Wake Watch: The Status of Midwest Wake Boat Laws
Exploring the hot topic of wake ordinances? We built a snapshot of what's in motion across the Midwest and go into further detail about a few specific states in our blog posts.
Last verified: November 10, 2026
Michigan
Statewide wake boat law: none. Pending: SB 812.
State law
None specific to wake boats. They remain regulated like any other motorboat.
[Guidance] DNR Fisheries Report 37 (2023): recommends wake-surfing and wake-boarding modes stay 500 feet from docks or shore and in at least 15 feet of water, and that ballast be drained before being trailered.
[Guidance] Communication with Fisheries Division regarding messaging for wake boats that include appropriate depths and shore distance (April 27, 2026 Meeting Minutes).
Legislation
[Pending bill] Michigan Senate Bill 812 (SB 0812) was introduced in February 2026 to legally "define and regulate" wake boats and their wake-enhancing equipment. It was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture. No updates listed since the Feb 26, 2026 referral.
SB 812 text: would bar wake sport mode in water under 20 feet deep and within 500 feet of shore, docks, rafts, swim areas or moored vessels. See also Michigan SB 812: The Status of State Wake Boat Legislation.
[Failed bill] House Bill 5532 (2024): same 500-foot and 20-foot limits. Introduced February 29, 2024, sent to committee and no action was ever taken.
Local rules
Local governments must request a local watercraft control from the DNR, which investigates and decides. The Michigan Lakes and Streams Association has written that this process does not allow rules aimed at one type of boat (2017) and that a township wake boat ordinance would likely be challenged (2023).
Minnesota
Statewide wake boat law: none. Local: one lake with a wake surfing ordinance.
State law
None specific to wake boats.
[Guidance] "Own Your Wake" (Statewide). The DNR's July 2, 2026 release recommends 200 feet from shore for all boats and says wake boats should operate farther out, in deep, open water.
Legislation
[Pending bill] SF 95: would require a DNR rule banning ballast use for wake surfing on the Mississippi River in Hennepin and Anoka counties. Referred to committee Jan 16, 2025, no action since.
[Failed bill] SF 4499 / HF 4800 (2022): the same Mississippi River rule as SF 95.
[Failed bill] HF 1606 / SF 1639 (2021): 200 feet from shore, no wake surfing on lakes under 50 acres.
[Failed bill] SF 3624 / HF 3770 (2020): 200 feet from shore.
Local rules
[Local ordinance] Caribou Lake (Cook County): the DNR-approved ordinance bans wake surfing within 500 feet of shore or another watercraft and in water under 20 feet deep, and bans wake enhancement by ballast. It is the only Minnesota lake with such an ordinance (Forest Lake Times, August 2026).
[Local ordinance] Lake Minnetonka: the 2022 rule, adopted in response to large wakes, sets 5 mph within 300 feet of shore for all boats. On April 22, 2026 the district declined a 600-foot wake boat rule and kept 300 feet (Sun Sailor).
[Guidance] Bald Eagle Lake: Safe Wake Maps show recommended areas at least 500 feet from shore and 20 feet deep.
[Proposal] Becker County: in August 2026 the county board declined to ban wake surfing on Pickerel Lake, though a majority signaled it would consider a 300-foot limit. A Fox Lake petition for a wake boat ban dates from 2025.
[Proposal] Morrison County: in November 2026 the county received a petition from the Green Prairie Fish Lake Association to prohibit wake-enhancement mode. It went to the county attorney for review.
Local surface use zoning: local governments set wake rules with DNR approval.
Wisconsin
Statewide wake boat law: none. Four bills failed in March 2026. Local: 84 or more ordinances.
State law
No stance. No statute addresses wake-enhanced boating, so it is allowed wherever a motorboat may legally make a wake unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
Legislation
[Failed bill] SB 1024 and its companion AB 1045 (500 feet, 20 feet deep, local control, civil immunity for local governments): failed March 2026.
[Failed bill] AB 1033 and the Senate version, SB 1025 (shore setback, no depth limit): AB 1033 was amended to 300 feet and passed the Assembly on February 19, 2026, but the Senate did not concur. Both failed March 2026.
Local rules
[Law] Up to local bodies to adopt ordinances that regulate boating under certain circumstances (Wis. Stat. 30.77, preserved in s. 30.66(3)(ag)3).
[Local ordinance] 84 local ordinances restricted or banned wake-enhanced boating as of early May 2026, per an advocacy group's count (news report). More have passed since.
[Local ordinance] Village of Elkhart Lake, Ordinance 669 (November 2025): bans ballast tanks, ballast bags and fins used to enhance a wake. Fines are $500, then $1,000.
[Local ordinance] City of Tomahawk, Ordinance 2026-06 (adopted September 1, 2026, 6 to 2): covers Lake Mohawksin and the Wisconsin and Tomahawk river segments in the city. The Town of Bradley approved a matching ordinance later that month.
[Lawsuit] Town of Scott (Burnett County): a federal judge dismissed the suit on July 17, 2026 for lack of standing. The ordinance stands, but the court did not rule on whether it is lawful.
[Lawsuit] Village of Elkhart Lake: a watersports group filed a federal suit in April 2026 calling Ordinance 669 an unconstitutional ban. As of late July 2026, two suits against Wisconsin communities were pending with motions to dismiss.
Illinois
Statewide wake boat law: none. Local: one city lake with a wake surfing ordinance.
State law
Boat Registration and Safety Act (625 ILCS 45). State law does not distinguish between a standard boat wake and an artificially enhanced wake. The Act's wake definition is in 625 ILCS 45/5-12.
Local rules
[Local ordinance] Lake Mattoon (City of Mattoon): on April 21, 2026 the city council voted 3 to 2 to limit wake surfing in 2026 to areas at least 600 feet from shore and 15 feet deep, and to ban it from 2027 (WCIA, April 22, 2026). The change followed a city wake boat advisory committee. A speaker at the meeting said opponents would pursue legal action.
Iowa
Statewide wake boat law: no distance or depth rule. Only two statewide rules name wakesurfing explicitly.
State law
IAC 571—37.6: no wakesurfing or towing from a half hour after sunset to sunrise. Wakesurfers must wear a non-inflatable Coast Guard-approved life jacket at all times.
As watersports enthusiasts who are highly invested in our local communuty, our hope is to keep this page updated with the latest developments in midwest wake activity. However, due to the fragmented and seasonal nature of legislative sessions, local advocacy, hearings, and hyperlocal ordinances, some of the information above may be out of date.