Specific Requirements

There are additional requirements based on how long your boat is. If you have a boat 26’ or longer, you must have a written garbage placard and an oil discharge placard “prominently posted” to remind you and your crew what can be thrown overboard and what can’t. The placards must be permanently attached, be made of durable material, and must be at least 4X9 inches in size. Great Lakes boaters must display a garbage placard specifically designed for the Great lakes. Shown below, these stickers are available from most boating supply stores.

If your boat is 40’ or longer, you must also have a written waste management plan, stating how you deal with the collected waste onboard, who handles it, and where it is disposed. This can be as short as one paragraph. We recommend that you keep your plan in your onboard ships papers. Click here for a sample waste management plan.