Life Jacket Laws by State 2024

Life jacket laws vary from state to state, but their primary aim is to ensure the safety of individuals enjoying recreational activities on the water. Here's an overview of some key provisions across different states:

Alabama: All individuals must wear USCG-approved Type I, II, or III life jackets while aboard any vessel. This requirement applies at all times while on the water.
California: Individuals on a moving recreational vessel of any length must wear USCG-approved Type I, II, III, or V life jackets. Exceptions apply for certain situations, such as being on a sailboat constrained by a harness tethered to the boat.
Florida: For vessels less than 26 feet in length, individuals must wear Type I, II, or III life jackets while the vessel is underway.
Louisiana: Individuals must wear USCG-approved Type I, II, or III life jackets while the vessel is underway, regardless of the vessel's length.
Texas: While underway, individuals on vessels less than 26 feet in length must wear USCG-approved life jackets.
Washington: For vessels less than 19 feet in length, individuals must wear USCG-approved life jackets while underway.
Wisconsin: Regardless of vessel length, individuals must wear USCG-approved life jackets while underway. Exceptions apply for those below deck in an enclosed cabin.

These laws typically specify the type of life jacket required, the circumstances under which they must be worn, and any exemptions based on vessel type or activity.

State	Age That Must Wear PFD	Vessel Length	PFD Styles	PFD Must Be Worn	Life Jacket Exceptions	Who Else Must Wear PFD
Alabama	8	All lengths	USCG-approved Type I, II, or III	All times while aboard any vessel	When in enclosed cabin	Anyone operating any vessel on the waters and anyone being towed on skis or a tube, riding a Jet Ski or Sea Doo, or boating within 800 feet below a dam
Alaska	12	All lengths	USCG-approved Type I, II, III, or V	When in an open boat, on an open deck or waterskiing	When child is not in an open boat, on an open deck, or waterskiing
Arizona	12	All lengths	USCG-approved Type I, II, or III	While underway on any vessel	When vessel is not underway	Each person on board a PWC and anyone being towed behind a motorized vessel while on water skis, an aquaplane, or other device
Arkansas	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	All times while aboard any vessel	When in enclosed cabin	Each person on board a PWC or being towed behind a motorized vessel on water skis, an aquaplane, or other device
California	12	All lengths	USCG-approved Type I, II, III or V	On a moving recreational vessel of any length.	When in enclosed cabin. When on a sailboat and constrained by a harness tethered to the sailboat. When on a vessel engaged in an emergency rescue situation.	Every person riding a PWC or being towed behind a vessel
Colorado	12	All lengths	USCG-approved Type I, II, or III	While aboard recreational vessels underway	When in enclosed cabin
Connecticut	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	While aboard recreational vessels underway	When in enclosed cabin
Delaware	12	All lengths	Type I, II, III, or V	While on board any vessel	Below deck, in an enclosed cabin, or when the boat is moored or at anchor	Everyone on a personal watercraft (jet ski)
Florida	6	Less than 26 feet	Type I, II, or III	While vessel is underway	None
Georgia	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	When aboard a moving vessel	When in enclosed cabin	Each person aboard a vessel operating in an area marked as "hazardous area"
Hawaii	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	When a vessel is underway or when the vessel is moored or anchored in a non-designated offshore mooring area	When in enclosed cabin
Idaho	14	19 feet or less	USCG-approved	While boat is underway	None
Illinois	12	Less than 26 feet	USCG-approved	Must be worn while vessel is underway	Below deck in an enclosed cabin	Anyone who operates watercraft or jet ski
Indiana	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	When on board any vessel on Waters of Concurrent Jurisdiction	Below deck in an enclosed cabin
Iowa	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	On all recreational boats while underway on Iowa waterways	When in enclosed cabin
Kansas	12	All lengths	Type I, II, or III	Must be worn while on board or while being towed. Must be worn on recreational vessels by children under 14 in waters under Coast Guard jurisdiction	None
Kentucky	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	At all times while underway in an open vessel or on an open deck of a vessel	None	Operators and passengers of personal watercraft
Louisiana	16	Less than 26 feet	USCG-approved Type I, II, or III	Must be worn while vessel is underway	None
Maine	10	All lengths	Type I, II, or III	Wear at all times	None
Maryland	12	Under 21 feet in length	USCG-approved	While underway on a recreational vessel	When a vessel is moored, anchored, or when a child is below deck or in an enclosed cabin
