Every state in the U.S. has some type of life jacket rules and regulations that must be followed when it comes to children and boating. Most states have their own law.
For the few states that don’t have a state law in place, a federal U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) interim rule states that all children under the age of 13 who are on boats that are moving, must wear a USCG-approved personal flotation device (PFD) that correctly fits them.
While there are differences in minimum age depending on location, it should always be the parent’s responsibility to determine whether a child should wear a PFD, even if state law does not require them to at their age or situation.
To make it easy to find life jacket laws in a particular state, simply click on the state in the map below to see its requirements.
Alabama
Child Requirements:
All children 7 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all time while on board any boat.
Exceptions:
Unless in an enclosed cabin.
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Alaska
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times when in an open boat, on the deck of a boat, or when waterskiing.
Exceptions:
Unless not in an open boat, on the deck, or waterskiing.
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Arizona
Child Requirements:
All children 12 years of age and younger must wear a USCG approved Type I, II, III life jacket while underway on any vessel, being towed behind a vessel, or on a personal watercraft.
Exceptions:
None.
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Arkansas
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times while on board any vessel or being towed behind one.
Exceptions:
Unless in an enclosed area of a houseboat or cruiser or within railings of a party barge, houseboat, or cruiser while the vessel is not moving.
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California
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times on any moving recreational vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless on a sailboat and contrained by a tethered harness, in an enclosed cabin, or on a vessel engaged in an emergency rescue.
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Colorado
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times when their vessel is on the water.
Exceptions:
Unless if in an enclosed cabin or below deck.
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Connecticut
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times when their vessel is underway.
Exceptions:
Unless if in an enclosed cabin or below deck.
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Delaware
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved Type I, II, III, or V life jacket at all times while on any vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless if in an enclosed cabin, below deck, or if the vessel is at anchor or moored.
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Florida
Child Requirements:
All children 5 and younger must wear a USCG approved Type I, II, or III life jacket while onboard a vessel under 26′ long while the vessel is underway.
Exceptions:
None.
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Georgia
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while onboard any moving boat.
Exceptions:
Unless if in a fully enclosed cabin.
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Hawaii
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while onboard a moving vessel or anchored offshore.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin of a vessel at least 19′ long.
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Idaho
Child Requirements:
All children 14 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while aboard a boat 19′ in length or less and the boat is underway. Applies to powerboats, sailboats, jet skis, canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, rafts, and fishing float tubes.
Exceptions:
None.
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Illinois
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while onboard any watercraft under 26 feet in length and underway.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck in an enclosed cabin or operating on private property.
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Indiana
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket when boating on Waters of Concurrent Jurisdiction.
Exceptions:
Unless in an enclosed cabin, below deck, or the boat is docked or at anchor.
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Iowa
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway on a recreational vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck in an enclosed cabin.
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Kansas
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while onboard or being towed behind a vessel. Applies even when anchored.
Exceptions:
None.
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Kentucky
Child Requirements:
All children 11 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket in the open part of a boat that is under way.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck in an enclosed cabin.
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Louisiana
Child Requirements:
All children 16 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, or III) while underway on a vessel less than 26 feet in length.
Exceptions:
None.
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Maine
Child Requirements:
All children 10 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, or III) while onboard all watercraft.
Exceptions:
None.
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Maryland
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, III, or V) while underway on a recerational vessel less than 21 feet in length. Includes motorboats, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, rowboats, or any other device used for recreational transportation on the water.
Additionally, children 3 and younger must wear a life jacket that features extra precautions such as a strap that is secured between their legs, and inflatable headrest or high collar, and a web handle.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck, in an enclosed cabin, or on a moored or anchored vessel.
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Massachusetts
Child Requirements:
All children 11 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway and above deck.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck.
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Michigan
Child Requirements:
All children 5 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I or II) while in the open deck area of a boat.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck.
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Minnesota
Child Requirements:
All children 9 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket when aboard watercraft that is underway.
Exceptions:
Unless in an enclosed cabin, below deck, the boat is anchored/moored, or aboard a charter craft with a licensed captain.
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Mississippi
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, or III) while underway in a vessel less than 26 feet in length.
Exceptions:
None.
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Missouri
Child Requirements:
All children 6 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket on board any vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless in an enclosed cabin.
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Montana
Child Requirements:
All children 11 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway on a vessel less than 26 feet in length.
Exceptions:
None.
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Nebraska
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, or III) while onboard or being towed by a vessel.
Exceptions:
None.
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Nevada
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway in a vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless in a fully enclosed area.
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New Hampshire
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway in a vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless the vessel is completely enclosed by railings at least 3 feet high and constructed in a way that a small child cannot fall through.
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New Jersey
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway in a vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless in a fully enclosed, non-removable cabin.
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New Mexico
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway in a vessel.
Exceptions:
None.
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New York
Child Requirements:
All children 11 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while aboard a boat 65 feet in length or less.
Exceptions:
Unless in a fully enclosed cabin.
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North Carolina
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway in a vessel.
Exceptions:
None.
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North Dakota
Child Requirements:
All children 10 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, or III) while underway in a vessel less than 27 feet in length.
Exceptions:
None.
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Ohio
Child Requirements:
All children 9 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket on any vessel less than 18 feet in length.
Exceptions:
None.
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Oklahoma
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway on a vessel less than 26 feet in length.
Exceptions:
None.
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Oregon
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times while on an open deck or cockpit when a boat is underway or being towed.
Exceptions:
None.
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Pennsylvania
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times while underway on a vessel 20 feet or less length. Includes kayaks and canoes.
Exceptions:
None.
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Rhode Island
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway in a recreational vessel less than 65 feet in length.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin.
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South Carolina
Child Requirements:
All children 11 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, III, or V) while on board a Class “A” (less than 16 feet in length) vessel.
Exceptions:
None.
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South Dakota
Child Requirements:
All children 6 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket on any vessel operating at greater than “slow, no wake speed”.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin.
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Tennessee
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times while on the open deck of a recreational vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless vessel is anchored, moored, or aground.
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Texas
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway in a recreational vessel less than 26 feet in length.
Exceptions:
None.
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Utah
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while on board any vessel.
Exceptions:
Unless within an enclosed cabin area of a vessel at least 19 feet in length.
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Vermont
Child Requirements:
ll children 11 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, or III) at all times while underway on the open deck of any vessel.
Additionally, all children 15 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket (type I, II, or III) at all times while on a sailboat.
Exceptions:
None.
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Virginia
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while on board any vessel that’s underway.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin.
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Washington
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while on board any vessel that’s underway and less than 19 feet in length.
Exceptions:
Unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin.
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West Virginia
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while on deck of any motorboat that is underway.
Exceptions:
None.
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Wisconsin
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway in an open vessel.
Exceptions:
None.
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Wyoming
Child Requirements:
All children 12 and younger must wear a USCG approved life jacket while underway.
Exceptions:
Unless in an enclosed cabin.
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Please Note: While we do our best to keep this page updated to reflect each state’s current laws, we advise you to check with your state if you want to be absolutely sure a recent change of law has not taken place in your state.