Updated July 2026
Arkansas Wakesurfing Rules
What the rule says
Arkansas has no statewide wakesurfing-specific regulation. General law prohibits operating a motorboat so as to create a hazardous wash or wake, requires no-wake (under 5 mph) within 100 feet of docks, piers, anchored boats or structures, and requires a PFD for anyone wakesurfing or being towed. There are no statewide wake-surf distance/depth/acreage thresholds.
Source: Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The linked statute or agency page is the authority — wake-sport law is changing quickly in many states, so confirm there before you ride.
Statewide rules are the floor, not the whole picture
Individual lakes routinely add stricter limits on top of the state rule — no-wake zones, time-of-day windows, horsepower caps, and wider shoreline setbacks are all set locally by counties, lake districts, and land managers. Check the local authority for the specific water before launching.
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