Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Personal Flotation Devices (Life Jackets)

All vessels must be equipped with U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jackets called personal flotation devices or PFDs. The quantity and type depend on the length of your vessel and the number of people on board and/or being towed. Each PFD must be in good condition, the proper size for the intended wearer and readily accessible. You must be able to put on the PFD in a reasonable amount of time in an emergency. PFDs should not be kept in plastic bags, locked in closed compartments, or hidden under stowed gear.

Whenever a vessel is on the water, operators should ask everyone on board to wear a PFD. PFDs can save lives but only if they are worn!

Others who should wear PFDs (life jackets) include:

Anyone boating at night
All persons during rough weather
Persons who cannot swim
Persons boating in cold water
Hunters and anglers

PFD Requirements (625 ILCS 45/4-1)

All vessels must have at least one USCG–approved Type I, II, or III PFD for each person on board and being towed. All vessels 16 feet or longer, except canoes and kayaks, also must carry one USCG–approved Type IV throwable device.
All children under the age of 13 must wear a PFD on vessels less than 26 feet in length when underway, unless they are below decks in an enclosed cabin.
A personal watercraft may not be operated unless each person on board is wearing a USCG–approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD.
Sailboarders are exempt from PFD requirements but are encouraged to wear a PFD.
Type V PFDs may be substituted for a Type I, II, or III if the Type V PFD is approved for the activity for which it is being used.
All PFDs must be in good and serviceable condition and readily accessible. The PFDs must be of the proper size for the intended wearer. Sizing for PFDs is based on body weight and chest size.

PFD Descriptions	Illustrations
TYPE I: Offshore Life Jackets These vests are geared for rough or remote waters where rescue may take awhile. They provide the most buoyancy, are excellent for flotation, and will turn most unconscious persons face up in the water.
TYPE II: Near-Shore Vests These vests are good for calm waters when quick assistance or rescue is likely. Type II vests will turn some unconscious wearers face up in the water, but the turning is not as pronounced as with a Type I.
TYPE III: Flotation Aids These vests or full-sleeved jackets are good for calm waters when quick assistance or rescue is likely. They are not recommended for rough waters since they will not turn most unconscious persons face up. Type III PFDs are used for water sports such as water-skiing. Some Type III PFDs are designed to inflate when you enter the water.
TYPE IV: Throwable Devices/Not Wearable These cushions and ring buoys are designed to be thrown to someone in trouble. Since a Type IV PFD is not designed to be worn, it is neither for rough waters nor for persons who are unable to hold onto it.
TYPE V: Special-Use Devices These vests, deck suits, hybrid PFDs, and others are designed for specific activities such as windsurfing, kayaking, or water-skiing. Some Type V PFDs are designed to inflate when you enter the water. To be acceptable, Type V PFDs must be worn and used in accordance with their label.