46 CFR 180.71
§ 180.71 Lifejackets.
United States · 46 CFR — Shipping · Status: effective
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- Citation
- 46 CFR 180.71, § 180.71 Lifejackets, United States, version 1 as recorded 2026-07-09, yourstate.us, https://yourstate.us/provision/230756
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Full text
(a) An adult life jacket must be provided for each person carried on board a vessel.
(b) In addition, a number of child size life jackets equal to at least 10% of the number of persons permitted on board must be provided, or such greater number as necessary to provide a life jacket for each person being carried that is smaller than the lower size limit of the adult life jackets provided to meet this section, except that:
(1) Child-size life jackets are not required if the vessel's Certificate of Inspection is endorsed for the carriage of adults only; or
(2) When all “extended size” life preservers (those with a lower size limit for persons of 1,195 millimeters (47 inches) in height or weighing 20.4 kilograms (45 pounds)) are carried on board, a minimum of only 5% additional child size devices need be carried.
(c) Each lifejacket must be approved under approval series in subparts 160.002, 160.005, 160.055, 160.115, 160.176, or 160.255 in part 160 of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant. An inflatable lifejacket approved under approval series in subpart 160.255 of part 160 of this chapter must include a full back-up inflation chamber.
(d) Each life jacket carried on board the vessel must be marked in accordance with § 185.604 of this chapter.
Legislative history
This is a federal regulation, adopted through agency rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act — not enacted by a recorded vote of Congress.