Boats, Boating

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 69, Chapter 9, relative to the moorage of vessels.

Crime

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Hatcher, Littleton
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify penalties for violations of this act.

Rules for Boats in Tennessee

This law makes it illegal to leave a boat tied up at one spot on a lake or within one mile of its edge for more than two weeks without special permission and sets rules about where boats can be moored.

What This Bill Does

Makes it against the law to tie up a boat in one place along the water's edge of a reservoir or within one mile of the water's edge for more than 14 days unless you have federal permission.
Doesn't allow setting up temporary places to tie boats inside main and secondary navigation channels of the Tennessee River system.
Stops people from tying their boats in ways that block other boats from getting into parts of lakes.

Who It Names or Affects

People who own or use recreational boats on Tennessee's lakes and rivers.

Terms To Know

Recreational vessel: A boat made for fun, not work.
Reservoir: A lake or pond that holds water behind a dam and is managed by the government.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not specify what happens if someone breaks these rules.
It's unclear how this will be enforced on large lakes with many boats.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA0778

Amendment 1-0 to HB1786

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules about where and how long boats can be moored in Tennessee's waters.

Boat operators cannot moor their vessels for more than 14 consecutive days at any one place along a reservoir or within one mile of it.
Operators are not allowed to establish temporary moorage within primary or secondary navigation channels of the Tennessee River system.
It is prohibited to block boating access by placing mooring lines in a way that hinders boat movement.

The amendment text does not specify penalties for violations other than those listed under (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(3).

SA0695

Amendment 1-0 to SB1725

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules about where and how long boats can be moored in Tennessee's waters.

Boat operators cannot moor their vessels for more than 14 consecutive days at any one place along a reservoir or within one mile of it.
Operators are not allowed to establish temporary moorage within primary or secondary navigation channels of the Tennessee River system.
It is prohibited to block boating access by placing mooring lines in a way that hinders boat movement.

The amendment text does not specify penalties for violations other than those listed under (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(3).

Bill History

2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 71, Nays 15, PNV 7
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0778)
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/24/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0695)
2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee to 3/11/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/4/2026
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) withdrawn.
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor change.
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill creates a Class C misdemeanor offense for an operator of a recreational vessel who engages in any of the following:



Mooring the vessel for more than 14 consecutive days at any one place along the water's edge of a reservoir or at any place within one mile of the water's edge. However, it is not a violation if the recreational vessel has been issued a permit for permanent or extended mooring pursuant to federal law.



Establishing temporary moorage within the limits of primary or secondary navigation channels of the Tennessee River system.



Placing the mooring lines of the vessel in such a way as to block or hinder boating access to any part of a reservoir.

ON MARCH 16, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1725, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 m
akes a technical clarification and adds that it is not a violation of the 14-day limit on mooring in particular locations if the vessel is temporarily or permanently secured at a marina slip, dock, or other recreational docking facility.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 1786
By Littleton

SENATE BILL 1725
By Hatcher
SB1725
009305
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 69,
Chapter 9, relative to the moorage of vessels.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 69, Chapter 9, Part 2, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) The operator of a recreational vessel shall not:
(1) Moor the vessel for more than fourteen (14) consecutive days at any
one (1) place along the water's edge of a reservoir or at any place within one (1)
mile of the water's edge;
(2) Establish temporary moorage within the limits of primary or secondary
navigation channels of the Tennessee River system; or
(3) Place the mooring lines of the vessel in such a way as to block or
hinder boating access to any part of a reservoir.
(b) A violation of subdivision (a)(1), (a)(2), or (a)(3) is a Class C misdemeanor.
(c) It is not a violation of subdivision (a)(1) if the recreational vessel has been
issued a permit for permanent or extended mooring pursuant to federal law.
(d) As used in this section:
(1) "Moor" means the act of making fast or securing a recreational vessel
with lines or anchors;
(2) "Recreational vessel" means a vessel manufactured or used primarily
for noncommercial use or leased, rented, or chartered to another for the latter's
noncommercial use;

- 2 - 009305

(3) "Reservoir" means a basin that contains or will contain the water
impounded by a dam and that is under the management and control of a federal
agency; and
(4) "Tennessee River system" means any part of the Tennessee River or
any of the Tennessee River's tributaries that are under the management and
control of a federal agency.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.