Child Life Jacket Wear Law summary

life vest on a child

A legal measure that went into effect in 2005, requires children under age ten to wear a life jacket while boating in Minnesota.

Summary

Requires life jacket to be worn by children less than 10 years of age when aboard watercraft in Minnesota when the craft is underway (not tied up at a dock or permanent mooring).

Selecting a life vest for your child »

Exemptions from wearing

  1. When in an enclosed cabin or below the top deck on a watercraft.
  2. When on an anchored boat that is a platform for swimming or diving.
  3. When aboard a charter (passenger) craft with a licensed captain.

Interaction with existing federal regulations

Interaction with existing federal regulation requiring children less than 13 to wear life jackets:

"Federal regulation automatically adopts state law as the standard under Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 33 175.25"

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