In general, all life jackets, and this pertains to most states, must: An interesting use case that I kept coming across over and over again, was the “PFD must be worn while being towed” verbiage that many states had. Vessels of all lengths should comply with the stipulated laws on wearing of PFDs. California State Parks, State of California. Most states now consider them all to be “vessels” and subject to boating laws. And children under 6 must wear a USCG-approved Type I, II or III PFD. Personal Watercraft (PWC) Life Jacket Law Any person on board a PWC is required to wear a Coast Guard-approved, life jacket at all times. Michigan Life Jacket Laws: All vessels must be equipped with a PFD for each person on board or being towed. Personal watercraft (PWC) are considered motorboats by law and must comply with all boating laws and navigation rules, including the speed and operation provisions above. Legal Disclaimer: This article was written for informational purposes only. Each state has slightly different kayaking rules and regulations than the others, but they all point to one main goal—safety, safety, safety! Washington state LIFE JACKET LAWS All vessels (including canoes, kayaks and stand up paddle boards) must carry at least one properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket (Personal Flotation Device or PFD) for each person on board a vessel. Good for calm, inland water, or where there is good chance of fast … Michigan life jacket laws. All life jackets on your vessel must be: Serviceable - free of rot, tears, punctures, waterlogging and all straps functional; Learn more about the work of Indiana Conservation Officers on the Division of Law Enforcement's web site. Register your course if you are a provider. After sifting through state life vest laws, boating statutes, codes, injury and death statistics and online boater education information, I came up with ten simple rules you can follow in order to keep you kayaking safely and legally. The U.S. Coast Guards Boating Safety Division (CG-BSX-2) is dedicated to reducing loss of life, injuries and property damage that occurs on U.S. Waterways by improving the knowledge, skill and abilities of recreational boaters. Help support safe and clean boating initiatives. But let’s pause for a moment… Because though you may not have to wear your life jacket by law, you might just want to wear it. Yes. While researching and reviewing the kayak life jacket laws for all 50 United States, I wondered if there wasn’t a better way to summarize all that legal jargon down to it’s original purpose—save your life on the water. The life jacket should not move more than 3 inches, no higher than the child’s ears. All life jackets must be used in accordance with the age, weight, activity and use restrictions listed on the U.S. Coast Guard approval label. The information on life jacket laws below is a great place to start for any new paddler. Please help spread the word. PWC Life Jacket … LIFE JACKET WEAR REQUIRED BY LAW NOVEMBER 1 TO APRIL 30: Boaters are required, by law, to wear life jackets on boats less than 16 feet in length or any canoe or kayak during the cold weather months from November 1 through April 30. The life jacket should be in good condition, and it should fit appropriately for the intended user. State Kayak, Canoe and Paddle Boarding Laws, Be worn by children according to that state’s minimum PFD age law. The included state links point to some seriously arduous and painstaking research we did into how boating laws are interpreted and applied to kayaking and the other paddling sports. Approved PFDs should be worn on board all vessels on Nebraska waters. Click here to access our online ordering system. We have lots more kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding info on the site to show you. Instead, they tend to cover their paddlecraft laws, rules and regulations within their state’s individual boating laws. Boat Owners Association of The United States. Life jackets are required to be worn in Class III or higher whitewater rapids. If you have specific questions about your state’s laws, you should consult a local attorney. BoatUS.com So we built Paddle Camp to help you navigate the often confusing world of kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, and river rafting. We strongly suggest you follow the link to your individual state to read more specifics regarding your state’s kayaking laws. Federal law requires children under the age of 13 to wear a USCG-approved life jacket while underway in an open vessel on federally controlled waters. Check out this post which is one of the most popular of all time. Donate, © 2021, BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water, All Rights Reserved, 147 Old Solomons Island Road, Suite 513 Annapolis, Maryland 21401. In addition, lifejackets must be worn by children according to that state’s minimum PFD age law. You’d think, as I did, that means on an inner-tube or waterskiing or wake boarding. All children under ten are required to wear an approved life jacket at all times while in a boat. To make your day of boating safe and enjoyable, always carry enough life jackets for everyone on board and have everyone wear them. When you read through the laws for your state and realize you can get the equivalent of a DUI, (BUI) Boating Under the Influence, for having a drink and getting on your paddle board…. You might groan over kayak life jacket laws, I did at first, but the boating injury statistics are clear—paddle sports related deaths and injuries are on the rise just as law enforcement was reducing recreational motorboat injuries. In most states the laws read that there must be at least one U.S. Coast Guard Approved Type I,II, or III lifejacket (PFD) per person onboard the vessel (your kayak). While not required by law, we recommend that everyone wear a life jacket when on the water. In general, most states still don’t have specific kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding laws. Additionally, PWC users must adhere to state regulations specific to personal watercraft operation: Wear an approved life jacket (PFD) at all times (operator and passengers). Each state may have additional wear requirements, such as for water skiing, personal watercraft operation, white water