The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries requirements for online boating safety courses changed effective January 1, 2009 and the NEW Boat Virginia Online Course meets those requirements. The old Boat Virginia course and test does not meet those requirements and was discontinued on December 31, 2008.

Take the NEW Boat Virginia Online Course!
Or, you can order the Boat Virginia Video Course

The course material below remains as a resource for all who boat on Virginia's waters—particularly experienced boaters who need a refresher, but not a boater education certificate.

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 (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, 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 (vessel 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.

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 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 chest size.
In addition to the above requirements, all vessels (with the exception of PWCs, canoes, kayaks, and inflatable rafts) must have one Type IV USCG-approved PFD on board and immediately available. Immediately available means the PFD can be reached quickly in an emergency situation.
Each person riding on, or being towed by, a PWC must wear a USCG-approved personal flotation device.
Each person being towed behind a boat must wear a USCG-approved personal flotation device if no observer is on board.
No person may operate a recreational vessel underway on federal waters with any child under 13 years old on board unless each such child is either:
- Wearing an appropriate approved PFD or ...
- Riding below decks or in an enclosed cabin. In Virginia, this rule is enforced only by the USCG and applies on waters over which they have jurisdiction (Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, all tidal rivers, Smith Mountain Lake, etc.).

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.