Table Of State Liability Laws

NOTE: This chart is meant only as a guide. Statutes are frequently amended and changed. Always be sure to check the current status of your state's laws.

This information was originally collected by IMBA then expanded by American Whitewater. Data provided via private research, correspondence, and assistance from IMBA and American Association for Horsemanship Safety (AAHS) & the University of Texas

Individual state links will take you to the American Whitewater website

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Clarification of terms used in this table.

Credits and Appreciation.

STATE YEAR PASSED DUTY TO KEEP SAFE DUTY TO WARN ASSURANCE OF SAFETY LIABILITY FOR MISCONDUCT WILFUL/ WANTON PROTECTION LOST IF FEE CHARGED

Alabama

Alabama Code §35-15-1 1965, 1981 No No No Yes No, if use of land is non-commercial

Alaska

Alaska Stat. §09.65.200 1980 Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified Yes Yes

Arizona

Arizona Rev. Stat. Ann. §33-1551 1983 Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified Yes Yes

Arkansas

Arkansas Stat. Ann. §18-11-301 1965, 1983, 1991 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

California

California Govt. Code §2-2-3-2-846 1963, 1988 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Colorado

Colorado Rev. Stat. §33-41-101 1963, 1970 Not Specified Not Specified No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Connecticut

Connecticut Gen. Stat. §52-557(f) 1971, 1990 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Delaware

Delaware Code Ann. §7-VI-5901 1953 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Florida

Florida State. Ann. §XXVIII-375.251 1963 No No No Yes Yes

Georgia

Georgia Code Ann. §51-3-20 1965 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Hawaii

Hawaii Rev. Stat. §3-28-520-1 1969 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Idaho

Idaho Code §36-16 1976, 1988 No No No Not Specified Yes

Illinois

Illinois Ann. Stat. §745-65-1 1965 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Indiana

Indiana Code Ann. §14-22-10 1969, 1995, 1998 No, for recreation trails; not specified for other locations. Not Specified No Yes Yes

Iowa

Iowa Code Ann. §XI-2-461(C) 1967 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Kansas

Kansas Stat. Ann. §58-3201 1965, 1988 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Kentucky

Kentucky Rev. Stat. Ann. §XXXVI-411-190 1968, 2000 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Louisiana

Louisiana Rev. Stat. Ann. §9-III-V-2-2791 & 2795 1964, 1989 No No No Yes Yes

Maine

Maine Rev. Stat. Ann. §14-1-7-159(A) 1979, 1995 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Maryland

Maryland Nat. Res. Code Ann. §5-1101 1957, 1998 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Massachusetts

Massachusetts Gen. Law Ann. §I-21-17(C) 1972 Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified Yes Yes, but voluntary payments are allowed

Michigan

Michigan Comp. Laws Ann. §13.1485{UNVERIFIED} 1953 Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified Yes Yes, but may charge a fee for "U-Pick" crops & not lose immunity

Minnesota

Minnesota Stat. Ann. §604(A)20 1961, 1994 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Mississippi

Mississippi Code Ann. §89-2-1 1978, 1986 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Missouri

Missouri §XXXVI-537.345 1983 No No No Yes Yes

Montana

Montana Rev. Code Ann. §70-16-301 1965, 1995 No Not Specified No Yes Yes

Nebraska

Nebraska Rev. Stat. §37-730 1965, 1998 No No No Yes Yes, except can charge group rates & not lose immunity

Nevada

Nevada Rev. Stat. §41.510 1963, 1995 No No No Yes Yes

New Hampshire

New Hampshire Rev. Stat. Ann. §XVIII-212-34 1961, 1982 No No No Yes Yes, but may charge a fee for "U-Pick" crops & not lose immunity

New Jersey

New Jersey Stat. Ann. §13-1(B)B-15-133 1968, 1984 No No No Yes Yes

New Mexico

New Mexico Stat. Ann. §17-4-7; §66-3-1013; §16-3-9 1973 No Not Specified No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

New York

New York Gen. Oblig. Law §9-103 1963 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

North Carolina

North Carolina Gen. Stat. §113(A)-6-95 1987 Trails Act, 1993 Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified Only applies to trails & not other uses of land

North Dakota

North Dakota Cent. Code §53-08-1 1965, 1993 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Ohio

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §XV-33-18 1963, 1995 No Not Specified No Not Specified Yes

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Stat. Ann. Title §76-10 1965, 1994 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Oregon

Oregon Rev. Stat. §105.672 1971, 1995 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Stat. Ann. §68-11-477 1965 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Rhode Island

Rhode Island Gen. Law §32-6-1 1978 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

South Carolina

South Carolina Code Ann. §27-3-10 1962 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

South Dakota

South Dakota Comp. Laws Ann. §20-9-11 1966, 1990 No No No Yes Yes, but nonmonetary gifts up to $100 allowed

Tennessee

Tennessee Code Ann. §11-10-101 1988 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Texas

Texas Stat. & Codes §4-75.001 1965, 1999 No Not specified No Yes No. Revenue from charges may not exceed 2x prop. taxes

Utah

Utah Code Ann. §57-14-1 1971, 1997 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

Vermont

Vermont Stat. Ann. §10-020-441 & §12-5791 1967, 1993 No Not Specified No Yes Yes

Virginia

Virginia Code §29.1-509 1950 No No No Yes Yes, but may charge fees to maintain the land & not lose immunity

Washington

Washington Rev. Code Ann. §4-24.200 1967, 1997 Not Specified Not Specified Not Specified Yes Yes, but may charge for cutting firewood & not lose immunity

West Virginia

West Virginia Code §19-25-1 1965 No No No Yes Yes

Wisconsin

Wisconsin Stat. Ann. §895.52 1963, 1995 No No No Not Specified No, so long as total revenues don't exceed $2000 annually

Wyoming

Wyoming Stat. Ann. §34-19-101 1965 No No No Yes Yes, but fees from land leased to public agency allowed

CLARIFICATION OF TERMS:

YEAR PASSED: When was the recreational use statute passed or modified?

DUTY TO KEEP SAFE: Does the owner owe a duty of care to keep their premises safe for entry and use by others for recreational purposes?

DUTY TO WARN: Does the owner owe any duty to warn visitors of hazardous conditions, structures, or activities on their property to persons entering for recreational purposes?

ASSURANCE OF SAFETY: Does the owner who gives permission to another for recreational activities on their property thereby extend any assurance that the premises are safe?

LIABILITY FOR MISCONDUCT WILFUL/WANTON: Does the statute limit the landowner's liability for wilful or malicious failure to guard or warn against known dangerous conditions, uses, structures, or activities?

PROTECTION LOST IF FEE CHARGED: Does the statute limit the landowner's liability for injuries suffered in any case where access permission is granted for commercial enterprise or profit? In other words, does the landowner lose their protection under the statute if they charge an access fee?

Source:
Liability and Immunity: A National Assessment of Landowner Risk for Recreational Injuries; Ronald A. Kaiser & Brett A. Wright Envrionmental Policy Group, Texas A&M University, Department of Recreation, Park & Tourism Sciences

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