How Much Does It Actually Cost to Rent a Jet Ski in Arizona?
The rate, the deposit, the fuel rule and the pass at the ramp — itemized, with the number nobody puts in the listing.
Search what a jet ski costs in Arizona and you get an hourly rate with an asterisk, a “request a quote” button, or a number that quietly leaves out the two things you will definitely pay for. Here is the honest version, itemized, with real published Arizona numbers as of August 2026.
Short version: a full eight-hour day on a Sea-Doo Spark 3UP at Canyon or Saguaro Lake is $319 for the ski, plus a $12 Tonto Pass at the ramp, plus whatever fuel you burn. That is about $361 plus gas. Split across three riders it works out near $120 a head for the whole day. Below is where every dollar goes — and which numbers are not costs at all.
A full day, itemized
This is one ski, picked up at our Apache Junction shop, towed to Canyon or Saguaro Lake, with nothing left out and nothing padded.
| Line item | What it costs | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jet ski, 8 hours | $319 | Flat published rate, per ski. 4 hours is $219, 2 hours is $199. |
| Fuel | You pay what you burn | Never included. Out full, back full — or the cost of fuel plus a $20 refueling fee. |
| Tonto Pass at the ramp | $12 | $8 daily pass + $4 watercraft sticker. |
| Life jackets, tow ropes, tubes, speaker | $0 | All your gear and toys come with the ski. No add-on fees. |
| Hitch, if your vehicle needs one | $20 | Only if you have a receiver but no ball mount. |
| Security deposit | $500 | Not a cost. Refundable, per ski, back the same day. |
The line people miss: the deposit is a hold, not a charge. It is $500 per ski on your card at pickup and it is released the same day the ski comes back in the condition it went out in. Budget for it on your available balance, not in the cost of your day.
Why we quote the rate but not the gas
Fuel is not included on any Wave & Ridge rental, and we would rather say so plainly than bury it. Every ski leaves the shop with a full tank. You bring it back full. If it comes back short, you pay for the fuel plus a $20 refueling fee.
What we will not do is print a fuel estimate, because it would be fiction. Two riders cruising Canyon Lake's inner basin and two riders pinning it all afternoon do not burn remotely the same amount out of the same tank. The rule is fixed and knowable; the number is not. Fill it on the way back at any station on the Apache Trail and the whole question disappears.
What comes with the ski
No add-on fees, no gear package to buy up into.
- USCG-approved life jackets for every rider
- Tow ropes and towable tubes
- Bluetooth speaker
- Safety briefing and walk-through before you leave
- A full tank at pickup (you return it full)
The two discounts worth knowing
There is one standing discount code and one surcharge, and they pull in opposite directions.
Midweek is 10% off. Book Monday through Thursday and the code MIDWEEK takes 10% off. On a full day that is about $35 back per ski. It does not apply Friday, weekends, or holidays.
Holiday weekends carry a 20% surcharge. Memorial Day, the Fourth, Labor Day — the fleet prices 20% above the base rate, and the lakes are at their busiest.
The swing is bigger than the gas: moving a full-day ski from a holiday Saturday to an ordinary Wednesday is the difference between $382.80 and about $287. Same ski, same lake, same eight hours.
The ski costs the same whether one person rides it or three. Almost everything about what a day on the water costs per head comes down to how many people you bring.
The per-person math“Do I need a truck?”
This is the question we get most on the phone, and the answer is less restrictive than people assume. Rentals are pickup-only from 724 E Scenic St in Apache Junction. You hook up at the shop and tow to the lake yourself — we do not deliver, launch, or meet you at the water.
You need a vehicle that can tow, but it does not have to be a truck. If your vehicle has a receiver and no ball mount, we rent you a hitch for $20. If you would rather not tow with your own vehicle at all, we comp $20 of a U-Haul rental on 4-hour and 8-hour bookings. Mileage is not covered, and the comp does not apply to the 2-hour rate.
