| AL | Children 7 and under. | PWC | Any person being towed on water skis, surfboard, spinners, or other similar devices shall wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD. | None |
| AK | Children 12 and under. | None | Children 12 and under must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD. | None |
| AZ | Children 12 age or under on board a watercraft shall wear a United States Coast Guard approved type I, II or III personal flotation device whenever the watercraft is underway. | PWC | Any person being towed behind a watercraft shall wear a Coast Guard approved personal flotation device while being towed except for a performer engaged in a professional exhibition. | None |
| AR | Children 12 and under. | PWC | Yes, life preserver or buoyant vest. Each person being towed in a water sport activity must wear or have securely upon his or her body a life preserver or buoyant vest of the types described in subdivision (a)(1)(A) (USCG approved wearable) of this section in good and serviceable condition at all times while engaging in the water sport activity. "Water sport activity" means an activity that involves a person being towed by a motorboat, personal watercraft, or other vessel in waters of this state.
(B) "Water sport activity" shall include, but not be limited to, any of the following activities:
(i) Barefooting;
(ii) Wake boarding;
(iii) Wake surfing;
(iv) Water skiing;
(v) Water sledding; or
(vi) Water tubing.
| None |
| CO | Children 12 and under. Policy reads: “Children under 13 years of age must wear a United States Coast Guard-approved wearable personal flotation device that is used in accordance with approval labels and manufacturer’s instructions while that motorboat, | PWC | The operator shall require each person who is surfing or being towed on water skis, aquaplane, inner tube or similar device, to wear a properly fitting wearable personal flotation device. A CG-approved wearable personal flotation device is recommended, but a ski belt (preferably with at least 2 straps and buckles), water sports jacket or foam wetsuit jacket will be accepted if there is an extra wearable personal flotation device aboard for each person as required above. | None |
| CT | Children 12 and under.
| PWC | All must wear a CG-approved PFD except for those skiers who are engaged in barefoot waterskiing and are wearing a specifically designed “barefoot wetsuit” and those skiers who are engaged in trick waterskiing and are wearing standard double trick skis at least eight inches wide and not over 46 inches long, and being towed at not more than 20 mph using a tow rope longer than 50 feet long. | CG-approved PFDs must be worn by anyone in a manually propelled vessel from October 1 through May 31 (must be a Type I, II, III, V or V-hybrid). |
| FL | Children 5 and under on vessels less than 26 ft. | PWC | Any person being towed must wear a CG-approved non-inflatable PFD. | None |
| IA | Children 12 and under. | PWC | Any person being towed must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III or V PFD. | None |
| SD | Children 6 and under. | PWC | None | None |
| CA | Children 12 and under. Policy reads: “Children under 13 years of age must wear a United States Coast Guard-approved wearable personal flotation device that is used in accordance with approval labels and manufacturer’s instructions while that motorboat, sailboat, or vessel is underway.
1. Does not apply to a person operating a sailboat on which a person who is under 13 years of age is restrained by a harness tethered to the vessel
2. Does not apply to a person operating a vessel on which a person who is under 13 years of age is in an enclosed cabin.
3. Does not apply to a person 13 years of age or older operating a motorboat, sailboat, or vessel if the vessel is engaged in an emergency rescue situation. 4. Does not apply to a person operating a “passenger vessel,” as defined in Section 2101(22) of Title 46 of the United States Code or a “small passenger vessel,” as defined in Section 2101(35) of Title 46 of the United States Code.”
| PWC | A person on board a personal watercraft or a person being towed behind a vessel on water skis, an aquaplane, or similar device, except for an underwater maneuvering device intended for use by a submerged swimmer, shall wear a United States Coast Guard-approved wearable personal flotation device that is used in accordance with approval labels and manufacturer’s instructions. An underwater maneuvering device is a towed or self-powered apparatus that a person can pilot through diving, turning, and surfacing maneuvers that is designed for underwater use.
1. Does not apply to a person aboard a personal watercraft or a person being towed behind a vessel on water skis, if that person is a performer engaged in a professional exhibition, or preparing to participate or participating with authorization pursuant to a United States Coast Guard permit or other permit granted pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 268 in an official regatta, marine parade, tournament, or exhibition.
