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

All watercraft must be equipped with U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jackets, called personal flotation devices (PFDs). The quantity and type depend on the length of your watercraft and the number of people on board and/or being towed. Each PFD must be in good condition, be the proper size for the intended wearer, and very importantly, be readily accessible! Readily accessible means you must be able to put the PFD on in a reasonable amount of time in an emergency (boat sinking, on fire, etc.). PFDs should not be stowed in plastic bags or in locked or closed compartments, and they should not have other gear stowed on top of them. Boat operators should ask everyone on their boat to wear a PFD whenever on the water. PFDs can save lives, but only if they are worn!

Everyone should wear a life jacket, especially anyone who is boating: At night or alone In dangerous water conditions, far from shore, or in areas with local hazards Where there is high boat traffic In cold water While hunting, fishing, skiing or tubing

PFD Requirements

• All watercraft must have at least one Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device that is USCG–approved and of the proper size for each person on board or being towed. Sizing for PFDs is based on body weight and/or chest size.
• All PFDs must be in good and serviceable condition and must be readily accessible.
• Children under 10 years of age must wear a USCG–approved PFD when on board a boat that is underway unless they are:
  • In an enclosed cabin or below deck or …
  • On an anchored boat that is being used as a platform for swimming or diving or…
  • On board a charter (passenger) craft with a licensed captain.
• In addition to the above requirements, one Type IV USCG–approved throwable PFD must be on board boats 16 feet or longer (except canoes and kayaks) and immediately available in event of emergency.
• A U.S. Coast Guard–approved Type V device may be substituted for any other approved device if it meets the same requirements and is noted on the Type V device (e.g., “Equivalent to an approved Type III device”).
• Anyone riding a PWC must wear a PFD. Persons being towed behind a watercraft should also wear a PFD. Inflatable PFDs are not approved for these activities.

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.