Chapter 4: The Legal Requirements of Boating
Michigan Required Equipment Checklist

indicates the equipment is required by state law.

Required Equipment	PWC	Boat Less than 16'	Boat 16' to Less than 26'
Boating Safety Certificate On Board
Boater Safety Certificate: Applicable for some operators.
Certificate of Number on Board
Validation Decals Displayed
PFDs: Type I, II, or III (one per person)
Those on PWCs must wear a PFD at all times. Inflatable PFDs are not allowed on PWCs. Those under the age of 6 years must wear a Type I or II personal flotation device when riding on the open deck of any vessel.
PFD: Type IV	n/a	n/a
Type B-1 Fire Extinguisher
Ignition Safety Switch		n/a	n/a
Backfire Flame Arrestor		Required on inboard and stern drives only.	Required on inboard and stern drives only.
Ventilation System
Muffler
Horn, Whistle, or Bell	Required only on the Great Lakes and waters connected to the Great Lakes.	Required only on the Great Lakes and waters connected to the Great Lakes.
Daytime Visual Distress Signals	n/a	n/a	Required only on the Great Lakes and waters connected to the Great Lakes.
Nighttime Visual Distress Signals	Some items are not applicable to PWCs since they are not allowed to operate between sunset and 8:00 a.m. "Sunset" means that time determined by the national weather service.	Required only on the Great Lakes and waters connected to the Great Lakes.	Required only on the Great Lakes and waters connected to the Great Lakes.
Navigation Lights	Some items are not applicable to PWCs since they are not allowed to operate between sunset and 8:00 a.m. "Sunset" means that time determined by the national weather service.
Unpowered vessels (sailboats under sail, rowboats, etc.) are required only to have a flashlight or a lantern on hand.