33 CFR 175.15
§ 175.15 Personal flotation devices required.
United States · 33 CFR — Navigation and Navigable Waters · Status: effective
Cite this
- Citation
- 33 CFR 175.15, § 175.15 Personal flotation devices required, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/153223
- Permanent ID
ys:prov:153223@1- SHA-256
70aa175a046de5316653cc70e373cef0f3d84c0c1e37c44899120293d169ae3e
The hash is SHA-256 of this version's text, with every run of whitespace collapsed to a single space and the ends trimmed. The ID always leads back here, and checking it says whether the text you cited is still the current version.
Full text
Except as provided in §§ 175.17 and 175.25:
(a) No person may use a recreational vessel unless—
(1) At least one wearable PFD is on board for each person;
(2) Each PFD is used in accordance with any requirements on the approval label; and
(3) Each PFD is used in accordance with any requirements in its owner's manual, if the approval label makes reference to such a manual.
(b) No person may use a recreational vessel 16 feet or more in length unless one throwable PFD is onboard in addition to the total number of wearable PFDs required in paragraph (a) of this section.
(c) No person may operate a recreational vessel under way with any child under 13 years old aboard unless each such child is either—
(1) Wearing an appropriate PFD approved by the Coast Guard; or
(2) Below decks or in an enclosed cabin.
Legislative history
This is a federal regulation, adopted through agency rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act — not enacted by a recorded vote of Congress.