Massachusetts	12	All lengths	Type I, II, III, or V	While vessel is underway	When child is below deck	Personal watercraft users, waterskiers, canoeists/kayakers
Michigan	6	All lengths	Type I or II	When riding in the open deck area of a boat	When child is below deck	Everyone riding or being towed by a PWC
Minnesota	10	All lengths	USCG-approved	While aboard recreational vessels underway	Children who are below the top deck or in an enclosed cabin. Children aboard passenger vessels being operated by a licensed captain. Children engaged in swimming or diving activities from an anchored boat.
Mississippi	12	Less than 26 feet	Type I, II, or III	While in the open portion of a vessel on Mississippi waters	None	Each person riding on or being towed behind a personal watercraft
Missouri	7	All lengths	Type I, II, III or V PFD	At all times while aboard any watercraft	When in enclosed cabin
Montana	12	Less than 26 feet	USCG-approved	While vessel is underway, and if two or more persons are occupying a sailboard	None
Nebraska	12	All lengths	USCG-approved Type I, II, or III	Wear at all times	When hunting waterfowl in an anchored boat
Nevada	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	While on board any vessel	When in enclosed cabin
New Hampshire	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	While under way on a vessel at all times	When aboard boats, vessels, and ships with continuous side rails 3 feet or more in height enclosing the perimeter, and enclosed between the deck and top railing
New Jersey	12	All lengths	USCG-approved Type I, II, III or V	Whenever a recreational vessel is underway	When aboard boats, vessels, and ships with continuous side rails enclosing the perimeter, 3 feet or more in height, and enclosed between the deck and top railing
New Mexico	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	When any vessel is underway	When in enclosed cabin	Every person towed behind a vessel or boating on a river
New York	12	65 feet and under	Type I, II, III, or V	While vessel is underway	When in enclosed cabin	Anyone underway in a boat less than 21 feet in length anytime between November 1 and May 1
North Carolina	12	All lengths	USCG-approved Type I, II, or III	When underway on a recreational vessel	Below deck in an enclosed cabin	Anyone riding a personal watercraft or being towed by one
North Dakota	10	Less than 27 feet	Type I, II, or III PFD	While vessel is underway	None	All personal watercraft users, as well as anyone towed on skis, tubes, boards or other similar devices
Ohio	10	Less than 18 feet	USCG-approved	While on board vessel	None	Any person operating a watercraft 16 feet or greater in length
Oklahoma	12	Less than 26 feet	USCG-approved	Must be worn while vessel is underway	None
Oregon	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	At all times while on an open deck or cockpit of vessels that are underway or being towed	None
Pennsylvania	12	20 feet or less (inc. kayaks and canoes)	USCG-approved	Must be worn while vessel is underway	None	From November 1st to April 30 - boaters while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet in length or on any kayak, canoe, or paddleboard
Rhode Island	12	Less than 65 feet	USCG-approved	Must be worn while vessel is underway	Below deck in an enclosed cabin	All canoers, kayakers and paddleboarders must wear a life jacket
South Carolina	12	Class A (boat or PWC under 16 feet)	Type I, II, III or V	When onboard vessel	None
South Dakota	7	All lengths	USCG-approved	On any vessel moving at greater than slow-no-wake speed	Below deck in an enclosed cabin
Tennessee	12	All lengths	Type I, II, III or V	While on the open deck of a recreational boat when the boat is underway	Except when anchored, moored, or aground
Texas	12	Less than 26 feet	USCG-approved	While vessel is underway	Unless anchored, moored, or aground
Utah	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	At all times	If the child is in an enclosed cabin of a boat that is 19 feet in length or greater	Participants engaged in towing activities, anyone on a PWC
Vermont	12	All lengths	Type I, II or III PFD	At all times while underway on the open deck of any vessel	None	All persons under 16 years of age and riding a sailboard
Virginia	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	While aboard recreational vessels underway	Below deck in an enclosed cabin
Washington	12	Less than 19 feet	USCG-approved	While underway	Below deck in an enclosed cabin
West Virginia	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	Must be worn while vessel is underway	Below deck in an enclosed cabin
Wisconsin	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	While underway	Below deck in an enclosed cabin
Wyoming	12	All lengths	USCG-approved	While aboard recreational vessels underway	Below deck in an enclosed cabin	Anyone riding a personal watercraft or when being towed by or riding in the wake of a watercraft

