Do You Need a License to Rent a Jet Ski in Chicago?
What ID you actually need at the dock, age rules, and how training works.
No boating license is required to rent a jet ski from Skyline Jetski in Chicago, and you do not need a driver's license to operate one. What you do need is to be at least 18 years old with a physical government-issued photo ID.
What you must bring
- A physical government-issued photo ID — photos or digital copies are not accepted.
- The credit card used to make the reservation, for the dock deposit.
- A signed liability waiver, completed before departure.
Age and passenger rules
Operators must be 18 or older. Passengers must be at least 42 inches tall and cannot sit in front of the driver, and combined rider weight is capped at 375 lbs per jet ski.
Training replaces experience
Every operator gets in-person training at Diversey Harbor before leaving: starting and steering the WaveRunner, re-boarding, the safety lanyard, the ride area boundaries, and lake rules. That is why first-timers make up most of our riders.
Ready to ride Lake Michigan?
Yamaha WaveRunners at Diversey Harbor — A Dock, fuel and life jackets included.
Ready to ride Chicago?
Yamaha WaveRunners at Diversey Harbor, from $100. Pick your date and time in a couple of taps.