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 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, 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!

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 or fishing

PFD Requirements

All vessels must carry at least one USCG–approved Type I, II, or III PFD for each person on board or being towed.
In addition to the requirement above, all vessels 16 feet in length or longer (except canoes and kayaks) must carry at least one throwable Type IV PFD.
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.
Children 12 years old and younger must wear a PFD while on deck of any motorboat that is underway.
From November 15 – May 15, additional requirements apply to the Shenandoah River within the boundaries of West Virginia. Each person on board a vessel, raft, or tube in that area must wear a Type I, II, III, or V PFD at all times while underway. Simply carrying PFDs does not satisfy this requirement; they must be worn.
Each person riding on a PWC must wear a USCG–approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD.
All persons being towed (except persons engaged in barefoot water-skiing) must wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved Type I, II, or III PFD.

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.