State

Age That Must Wear PFD

Vessel Length

PFD Styles

PFD Must Be Worn

Life Jacket Exceptions

Who Else Must Wear PFD

Alabama

All lengths

USCG-approved Type I, II, or III

All times while aboard any vessel

When in enclosed cabin

Anyone operating any vessel on the waters and anyone being towed on skis or a tube, riding a Jet Ski or Sea Doo, or boating within 800 feet below a dam

Alaska

All lengths

USCG-approved Type I, II, III, or V

When in an open boat, on an open deck or waterskiing

When child is not in an open boat, on an open deck, or waterskiing

Arizona

All lengths

USCG-approved Type I, II, or III

While underway on any vessel

When vessel is not underway

Each person on board a PWC and anyone being towed behind a motorized vessel while on water skis, an aquaplane, or other device

Arkansas

All lengths

USCG-approved

All times while aboard any vessel

When in enclosed cabin

Each person on board a PWC or being towed behind a motorized vessel on water skis, an aquaplane, or other device

California

All lengths

USCG-approved Type I, II, III or V

On a moving recreational vessel of any length.

When in enclosed cabin. When on a sailboat and constrained by a harness tethered to the sailboat. When on a vessel engaged in an emergency rescue situation.

Every person riding a PWC or being towed behind a vessel

Colorado

All lengths

USCG-approved Type I, II, or III

While aboard recreational vessels underway

When in enclosed cabin

Connecticut

All lengths

USCG-approved

While aboard recreational vessels underway

When in enclosed cabin

Delaware

All lengths

Type I, II, III, or V

While on board any vessel

Below deck, in an enclosed cabin, or when the boat is moored or at anchor

Everyone on a personal watercraft (jet ski)

Florida

Less than 26 feet

Type I, II, or III

While vessel is underway

None

Georgia

All lengths

USCG-approved

When aboard a moving vessel

When in enclosed cabin

Each person aboard a vessel operating in an area marked as "hazardous area"

Hawaii

All lengths

USCG-approved

When a vessel is underway or when the vessel is moored or anchored in a non-designated offshore mooring area

When in enclosed cabin

Idaho

19 feet or less

USCG-approved

While boat is underway

None

Illinois

Less than 26 feet

USCG-approved

Must be worn while vessel is underway

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

Anyone who operates watercraft or jet ski

Indiana

All lengths

USCG-approved

When on board any vessel on Waters of Concurrent Jurisdiction

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

Iowa

All lengths

USCG-approved

On all recreational boats while underway on Iowa waterways

When in enclosed cabin

Kansas

All lengths

Type I, II, or III

Must be worn while on board or while being towed. Must be worn on recreational vessels by children under 14 in waters under Coast Guard jurisdiction

None

Kentucky

All lengths

USCG-approved

At all times while underway in an open vessel or on an open deck of a vessel

None

Operators and passengers of personal watercraft

Louisiana

Less than 26 feet

USCG-approved Type I, II, or III

Must be worn while vessel is underway

None

Maine

All lengths

Type I, II, or III

Wear at all times

None

Maryland

Under 21 feet in length

USCG-approved

While underway on a recreational vessel

When a vessel is moored, anchored, or when a child is below deck or in an enclosed cabin

Massachusetts

All lengths

Type I, II, III, or V

While vessel is underway

When child is below deck

Personal watercraft users, waterskiers, canoeists/kayakers

Michigan

All lengths

Type I or II

When riding in the open deck area of a boat

When child is below deck

Everyone riding or being towed by a PWC

Minnesota

All lengths

USCG-approved

While aboard recreational vessels underway

Children who are below the top deck or in an enclosed cabin. Children aboard passenger vessels being operated by a licensed captain. Children engaged in swimming or diving activities from an anchored boat.

