U.S. Coast Guard Requirements for Recreational Boats

When you start researching the U.S. Coast Guard’s requirements for boating, you’ll find there's a lot of information out there and it can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’re covering the basic requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard in a more general overview. Remember that these are the federal requirements which can be viewed in their entirety on the U.S. Coat’s Guard’s official boating safety website, but your local or state government may have other legal requirements to follow as well.

Registration and Documentation

All vessels are required to be registered with their state as well as federally with the U.S. Coast Guard. Vessel registration is a state issued certificate of number. You must display these numbers on the front half of each side of your vessel. The characters must be at least three inches high to be visible at a distance. Vessel documentation is a certificate filed federally with the U.S. Coast Guard ranging from one to five years. You must always keep an up-to-date and original copy of your vessel documentation onboard. Ensuring that your boat is properly registered and documented will help keep you in the clear in the event that you’re pulled over.

Life Jackets and Personal Flotation Devices

It is a federal requirement that each person onboard has a life jacket that fits them correctly accessible to them onboard. All boats that are 16 feet or longer must also have a throwable personal flotation device onboard in case of emergency. The only exception for the throwable floatation device is for kayaks and canoes, but they must still have life jackets.

Visual and Sound Signals

There are different visual distress signals for daytime and night time - while a flag may work during the day, a flare would be better for night time. Visual distress signals are required unless the waterway is less than 2 nautical miles wide. Some boats however do not have to carry daytime visual signaling devices, and only have to carry night time devices. These include:

• Boats that are less than 16 feet
• Open sailboats that do not have power machinery and are less than 26 feet
• Manually propelled boats
• Boats participating in an organized event

Boats are also required to have a sound producing device onboard with them. Sound signaling devices can be used for emergencies as well as meeting, crossing, overtaking, and reduced visibility. There are different requirements for different sizes of boats as stated below:

• A boat that is longer than 39.4 feet must have a whistle onboard
• A boat that is longer than 65.6 feet must have a whistle and a bell onboard
• A boat that is longer than 328.1 feet must have a whistle, bell, and gong onboard

Having the correct signals onboard is a federal requirement and helps keep you and other boaters safe.

Navigation Lights

Navigation lights are required on all boats between sunset and sunrise. They are also useful during times of reduced visibility such as rain or fog. For boats that are under 39.4 feet in length, the U.S. Coast Guard requires red and green sidelights that cover 112.5 degrees and are visible for one nautical mile as well as a white light that covers 225 degrees and is visible for two nautical miles. For larger boats, the requirements go up to two nautical miles of visibility for the sidelights and three nautical miles for the white light. Navigation lights should be placed at the highest point of the boat for the best visibility.

Navigation Buoys

Every waterway has navigational buoys to help direct boaters. While some local/state governments may add additional navigational buoys, there are a few that are federally mandated. Red and green buoys represent channels and you should stay between them. As a general rule, if you are returning from sea and going upstream, the red buoys should be on the starboard (right) side of your boat. Orange and white buoys are used for various regulations and warnings depending on the shapes and text on them. Some general things to keep in mind are:

• A diamond means danger or hazards are nearby
• A circle means there are restricted operations (such as no wake or speed limit)
• A diamond with a cross in the middle of it means that something is prohibited (such as swimming, boats, or dumping sewage)
• A square means they are conveying information with boaters (such as locations, directions, or distances)

You should comply with the navigational buoys, but should not fully rely on them for determining your position because they can be moved by storms and wakes. It is a federal requirement to carry a copy of the navigation rules onboard at all times.

Navigation Charts

The U.S. Coast Guard requires boaters to carry a navigation chart of the waterway you are traveling onboard as well. Navigation charts show the nature and shape of the coast as well as more detailed information such as water depth, hazards, general information on the bottom, port facilities, landmarks, and buoys. While some people use GPS systems, these do not always show as detailed or as correct of information as a navigation chart.

Fire Extinguishers

The U.S. Coast Guard requires boaters to keep a portable fire extinguisher onboard mounted in an easily accessible location. The chart below shows the different requirements for different boat lengths and systems. A fixed system means they have a fire extinguishing system installed on their vessel.

Trailering Legal Requirements

If you are planning on trailering your boat for any circumstance (for example maintenance, storage, or traveling to a waterway), you will need to make sure that your boat trailer is in compliance with the legal requirements. You must have working lights, a current state registration and license plate, and if your trailer is over 8.5 feet wide you may have to have a special permit to travel on highways.

Other Requirements

Some other general requirements set in place by the U.S. Coast Guard include:

• Proper ventilation – Boats that use gasoline must have proper ventilation systems in place for each compartment that contains gas or is open to another compartment that contains gas.
• Backfire flame control - Gasoline engines installed in a motor vessel (besides outboard motors) must have approved means of backfire flame control.
• Marine Sanitation Device - Any boat with toilet facilities must also have a marine sanitation device. Treated discharge may be dumped up to three nautical miles from shore and untreated discharge can be dumped beyond three nautical miles from shore, except in designated no dumping areas.
• Oil Pollution and Garbage Placards - Any boat 26 feet or longer must display an oil pollution and a garbage placard to inform passengers discharge restrictions.

While this is just a general overview of the U.S. Coast Guard’s federal requirements, it is a great start to make sure you are complying with all of the requirements. Remember to research your local and state rules to ensure you are also complying with any additional rules they may have set in place before getting out on the water!