| Alabama |
Within 800 ft
below dams. PWC operators and water skiers. Children
under 8 years of age. |
| Alaska |
Under 13 while
water skiing or on open deck. |
| American
Samoa |
All on board
while boat is underway. PWC and water skiers. |
| Arizona |
Children 12
and under when vessel is underway. PWC and water
skiers. |
| Arkansas |
Age 12 and
under; except when in enclosed area, while not
underway. |
| California |
Under 12 years
of age on vessels less than 26 ft., unless in an
enclosed cabin. PWC and water skiers. |
| Colorado |
PWC operators
and passengers. Water skiers and persons on
aquaplanes, surfboards and similar devices when
towed behind a boat must wear some type of flotation
like a wetsuit or belt (need not be USCG approved).
All persons aboard outfitter’s vessels must wear a
type V device. |
| Connecticut |
Under 12.
Skiers and PWC riders. Between Oct. 1 and May 30th,
all people in canoes. |
| Delaware |
All PWC riders
and children under 12. |
| District
of Columbia |
When the
operator of a vessel is under 18 years old, everyone
under 18 must wear PFDs. |
| Florida |
Children under
6 on vessels less than 26 feet while underway, all
PWC operators and water skiers. |
| Georgia |
PWC and water
skiers; in designated "hazardous area."
Children below 10 in moving vessel, except when
enclosed in cabin. |
| Guam |
PWC and water
skiers. |
| Hawaii |
None |
| Idaho |
None |
| Illinois |
PWC and
children under 13. |
| Indiana |
PWC |
| Iowa |
PWC and water
skiers or others being towed. |
| Kansas |
PWC and
children 12 and under. |
| Kentucky |
PWC. |
| Louisiana |
Children under
12 on vessels less than 26 ft. PWC. |
| Maine |
Children 10
years old and under. PWC and water skiers. |
| Maryland |
PWC and water
skiers. |
| Massachusetts |
Person being
towed, PWC, canoeists/kayakers (mid-September to
mid-May). Children 12 and under. |
| Michigan |
PWC and water
skiers. Children under 6. |
| Minnesota |
PWC. |
| Mississippi |
12 years or
younger in boats under 26 ft. when underway. |
| Missouri |
PWC. Children
under age 7. |
| Montana |
Children under
12 when vessel is in motion. PWC and water skiers. |
| N.
Mariana Islands |
PWC and water
skiers. |
| Nebraska |
Children under
12. Water skiers. |
| Nevada |
PWC and water
skiers. |
| New
Hampshire |
Children 5 and
under. PWC operators and persons being towed. |
| New
Jersey |
PWC. Children
12 and under while underway. |
| New
Mexico |
Water skiers. |
| New
York |
Children under
12 years of age on a boat less than 65 feet unless
inside an enclosed cabin. PWC and water skiers. |
| North
Carolina |
PWC and water
skiers. |
| North
Dakota |
Everyone 10
years or younger, on boats less than 27 feet while
in operation. PWC and water skiers. Persons under 16
while board sailing. |
| Ohio |
Children less
than 10 on boats less than 18 feet. PWC and water
skiers. |
| Oklahoma |
Children under
13 when vessel is underway. PWC and water skiers. |
| Oregon |
PWC. Children
under the age of 12 when underway on powered or
non-powered boats unless below decks on a larger
boat |
| Pennsylvania |
PWC, water
skiers, sailboards, children 12 years of age and
under. |
| Puerto
Rico |
None. |
| Rhode
Island |
PWC. Children
under 10 on Class A vessels underway. |
| South
Carolina |
PWC. Children
under 12 on Class A. |
| South
Dakota |
PWC. |
| Tennessee |
Below dams in
the areas marked. PWC. Children 12 and under. |
| Texas |
Children 13
and under. PWC. |
| Utah |
PWC, water
skiers and sailboarders. Children 12 or less except
when in an enclosed cabin area on boats 19 feet or
more. All boaters on river must wear PFD except at
designated flat water areas. |
| Vermont |
Children under
age 12 while under way and on an open deck. |
| Virgin
Islands |
PWC and water
skiers. |
| Virginia |
PWC. Children
15 and under. |
| Washington |
PWC and water
skiers. |
| West
Virginia |
PWC. Everyone
on white water. Children 12 and under. |
| Wyoming |
PWC and water
skiers. |