Mississippi

Less than 26 feet

Type I, II, or III

While in the open portion of a vessel on Mississippi waters

None

Each person riding on or being towed behind a personal watercraft

Missouri

All lengths

Type I, II, III or V PFD

At all times while aboard any watercraft

When in enclosed cabin

Montana

Less than 26 feet

USCG-approved

While vessel is underway, and if two or more persons are occupying a sailboard

None

Nebraska

All lengths

USCG-approved Type I, II, or III

Wear at all times

When hunting waterfowl in an anchored boat

Nevada

All lengths

USCG-approved

While on board any vessel

When in enclosed cabin

New Hampshire

All lengths

USCG-approved

While under way on a vessel at all times

When aboard boats, vessels, and ships with continuous side rails 3 feet or more in height enclosing the perimeter, and enclosed between the deck and top railing

New Jersey

All lengths

USCG-approved Type I, II, III or V

Whenever a recreational vessel is underway

When aboard boats, vessels, and ships with continuous side rails enclosing the perimeter, 3 feet or more in height, and enclosed between the deck and top railing

New Mexico

All lengths

USCG-approved

When any vessel is underway

When in enclosed cabin

Every person towed behind a vessel or boating on a river

New York

65 feet and under

Type I, II, III, or V

While vessel is underway

When in enclosed cabin

Anyone underway in a boat less than 21 feet in length anytime between November 1 and May 1

North Carolina

All lengths

USCG-approved Type I, II, or III

When underway on a recreational vessel

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

Anyone riding a personal watercraft or being towed by one

North Dakota

Less than 27 feet

Type I, II, or III PFD

While vessel is underway

None

All personal watercraft users, as well as anyone towed on skis, tubes, boards or other similar devices

Ohio

Less than 18 feet

USCG-approved

While on board vessel

None

Any person operating a watercraft 16 feet or greater in length

Oklahoma

Less than 26 feet

USCG-approved

Must be worn while vessel is underway

None

Oregon

All lengths

USCG-approved

At all times while on an open deck or cockpit of vessels that are underway or being towed

None

Pennsylvania

20 feet or less (inc. kayaks and canoes)

USCG-approved

Must be worn while vessel is underway

None

From November 1st to April 30 - boaters while underway or at anchor on boats less than 16 feet in length or on any kayak, canoe, or paddleboard

Rhode Island

Less than 65 feet

USCG-approved

Must be worn while vessel is underway

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

All canoers, kayakers and paddleboarders must wear a life jacket

South Carolina

Class A (boat or PWC under 16 feet)

Type I, II, III or V

When onboard vessel

None

South Dakota

All lengths

USCG-approved

On any vessel moving at greater than slow-no-wake speed

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

Tennessee

All lengths

Type I, II, III or V

While on the open deck of a recreational boat when the boat is underway

Except when anchored, moored, or aground

Texas

Less than 26 feet

USCG-approved

While vessel is underway

Unless anchored, moored, or aground

Utah

All lengths

USCG-approved

At all times

If the child is in an enclosed cabin of a boat that is 19 feet in length or greater

Participants engaged in towing activities, anyone on a PWC

Vermont

All lengths

Type I, II or III PFD

At all times while underway on the open deck of any vessel

None

All persons under 16 years of age and riding a sailboard

Virginia

All lengths

USCG-approved

While aboard recreational vessels underway

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

Washington

Less than 19 feet

USCG-approved

While underway

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

West Virginia

All lengths

USCG-approved

Must be worn while vessel is underway

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

Wisconsin

All lengths

USCG-approved

While underway

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

Wyoming

All lengths

USCG-approved

While aboard recreational vessels underway

Below deck in an enclosed cabin

Anyone riding a personal watercraft or when being towed by or riding in the wake of a watercraft