Probable Cause
[Table 5.9]

 

State

Does state law require probable cause for marine officers to stop a vessel?

Other, please specify

Does state law require probable cause for marine officers to board a vessel?

Other, please specify

Alabama

Other, please specify 

Under BUI statutes-yes to a point; no-equip & saf  

 

 

Alaska

No 

 

Yes 

 

American Samoa

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Arizona

No 

 

Yes 

 

Arkansas

No 

 

No 

 

Australia

 

 

 

 

British Columbia

 

 

 

 

California

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Colorado

No 

 

No 

 

Connecticut

No 

 

No 

 

Delaware

No 

 

No 

 

District of Columbia

No 

 

No 

 

Florida

No 

 

No 

 

Georgia

No 

 

No 

 

Guam

No 

 

No 

 

Hawaii

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Idaho

No 

 

No 

 

Illinois

No  

 

No  

 

Indiana

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Iowa

No 

 

No 

 

Kansas

No 

 

Other, please specify 

No if the boat is mobile, yes if moored to a dock 

Kentucky

No 

 

No 

 

Louisiana

Other, please specify 

only on a DWI 

No 

 

Maine

No 

 

No 

 

Manitoba (Canada)

 

 

 

 

Maryland

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Massachusetts

No 

 

No 

 

Michigan

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Minnesota

Other, please specify 

Articulable reason 

Other, please specify 

Officers may not board 

Mississippi

No 

 

No 

 

Missouri

Yes 

Yes, except to check for safety equipment. 

yes 

Except to check for safety equipment. 

Montana

No 

 

No 

 

Nebraska

No 

 

No 

 

Nevada

Other, please specify 

No but we use this requirement anyway 

Other, please specify 

not in state law, but policy 

New Hampshire

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

New Jersey

 

 

Other, please specify 

Reasonable suspicion 

New Mexico

No 

 

No 

 

New York

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

North Carolina

No 

 

No 

 

North Dakota

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Northern Mariana Islands

No 

 

No 

 

Ohio

No 

 

No 

 

Oklahoma

No 

 

No 

 

Ontario (Canada)

 

 

 

 

Oregon

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Pennsylvania

No 

 

No 

 

Puerto Rico

Other, please specify 

a vessel can be stop randomly for safety equipment 

Yes 

 

Quebec (Canada)

 

 

 

 

Rhode Island

No 

 

No 

 

South Carolina

No 

 

No 

 

South Dakota

No 

 

No 

 

Tennessee

No 

 

No 

 

Texas

No 

 

No 

 

Utah

No 

 

No 

 

Vermont

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Virgin Islands

 

 

 

 

Virginia

No 

 

Yes 

 

Washington

No 

 

 

 

West Virginia

Yes 

 

Yes 

 

Wisconsin

No 

 

Yes 

 

Wyoming

No 

 

No