2. In lieu of wearing a United States Coast Guard-approved wearable personal flotation device as described in this subdivision, a person engaged in slalom skiing on a marked course or a person engaged in barefoot,jump, or trick waterskiing may elect to wear a wetsuit designed for the activity and labeled by the manufacturer as a water ski wetsuit. A United States Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device as described in this subdivision shall be carried in the tow vessel for each skier electing to wear a water ski wetsuit pursuant to this paragraph.
+E2 | None |
| DE | Children 12 and under. | PWC | No person shall engage in water skiing unless such person is wearing a CG-approved Type I, Type II, Type III, or Type V PFD. This provision shall not apply to a performer engaged in a professional exhibition or a person preparing to participate or participating in an official regatta, boat race, marine parade, tournament, or exhibition. | None |
| DC | Children 12 and under. When the operator of a boat16 ft. or more in length is under 18 years of age, the operator and all other persons aboard the vessel who are under 18 years of age shall wear a CG-approved personal floatation device of the proper size. | See right. | Not required but recommended. | None |
| GA | Children 12 and under on all types of boat unless inside a fully enclosed roofed cabin. | PWC | Any person being towed must wear a ski belt; ski jacket; or CG-approved Type I, II, or III PFD that is properly fitted and fastened. | None |
| HI | Children 12 and under. | PWC actual text reads :” §13-243-1 Equipment required by vessels on state waters.(c) All thrill craft operators and passengers shall be required to wear a personal flotation device when riding a thrill craft.” | Any person being towed must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III or V PFD. | None |
| ID | Children age 14 years old and under on boats 19' or less while underway. | PWC | Any person being towed behind a vessel must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III or V PFD. | None |
| IL | Children 12 and under aboard any watercraft under 26 feet in length. however, this requirement shall not apply to persons who are below decks in totally enclosed cabin spaces. This provision shall not apply to a person operating a watercraft on private property. | PWC or specialty prop craft | Not required | None |
| IN | Children 12 and under. The youth wear requirement and the exclusion of Type V PFD’s applies only when operating on Waters of Concurrent Jurisdiction. “A child under 13 years of age must wear a PFD except when the child is below deck in an enclosed cabin or the vessel is docked or at anchor.” | PWC | Any person being towed on water skis, a surfboard, a kite or similar device must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, or III PFD (Type V PFDs are not approved). Each person riding on or being towed behind a PWC must wear a USCG approved wearable personal flotation device. Recommended are PFD’s designed to withstand the impact of hitting the water at high speed. | None |
| KS | Children 12 years old and under. | PWC | Required for children 12 and under, otherwise recommended but not required. | None |
| KY | Children 11 years and under. | PWC | Any person being towed on any device must wear a CG-approved Type I, II or III PFD. | None |
| LA | Children 16 and under while underway on a vessel less than 26 feet long. | PWC | Any person engaged in water sports, which include water skiing, being towed on a tube, wake boarding, wake surfing, etc. must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD. | None |
| ME | Children 10 and under. | PWC | Any person being towed on water-skis, surfboards or similar devices must wear a life jacket, life belt or similar lifesaving device. | Anyone canoeing or kayaking on the Saco River between Hiram Dam and the Atlantic Ocean between January 1 and June 1 must wear a Type I, ll, lll PFD. |
| MD | Children 12 and under while underway on a recreational vessel under 21 feet in length. | PWC | A person being towed by a vessel shall wear a personal flotation device. For the purpose of this section, a personal flotation device means a: (1) Life jacket; (2) Life vest; (3) Life preserver; (4) Barefoot wet suit; or (5)Trick skiing wet suit. | A. Except for persons aboard a vessel operating under a current Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection and in compliance with current Coast Guard regulations, a person aboard a vessel, raft, or tube shall wear a U.S. Coast Guard Approved Type I, II, III,or V personal flotation device (PFD) at all times while underway on the Upper Potomac River and its tributaries, during the period beginning at 12:01 a.m. each November 15, and ending at 12 midnight each succeeding May 15.