The tow itself is short. From our lot it is about 26 minutes to Canyon Lake Marina (14.7 miles) and about 30 minutes to Saguaro Lake Marina (20.6 miles) — we are the closest rental shop to both lakes for jet skis.
What it works out to a head
A Spark 3UP seats two to three riders. The rate does not change with the number aboard, so the per-person figure moves a lot.
| Booking | Rate | Two riders | Three riders |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours | $199 | $99.50 | $66.33 |
| 4 hours | $219 | $109.50 | $73.00 |
| Full day, 8 hours | $319 | $159.50 | $106.33 |
| Full day, midweek | $287.10 | $143.55 | $95.70 |
Add the $12 pass and your fuel to any row. Note the jump from two hours to four is only $20 — the 4-hour rate is the value in the lineup, and it is also the shortest booking that qualifies for the U-Haul comp.
What you need to bring
You must be 21 or older to rent and sign the agreement. Operators must be at least 16. Those are our requirements and they sit alongside, not instead of, Arizona state law.
Plan to arrive one hour before your rental start at the shop. That hour covers hookup and loading, life jacket fitting, the walk-through and the safety briefing — it is not taken out of your time on the water. We are open Monday through Saturday, 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and closed Sunday.
On the way back there is a one-hour grace period after your scheduled return. After that the late fee in your signed agreement applies, which is $150 per hour on a jet ski.
If plans change
The cancellation terms are in your booking agreement, and we would rather you read them before you book than after.
Weather is handled differently. If a storm is in the forecast for your day, contact us before you launch and we reschedule at no charge. We call this Weather Protection, and it is a reschedule rather than a refund. Once a rental has launched, conditions on the water are the rider's call — monitor the sky and get off the water if it turns.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to rent a jet ski in Arizona?
At Wave & Ridge the published rates are $199 for 2 hours, $219 for 4 hours and $319 for a full 8-hour day, per ski, picked up in Apache Junction. A refundable $500 deposit is held at pickup and returned the same day.
Is gas included in a jet ski rental?
No. Fuel is never included on any Wave & Ridge rental. Every ski goes out with a full tank and you return it full. If it comes back short, you pay the cost of the fuel plus a $20 refueling fee. Monday-Thursday jet ski and UTV rentals get Weekday Gas on Us: bring it back at any fuel level and we skip the fuel charge. How much you burn is entirely down to how hard you ride, which is why we quote the rate and not a fuel estimate.
Is the $500 deposit part of what the day costs?
No. The $500 per-ski security deposit is refundable and comes back the same day, once the ski is returned in the condition it went out in. Plan for it on your card at pickup, but do not add it to the cost of the day.
Do I need a truck to rent a jet ski?
You need a vehicle that can tow, but it does not need to be a truck. Rentals are pickup-only from our Apache Junction shop and you tow to the lake yourself. If your vehicle has a receiver but no ball mount, we rent you a hitch for $20. If you would rather not use your own vehicle, we comp $20 of a U-Haul rental on 4-hour and 8-hour bookings - mileage is not covered.
How old do you have to be to rent a jet ski?
You must be 21 or older to rent and sign the agreement. Operators must be at least 16. Those are Wave & Ridge's own requirements and they are separate from Arizona state law.
Is it cheaper to rent a jet ski on a weekday?
Yes. Monday through Thursday bookings take 10% off with the code MIDWEEK. It does not apply on Fridays, weekends or holidays, and holiday weekends carry a 20% surcharge instead. On a full day that weekday discount is about $35 a ski.
What happens if I bring it back late?
There is a one-hour grace period after your scheduled return time. After that, the late fee in your signed rental agreement applies, which is $150 per hour on a jet ski.
Published Rates. All Your Gear Included.
$199 for 2 hours, $219 for 4, $319 for a full day. Life jackets, ropes and tubes come with it. Pick up in Apache Junction, tow 26–30 minutes, and go.
See Jet Ski Rates & Availability (480) 637-4848