USCG Required Safety Equipment by Boat Length (2026)

A Coast Guard or state boarding officer checks your boat against a short federal list, and most of it depends on length. A 15-foot skiff and a 24-foot center console both need life jackets and a sound signal. The 24-footer also needs a throwable and a full set of distress signals. Here is the list by length, then the pieces most anglers have to buy.

How we chose: we did not test this gear; the rules come from the Coast Guard's own guide and pages, and the picks from listings showing Coast Guard approval, sold by Amazon.com or the maker and in stock on September 29, 2026.

The checklist by boat length

Rows one to four and six come from the Coast Guard's Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements. The sound-signal rule is Rule 33 of the Navigation Rules; the cut-off rule is the Coast Guard's engine cut-off switch page. States can add more.

Prices are Amazon's, as of the time shown, and subject to change. Details

Life jackets and the throwable

The guide's rule is simple: "All recreational vessels must carry one wearable PFD for each person on board. Any boat 16 feet and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must also carry one throwable PFD (Type IV)." Each must be Coast Guard approved, the right size for its wearer and in good condition.

Stowage counts too. Wearables must be readily accessible, not in plastic bags or locked compartments, and throwables "must be immediately available," within arm's reach on deck. On a boat that is underway, children under 13 must wear theirs unless below deck or in an enclosed cabin.

The Stearns cushion is listed as a Coast Guard-approved Type IV throwable, and as a seat cushion it naturally stays on deck. An inflatable only counts if it is armed; our rearm kit guide covers what the Coast Guard calls serviceable, and our inflatable vs foam guide covers who should wear which.

Visual distress signals: flares or electronic

On coastal waters, the Great Lakes and connected waters until they narrow below two nautical miles, the guide requires Coast Guard-approved visual distress signals. Boats under 16 feet only need night signals when out between sunset and sunrise, but the guide recommends carrying signals anywhere.

Pyrotechnics must be approved, unexpired and readily accessible: three for day and three for night, or combination flares that count for both. They expire 42 months after manufacture. Orion, the flare maker, says in its marine FAQ that this usually means replacing them every three boating seasons, and never throwing old ones overboard.

The electronic alternative is an eVDSD, and the guide is specific: it is "Acceptable for night use only." For daytime you need an orange distress flag at least 3 x 3 feet, or day flares. So an e-flare alone does not meet the rule on a daytime trip.

Both electronic picks come with the flag. Sirius Signal says the C-1003 "Meets all Visual Distress Signal (VDS) requirements" when paired with its distress flag, and adds a whistle. ACR says the ResQFlare and its flag, "when carried together," replace pyrotechnic flares.

Fire extinguishers and the 2022 rule

The Coast Guard's fire extinguisher FAQ says the current rule took effect on April 20, 2022. Boats of model year 2018 and newer must carry 5-B or 20-B extinguishers with a date stamp. Older boats may keep B-I or B-II units while they stay in good condition.

Disposable extinguishers "must be removed from service" 12 years after the manufacture date stamped on the bottle. A 10-B counts as only one 5-B, and one 20-B can replace two 5-Bs.

The guide requires an extinguisher when a boat has closed compartments where portable tanks may be stored, closed living or storage spaces, double bottoms not sealed or filled with flotation, or permanently installed fuel tanks. It must be marine type, Coast Guard approved and "provided with a mounting bracket."

Before each trip, the guide says, check seals and tamper indicators, the gauge, and for damage, rust or clogged nozzles. The Kidde Mariner 5 is a 5-B:C disposable approved with its included strap bracket. The First Alert Marine1 is rechargeable and rated 1-A:10-B:C, so it covers fabric and wood fires but counts as one 5-B.

Sound signals

Rule 33 says a vessel under 12 meters (39.4 feet) is not obliged to carry a whistle or bell, but "shall be provided with some other means of making an efficient signal." The guide adds that recreational boats must sound signals when meeting, crossing and overtaking, in reduced visibility and at anchor.

A built-in horn does the job; otherwise carry a can horn and a whistle. SeaSense says its 3.5 oz horn meets EPA and Coast Guard standards. The guide also calls a whistle "a good idea" to keep with each wearable life jacket.

Lights, ventilation and the cut-off switch

The guide requires navigation lights from sunset to sunrise and in restricted visibility. Under the Navigation Rules, a power-driven boat under 12 meters may show an all-round white light and sidelights instead of a masthead light, sidelights and sternlight. Check the bulbs before a dawn launch.

Gasoline boats also need ventilation, and inboard gas engines a backfire flame arrestor, per the guide. Outboards are exempt from the arrestor rule.

On boats under 26 feet with an engine cut-off switch and about 3 hp or more, the operator must wear the link on plane; our kill switch guide covers the details. Offshore, the guide suggests going beyond the minimum with a VHF radio, an EPIRB or personal locator beacon, and GPS.

Related: marine first aid kits, which no federal rule requires but every boat should carry.

What we left out

Orion's pyrotechnic flare kits were on Amazon only from third-party sellers when we checked, and so were the ring buoys from Jim-Buoy and Mustang Survival; none is linked. We found no recalls of Kidde, First Alert, Stearns, Sirius Signal, ACR or SeaSense products since 2023 in the CPSC recall database; our recall page tracks marine recalls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I keep my expired fire extinguisher aboard as a spare?

Yes. The Coast Guard's fire extinguisher FAQ says there is no prohibition on keeping an old one aboard, as long as you also carry newer ones that meet every requirement and are readily accessible.

Do expired flares still count?

Not toward the requirement. The Coast Guard's guide says expired signals may be carried as extra equipment but cannot be counted toward the visual distress signal rule.

Does a white strobe light count as a distress signal?

Not for the carriage rule. The guide says a high-intensity white light flashing 50 to 70 times a minute is a distress signal under the Inland Rules, but such devices "do not meet the Visual Distress Signal carriage requirement."

Does a kayak or canoe need distress signals?

Only at night on coastal waters. The guide lists manually propelled boats among those that need no day signals but must carry night signals between sunset and sunrise; canoes and kayaks are also exempt from the throwable.

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