B. At all other times a vessel, raft, or tube shall be equipped with a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device (PFD) for each person aboard while underway on the Upper Potomac River and its tributaries.
|
| MA | Children 12 and under. | PWC | Any person being towed in any way on or through the water must wear a CG-approved PFD. | All canoeists and kayakers from September 15 - May 15 are required to wear a CG-approved personal flotation device of Type I, II, or III. |
| MI | Children 5 and under. | PWC | Any person operating, riding on or being towed behind a personal watercraft (jet ski) must wear a CG-approved Type I, Type II or Type III PFD (that is not an inflatable device). Each person less than 12 years of age riding or being towed, behind a personal watercraft (jet ski) must wear a Type I or Type II PFD. | None |
| MN | Children 9 and under while underway except: when below the top deck or in an enclosed cabin or when on commercial watercraft licensed to carry passengers for hire or if anchored for the purpose of swimming or diving. | PWC | Persons being towed by a watercraft on water skis or other devices shall be considered to be on board the towing watercraft for the purpose of personal flotation device requirements. A U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II, or III personal flotation device must be either carried in the towing watercraft or worn by the person being towed. | None |
| MS | Children 12 and under whenever underway in a vessel less than 26 ft. length. | PWC | Any person riding in or being towed behind a PWC must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, or III PFD. It is strongly recommended (but not required) that persons being towed wear a CG-approved PFD. | None |
| MO | Children 6 and under. | PWC | No, carriage requirement only. Per Missouri Statute there must be an approved life saving device on board the boat for, “Any person being towed on skis, a tube, wake board or the like.” But there is no requirement that these be worn. | None |
| MT | Children 11 and under on a boat less than 26 feet in length that is in motion. | PWC | Any person towed by a boat must wear a CG-approved PFD. | None |
| NE | Children 12 and under. | PWC | Any person towed by a boat must wear a life preserver or buoyant vest, except during state-authorized regattas and similar ski and water shows. | None |
| NV | Children 12 and under. | PWC | Any person engaged in water skiing (or anyone towed through or on the water behind a boat) must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III or V PFD. | None |
| NH | Children 12 and under. | “Ski craft” | Any person being towed behind a vessel must wear a CG-approved PFD. | None |
| NJ | Children 12 and under. | PWC | Any skier shall wear a United States Coast Guard Approved Type I, II, III or Type V Hybrid Personal Flotation Device. | None |
| NM | Children 12 and under. | PWC and others (see column at right) | Skiers and those being pulled on a floating object shall wear a CG-approved type I, II or III personal flotation device while being pulled by a vessel. | None |
| NY | Children under the age of twelve unless they are in a fully enclosed cabin. The PFD must be the appropriate size for the child. | PWC | Any person towed behind a vessel must wear a securely fastened CG-approved PFD. This includes being towed on water skis, tubes, sails or similar devices. It does not include people to whom assistance is being given. | Everyone aboard pleasure vessels less than 21’in length, including rowboats, canoes and kayaks, between November 1st and May 1st. |
| NC | No person may use a recreational vessel unless each child under 13 years old on board is wearing an appropriate PFD approved by the Coast Guard unless: • Each child not wearing such a PFD is below decks or in an enclosed cabin. • The vessel is not underway. (Vessels that are anchored or tied to shore are not underway.) This new law does not apply to commercial vessels. | PWC | Water skiing prohibited at any time unless (a) the vessel is equipped with a rear vision mirror, or (b) there is an observer in the vessel in addition to the operator, or (c) the person being towed wears a life preserver. These prohibitions do not apply to professional skiing exhibitions or authorized regattas. PWCs are subject to the same safety equipment requirements as other vessels. In addition to those requirements: 1. No person shall operate or allow operation of a PWC unless | None |
| ND | Children 10 or under on any vessel less than 27 feet in length. Actual text reads: “It is unlawful for any person to operate or to be a passenger on any vessel less than 27 feet in length unless all persons, 10 years of age or younger present on the vessel, wear an appropriately sized and properly fastened U.S. Coast Guard approved type I, II or III wearable personal flotation device while the vessel is in operation. A personal flotation device is appropriately sized if it is designed to be worn by a person of similar age, size or weight as the wearer.” | PWC | No person shall manipulate any water skis, surfboard or similar device without wearing a Type I, II or III PFD (persons 16 years of age or older engaged in windsurfing or boardsailing are exempt). | None |
