New Jersey: Boat Motor Rules by Lake
4 electric-only · 1 no-motor · 4 hp-limit · 3 zoned lakes in our database
Quick answer
New Jersey sets motor rules lake by lake, not statewide. Recreational boating in New Jersey is governed by the state Boat Act (N.J.S.A. 12:7) and the boating regulations adopted through the New Jersey Boat Regulation Commission (N.J.A.C. 13:82), enforced statewide by the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau. Lakes under the DEP State Park Service are additionally governed by the State Park Service Code (N.J.A.C. 7:2), which prohibits gasoline power boats and motorized jet skis on non-tidal park waters except on specifically named lakes. Where no water-specific rule appears in N.J.A.C. 13:82-3 or the park code, statewide defaults apply: safe-speed operation (N.J.S.A. 12:7-45; N.J.A.C. 13:82-1.7(a)), slow speed/no wake when passing within 200 feet of marinas, piers, docks and wharves (N.J.A.C. 13:82-1.7(b)), and personal watercraft restrictions under N.J.S.A. 12:7-63. Every lake below links to the official rule it summarizes, with a verification date.
How New Jersey's restricted lakes split
- No motors 1
- Electric only 4
- HP limit 4
- Zoned 3
Who regulates New Jersey lakes
- New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau
- New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection State Park Service
N.J.A.C. 7:2-8.2(a) bars operating a power boat or motorized jet ski on non-tidal waters under State Park Service jurisdiction; electric-powered boats are allowed everywhere, and power boats/jet skis are excepted only on Cranberry Lake, Greenwood Lake, Lake Hopatcong and Lake Musconetcong. N.J.A.C. 7:2-8.3(b) limits motors to 10 horsepower on the Spruce Run, Round Valley and Monksville reservoirs, where jet skis are separately banned by 7:2-8.2(b). Water-specific speed, horsepower, hours and zone rules for individual lakes (Deal Lake, Lake Grinnell, Grover's Mill Pond, Lake Mohawk, Lake Hopatcong, Budd Lake, Greenwood Lake, Cranberry Lake, Upper Greenwood Lake and others) are codified at N.J.A.C. 13:82-3.1 through 3.21. Statewide, all vessels must slow to slow speed/no wake when passing within 200 feet of any marina, pier, dock or wharf (N.J.A.C. 13:82-1.7(b)). Personal watercraft may not operate between sunset and sunrise and must hold minimum headway speed within 100 feet of shorelines, swim-area buoys, persons in the water or residential dwellings (N.J.S.A. 12:7-63), and operators of power vessels including PWC need a boat safety certificate (N.J.S.A. 12:7-61). DEP Fish & Wildlife's Places to Fish tables publish per-lake outboard-motor codes (electric only, 9.9 hp max, unlimited, or none) for publicly fishable waters.
Motor restrictions on New Jersey lakes
Click a column header to sort. Every row links to a full rules page with the official source.
| Lake | Motor rule | HP limit | Acres | County | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budd Lake | Zoned Restrictions | — | 376 | Morris | |
| Greenwood Lake | Zoned Restrictions | — | 1,911 | Passaic | |
| Grover's Mill Pond | 7.5 HP limit | 7.5 | 31 | Mercer | |
| Lake Grinnell | 40 HP limit | 40 | — | Sussex | |
| Lake Marcia | No Motors Allowed | — | 20 | Sussex | |
| Lake Mohawk | Zoned Restrictions | — | — | Sussex | |
| Parvin Lake | Electric Motors Only | — | 93 | Salem | |
| Round Valley Reservoir | 10 HP limit | 10 | 2,271 | Hunterdon | |
| Shepherd Lake | Electric Motors Only | — | 74 | Passaic | |
| Spruce Run Reservoir | 10 HP limit | 10 | 1,290 | Hunterdon | |
| Swartswood Lake | Electric Motors Only | — | 519 | Sussex | |
| Wawayanda Lake | Electric Motors Only | — | 248 | Sussex |
Browse by restriction type
Frequently asked questions
Who sets lake motor rules in New Jersey?
New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection State Park Service set and publish boating restrictions for New Jersey waters, and counties or cities can layer local ordinances on top. In short: Recreational boating in New Jersey is governed by the state Boat Act (N.J.S.A. 12:7) and the boating regulations adopted through the New Jersey Boat Regulation Commission (N.J.A.C. 13:82), enforced statewide by the New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau. Lakes under the DEP State Park Service are additionally governed by the State Park Service Code (N.J.A.C. 7:2), which prohibits gasoline power boats and motorized jet skis on non-tidal park waters except on specifically named lakes. Where no water-specific rule appears in N.J.A.C. 13:82-3 or the park code, statewide defaults apply: safe-speed operation (N.J.S.A. 12:7-45; N.J.A.C. 13:82-1.7(a)), slow speed/no wake when passing within 200 feet of marinas, piers, docks and wharves (N.J.A.C. 13:82-1.7(b)), and personal watercraft restrictions under N.J.S.A. 12:7-63.
Are lakes electric-only by default in New Jersey?
Not statewide, but many managed lakes are. Our New Jersey database currently lists 4 electric-only lakes. Agency-owned fishing lakes are the most common electric-only waters; large reservoirs usually allow gas motors. Each lake page cites the exact rule.
How do I find rules for a lake not listed here?
Go straight to the agency: New Jersey State Police Marine Services Bureau (https://njsp.njoag.gov/marine-services/); New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection State Park Service (https://dep.nj.gov/parksandforests/). Search the lake name plus "boating regulations", or call the district office for the county. Our guide on who regulates your lake explains which agency to try first.
About this data
Each lake page cites the official regulation it summarizes (agency link and document type) and shows its own verification date. Data vintage: oldest verification .
Boating across state lines? Neighboring pages in our coverage loop: Missouri lake motor rules and New York lake motor rules — same format, same official-source standard.