Abstract: The relevance of the theme of the study is due to the fact that an objective study of the history of formation of legal norms governing the provision of transport safety on water in ancient Russia in the period from the IX – XII centuries, allows to understand the practical significance of this problem to improve the safety of people on water transport. To find out in which documents legal norms regulating safety on water first appeared. The purpose of research is carrying out of the complex analysis of occurrence of the legal norms regulating maintenance of transport safety on water in Ancient Russia, on the basis of objective studying of documentary, archival and scientific materials, using a principle of objectivity and historicism. Object of research are legal documents of Ancient Russia. Subject of research are the legal norms regulating maintenance of transport safety on water in Ancient Russia. When writing the article historical, ideographic, comparative-legal methods have been used. Scientific novelty of article consists in occurrence in Ancient Russia written normative documents containing the norms regulating questions of transport safety on water. For the first time in Russia the written legal document in the form of the international contract regulating various aspects of public relations of Ancient Russia and Byzantium in which the norm regulating transport safety on water objects contains. In addition, the collection of legal norms, Russkaya Pravda, enshrines in writing requirements that did not exist before concerning the need to observe safety on water transport.