not legal advice.
Source: Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division. Specifications reflect published figures and can change by model year — verify before purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
No wake-surf-specific rule. Missouri has no statewide wakesurfing-specific law; wake surfing falls under the general definition of skiing/towed activity. Boaters must hold slow/no-wake speed within 100 feet of docks, piers, occupied anchored boats and buoyed restricted areas, and a 2018 law allows cove-width-based no-wake restrictions for large vessels. No wake-surf-specific distance/depth/acreage thresholds exist statewide.
Missouri does not publish a single statewide distance-from-shore figure for wake boats — distances are set locally. Missouri State Highway Patrol, Water Patrol Division is the authority.