boating activities and during certain cool-weather months. The trouble is, by then, most of the time it’s too late. Missouri law requires boaters to have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket on board and accessible for each occupant of the boat. Don’t believe me? Learn about the BoatUS Foundation employees. We all remember being beginners and having no clue what kayak, canoe, or SUP to buy. Education Wear a Life Jacket Recent year averages show that 90% of drowning victims were not wearing a life jacket. All vessels must be equipped with USCG–approved personal flotation devices (PFDs), also known as life jackets. If you will be operating a boat in another state, it’s advisable to check the boating and life jacket laws for your destination(s). Under California law, every child under 13 years of age on a moving recreational vessel of any length must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket in serviceable condition and of a type and size appropriate for the conditions and the activity. But let’s say your paddle breaks and a friend throws you a rope from their boat and “tows” you back to the dock. Of those drowning victims, 84% were not wearing a life jacket. Free tool developed by the BoatUS Foundation. We love paddling! The Maine Warden Service recommends that everyone wear his or her lifejackets while on the water. Texas law states that all passengers under the age of 13 must wear a USCG approved life jacket when any vessel less than 26 feet in length is underway. Every person on board a personal watercraft must wear a USCG-approved life jacket. Boating safety and life jacket laws in the state of Texas are enforced by the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s Marine … We are not legal professionals nor are we experts on boat laws. Infographic: The Modern Life Jacket; Logo: Wear It Indiana All children under 13 years must wear a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket when the vessel is underway. Also, boats longer than 16 feet must have a throwable PFD. Near-Shore Buoyant Vest. (4) No person shall operate a vessel under nineteen feet in length on the waters of this state with a child twelve years old and under, unless the child is wearing a personal flotation device that meets or exceeds the United States coast guard approval standards of the appropriate size, while the vessel is underway. Under the state’s new boating law that kicked in on Jan. 1, you will need a boating safety certificate if you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1993. A younger child’s life jacket should also include a crotch strap—this will help insure the life jacket stays on. not require it. For more information, see our Disclaimer page. Sgt. This rule does not change or supersede the existing law in states which have life jacket laws, it only applies to states that have no laws. Ask these fishermen on the Columbia river. Indiana boating laws require that there must be one USCG approved wearable life jacket ( type I, II, III, V) onboard the watercraft for each person onboard. So please read your state’s individual life jacket laws for specific detailed rules and regulations. Please confirm all laws with local government offices and/or law enforcement officials to verify the information found below. Wear Your Life Jacket. Drownings are rare when boaters wear a proper life jacket. National statistics show that in 2014, 78% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. It is still a parent's responsibility to decide if a child should wear a life jacket, even in situations where the law does Texas Boating Laws: Life Jackets. exceptions for when below deck or within an enclosed cabin. If the life jacket does move up more than 3 inches, it is too big and the child can slip right out—get a smaller life jacket! That lifejacket must be in good serviceable condition, be sized appropriately for the person intended to wear it, and is must be readily available. 0.02% if you’re under 21. The quantity and type depend on the length of your vessel and the number of people on board and/or being towed. But by no means are those the “legal” requirements for you to kayak, canoe or SUP in your state. Utah law requires that all boats have at least one wearable U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket of proper size, in good and serviceable condition and readily accessible for each person on board. Free online state specific safety course. Please see the list below for the latest laws in your state. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. State Boating Laws on wearing of life jackets applies to all vessels that are less than 26ft. Reliable equipment shipped directly to you. In states where no children's life jacket law is in place, a U.S. Coast Guard interim rule requires children under 13 on moving boats to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket that fits. Minnesota law requires one U.S. Coast Guard approved, properly sized, and easily accessible life jacket for each person on the boat. State by State Links You’ll notice that the two men aren’t wearing life jackets before they were run over by a 36′ boat, but they certainly are afterward. The life jacket must be the proper size to fit the person intended to wear it, and must be in serviceable condition. Kim Chandler with the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife believes a new life-jacket-for-all law could save lives. We offer a range of free and advanced courses. Do not buy a life jacket for your child to “grow into.” It's state law on recreational vessels underway, children under 13 years old must wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket unless they are below decks or in an enclosed cabin. Because the state life jacket laws are just the tip of the iceberg of kayak rules, and regulations that are coming to all 50 United States. Clean Boating Recommended to you based on your activity and what's popular • Feedback Our Life Jacket Loaner Program for kids can help you get the right life jacket for the day or weekend. Kayaking Life Jacket Law – One Life jacket on board per person. I am not an attorney and am not giving legal advice. Home Let’s just say that the writing’s on the wall for state’s to create more kayaking rules, regulations, and specific