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

All vessels must be equipped with life jackets, approved by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), called personal flotation devices or PFDs. The quantity and type depends 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 very importantly, must be readily accessible! Readily accessible means you must be able to put the PFD on in a reasonable amount of time in an emergency (vessel sinking, on fire, etc.). PFDs should not be stowed in plastic bags, in locked or closed compartments or have other gear stowed on top of them.

Others who should wear PFDs include: Anyone boating at night All persons during rough weather Everyone on board a small vessel Persons who cannot swim

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

PFD Requirements

• All vessels must carry one Type I, II, or III USCG–approved PFD for each person on board.
• All PFDs must be in good and serviceable condition and must be 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.
• In addition to the above requirements, vessels 16 ft. in length or longer must have one Type IV USCG–approved PFD on board and immediately accessible.
• Children under 12 years of age must wear a USCG–approved PFD at all times while underway in an open vessel or on an open deck of a vessel.
• Each person on board a personal watercraft must wear a USCG–approved PFD.
• Each person being towed behind a vessel must wear a USCG–approved PFD.
• A Type V PFD may be substituted for other required PFDs if the Type V PFD is approved for the type of vessel and the activity for which the PFD is being used.

Read and follow the label restrictions on all PFDs.

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.