Choosing a life jacket.

What US federal rules say

These points summarize the federal rules for recreational boats as the cited sources state them. State rules can differ, other countries have their own rules, and rules change, so check the current requirements with your local boating authority.

• One per person. 33 CFR 175.15 requires a Coast Guard-approved wearable life jacket for each person aboard. Boats 16 ft or longer must also carry a throwable device; canoes and kayaks are excepted.
• Children. Under 33 CFR 175.15(c), children under 13 must wear an approved life jacket while the boat is underway unless they are below decks or in an enclosed cabin. State rules can replace this in state waters.
• Inflatables. Under 33 CFR 175.23, an inflatable only counts if it has a full cartridge, chambers that hold air, a clear oral inflation tube and working status indicators. It does not need to be armed if it is worn already inflated.
• Exemptions. 33 CFR 175.17 exempts sailboards, racing shells and racing canoes and kayaks from the federal carriage requirement.
• Accessible. The Coast Guard's boating safety site says wearable life jackets must be readily accessible, not stored in plastic bags or locked compartments. It recommends wearing one whenever you are underway, even where the law does not require it.

Racing adds its own rules. US Sailing said in December 2025 that its Regulation 10.04 requires a USCG-approved life jacket carrying a USCG label at events where it is the organizing authority, and warned that not every ISO Level 50 jacket meets USCG Level 50. For offshore racing, World Sailing's Offshore Special Regulations were amended for 2026-2027, including the lifejacket section, according to an April 2026 Irish Sailing notice. We could not find the new wording, so check the current regulations and your Notice of Race.

Reading the label

The Cruising Club of America (CCA) explains that the familiar Types I to V date from the 1970s. The Coast Guard published new rules adopting a North American standard on December 6, 2024. Boating Magazine reports that the rule took effect January 6, 2025. The Coast Guard no longer issues new Type classifications, but Boating Magazine and Oregon's boating agency both say jackets with a Type label still count as long as they are serviceable.

On the new labels the number is the minimum buoyancy in newtons, and Boating Magazine says the labels rely on pictures rather than dense text, with must-wear Level 50 devices clearly marked.

Fit and sizing

The Coast Guard sizes life jackets by weight: infant (33 lb or less), child (33 to 55 lb), youth (55 to 88 lb) and adult (over 88 lb). It says most adults need about 7 to 12 lb of buoyancy to keep their head above water, and advises trying a life jacket in the water to make sure the wearer's airway stays clear.

Inflatables have limits. The Coast Guard says they come in adult sizes only and do not suit weak swimmers. Boat-Ed, a boating course provider, says they are not recommended for anyone under 80 lb, for non-swimmers or weak swimmers, or for high-impact sports. Oregon's boating agency says the Coast Guard does not approve inflatables for anyone under 16, and that there are no Coast Guard-approved inflatable or hybrid jackets in child sizes. We found no Coast Guard or US Sailing source on whether the new standard changes these age limits.

In Practical Sailor's 2008 test (updated online in 2020), bladders attached all the way around fitted better in the water than bladders attached only at points, which could roll up toward the face. It is an old test, so treat it as a general point about design.

For dinghies, PBO recommends a 50 N buoyancy aid rather than an inflatable, while noting that a 50 N aid will not turn an unconscious wearer face-up. The RYA lists a buoyancy aid as essential for dinghy sailing and a lifejacket as essential for yacht sailing. See dinghy gear.

Keeping an inflatable serviceable

West Marine describes three inflator types. Automatic inflators use a bobbin that dissolves in water and releases a pin to pierce the CO2 cylinder. Hydrostatic inflators fire on water pressure and are less likely to go off from spray or rain. Manual inflators fire only when the wearer pulls a tab.

West Marine says a green pin or clip shows the inflator is armed, while red or missing means it has fired or is not assembled correctly. After any inflation, both the cylinder and the bobbin must be replaced, a pierced cylinder must never be refitted, and the replacement's cylinder weight, neck type and inflator model must match the jacket.

Sources disagree on how often to replace parts. West Marine cites 2 to 3 years for automatic bobbins and 5 years for CO2 cylinders and hydrostatic caps. A Cruising Club of America handout gives one inflator maker's bobbins a three-year life. Mustang Survival, a lifejacket maker, says CO2 cylinders do not expire and need replacing only if corroded or damaged, and that expiry dates are printed on hydrostatic caps and bobbins. Every source puts the manufacturer's instructions first.

The CCA handout suggests checking that the cylinder is installed and full before every use, leak-testing the jacket from time to time by inflating it by mouth, and expects a typical jacket to be retired at around 10 years.

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