laws that pertain directly to paddling. Children’s Life Jacket Law In Alabama, passengers under 8 years of age are required to wear a Coast Guard-approved, life jacket while on board any boat (unless they are in an enclosed cabin). Sailboards and windsurfers are exempt from life jacket requirement, but are highly encouraged to wear one. If the vessel is anchored or aground, then a life jacket is not required. Throughout the boating season, Indiana Conservation Officers will visit popular boat ramps and remind boaters that life jackets save lives. One U.S. Coast Guard–approved Type IV (throwable) flotation device must be on board vessels 16 feet or longer. Can you get a DUI on a Kayak? The BoatUS Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water is an innovative leader promoting safe, clean and responsible boating. Who enforces life jacket laws? Each state has a slight variation on the minimum age that must wear a lifejacket, and a few states have specific rules about when adults must also physically wear a lifejacket. Partially this is due to the explosion in recreational kayaking, canoeing, and paddle boarding participation. However, by following the links below to each state’s individual kayaking laws article, you’ll get a practical summary of information about how your state applies its boating laws to paddlers. Nor did we understand all the rafting gear, paddling laws, and how-to paddle info we'd need to get started. And as our “vessels” are smaller, harder to see, and less able to avoid collision by steering clear of trouble, we actually need to be more aware of safety than power boaters. Compulsory PFD Requirements for Nebraska. Federal Law requires that when a vessel is underway, children under 13 years of age must wear their lifejacket. And because the laws are a bit confusing as they’re written, the question people keep asking over and over again is: Do you have to wear a lifejacket in a kayak? So, we decided that instead of a project that started out as a way to help you find the kayaking life jacket laws by state, we’d create a monstrous resource to help you interpret all the state boating laws as they’re being applied to kayaking, canoeing and paddle boarding. Affiliate Notification: Paddle Camp is reader-supported. DISCLAIMER: The information collected and provided in this article and on this website has been researched and written to the best of our knowledge about current boating laws, rules, and regulations as they pertain to the paddling sports. The information provided below does not reflect current legislation and is provided for informational purposes only. Compulsory PFD Requirements for Oklahoma. Paddle Camp is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. However, it’s also due to the fact that we tend to think of our kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards as “toys” instead of what they are and what law enforcement considers them—”vessels” on the public waterways. To find the loaner site nearest you, use our convenient map . Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means we will earn a commission on the products or services you purchase using the links. All vessels are required to have onboard a wearable USCG-approved personal flotation device (PFD) for each person. Canoes and kayaks are exempt from this requirement. You've only seen one page. Please note that these laws provide boaters with the minimum age that a child is required to wear a life jacket. Kayaking BUI Law – Florida has Boating Under the Influence (BUI) laws—0.08% BAL is considered under the influence. Paddle Camp is a participant in various affiliate networks, including AvantLink, CJ, and others. The Coast Guard recommends and many states require wearing lifejackets: Learn about location accuracy and signal strength. Rescues, News, and Life Raft information. Boat Length. Boating Safety Every pleasure vessel operated upon the waters of New York must carry at least one USCG approved Type I,II or III Personal Flotation Device (PFD), or fife jacket as they are more commonly known, for each person on board. Some of these laws were established by the U.S. Coast Guard, while others are specific to the state of Michigan. State laws may vary. Illinois law requires that PFDs – life jackets or life vests – be available for each person aboard a boat or other watercraft. You’re being “towed” and now you need to take that life vest off the bow of your kayak, canoe or SUP and put it on “while being towed”. Equipment Rentals Life Jacket State Requirements. IRS rules for determining max deductions. In general, all the information on kayaking laws below pertains to kayaks, canoes and stand up paddle boards. Consequently, on those individual pages, we’ve linked to each states legal authority over boating and boating laws for that state. Life Jacket Loaner Stations State law requires all vessels (including canoes, kayaks and stand up paddleboards) must carry at least one properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket (personal flotation device) for each person on board a vessel. Life Jackets and Personal Flotation Devices - State law requires each person on board to have a properly-fitting U.S. Coast Guard-approved serviceable life jacket. About/Contact Us Another DISCLAIMER: The following are only summaries of each state’s life jacket laws. Kayak Life Jacket Laws By State NOTE: In states with no life jacket law for children, the U.S. Coast Guard regulations state that children under 13, while on boats that are underway, must wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket, sized and fitted appropriately. The Commission does NOT recognize launch permits from other states. As always, these resources are informational only and not meant to replace your own investigation into state laws, statutes, rules and regulations. All 50 states are getting more and more serious about regulating and policing paddling with new and targeted kayaking laws. Those violating life jacket requirements in Texas state may be subject to a fine of $25 – $500. The state of Florida urges all people onboard a boat to wear a life jacket. The PFDs must be of the appropriate size for the intended wearer, be in serviceable condition, and within easy access. 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