| OH | Children 9 and under on vessels less than 18 feet. | PWC | No person shall ride or attempt to ride upon water skis, surfboards, inflatable devices or similar devices being towed by a vessel without wearing a CG-approved Type I, II, III PFD or a Type V PFD specifically designed for water skiing. No person shall engage in barefoot skiing without wearing an adequate and effective CG-approved Type I, II, III PFD or a Type V PFD specifically designed for water skiing. | None |
| OK | Children 12 and under on boats less than 26 feet in length. | PWC and sail-boards | Any person being towed on water skis or similar devices must wear a CG-approved PFD. Ski belts are not approved PFDs. | None |
| OR | Children 12 and under must wear a USCG approved life jacket at all times while on an open deck or cockpit of a boat that is underway or when being towed. When operating and riding on a PWC, all persons must wear a USCG approved, inherently buoyant Type I, II, or III life jacket. | PWC | Applicable to children 12 years old and under, who are required to wear a CG-approved Type I, II, or III PFD. | None |
| PA | Children 12 and under must wear a CG-approved PFD on Common-wealth waters when underway in any boat 20 feet or less in length and in all canoes and kayaks. | PWC and sail-boards | All water skiers and anyone towed behind boats must wear a CG-approved PFD. | Boaters are required to wear CG-approved PFDs on boats less than 16 feet in length or any canoe or kayak during the cold weather months from November 1 through April 30. |
| RI | Children 12 and under while underway in a recreational vessel less than 65 ft. in length. | PWC | Any person being towed behind a vessel on water skis, a surfboard, or other device must wear a CG-approved PFD. | None |
| SC | Children 11 and under when on board a class “A” (less than 16 ft. long) boat. | PWC | Any person being towed must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD. | None |
| TN | Children 12 and under. | PWC | None | None |
| TX | Children 12 and under on vessels under 26 feet. | PWC | Any person riding on or being towed behind a PWC must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III, or V PFD since they are considered an occupant of the PWC. Persons being towed by other craft are not required to wear a CG-approved PFD unless they are under 13 years of age. | None |
| UT | Children 12 and under on a vessel under 19 feet in length except when the child is in an enclosed cabin. | PWC | Except as provided in 73-18-16, UCA. The operator of a vessel which is towing a person(s) on water skis or other devices shall require each person who is water skiing or using other devices to wear a CG-approved PFD, except an inflatable PFD may not be used. | None |
| VT | Children 11 and under. Actual text: “A person under the age of 12 aboard a vessel, while underway and the person is on an open deck shall wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved Type I, II or III PFD.” All persons under 16 years of age must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, or III, while aboard a sailboard. | PWC and sail-boards | Any person being towed by a vessel required to wear a CG-approved Type I, II, or III, PFD. Ski belts are not approved PFDs. | None |
| VA | Children 12 and under on Federal waters. | PWC | Any person being towed behind a boat must wear a CG-approved personal flotation device if no observer is on board. | None |
| WA | Children 12 and under on boats under 19 ft. in length. | PWC | No person shall engage or attempt to engage in water skiing without wearing a personal flotation device. Except as provided under RCW 79A.60.020. The requirements of this section shall not apply to persons engaged in tournaments, competitions, or exhibitions that have been authorized or otherwise permitted by the appropriate agency having jurisdiction and authority to authorize such events. | None at present. A law was passed in 2011 requiring life jacket wear in King County, but this has expired. |
| WV | Children 12 and under. | PWC | Any person being towed (except persons engaged in barefoot waterskiing) must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, or III PFD. | A person aboard a vessel, raft, or tube must wear a CG-approved Type I, II, III, or V personal flotation device at all times while underway on the Shenandoah River within the boundaries of West Virginia during the period beginning at 12:01 a.m. each November 15 and ending at 12 midnight each succeeding May 15. |
| WI | Children 12 and under. The actual text reads: “Children under the age of 13 while underway in an open vessel on federally controlled waters.” | PWC | None | None |
| WY | Children 12 and under. | PWC | A CG-approved PFD is required while being pulled/towed (skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, etc.). | None |