What must a recreational vessel carry for everyone on board at all times?
Based on: sg-001
NSW Boat & PWC Licence Test · Safety Gear
NSW Lifejacket Rules 2026: When You Must Wear One
In New South Wales every recreational vessel must carry enough approved lifejackets for everyone on board at all times, stored for quick and easy access. A lifejacket is also called a personal flotation device, or PFD. When you must wear one depends on your age, the level of risk, the type of vessel, where you are and the time of day. On a small powerboat up to 4.8m the required level rises with the exposure of the waters: Level 50S or above on enclosed and alpine waters, and Level 100 or above on open waters and when crossing coastal bars.
Practice
Free practice questions
How must lifejackets be stored on a vessel?
Based on: sg-001
If lifejackets are not easy to see, what must the storage area display?
Based on: sg-001
What is another name for a lifejacket used in the NSW rules?
Based on: sg-001
Which of these determines what type of lifejacket you must wear?
Based on: sg-002
Under the NSW rules, when does Transport for NSW recommend wearing a lifejacket?
Based on: sg-002
At times of heightened risk, who can require you to wear a lifejacket?
Based on: sg-003
Which weather event is an example of heightened risk requiring a lifejacket?
Based on: sg-003
Which passenger situation is treated as a heightened risk for lifejackets?
Based on: sg-003
Which vessel condition counts as heightened risk requiring lifejackets?
Based on: sg-003
Carrying and storing approved lifejackets
The starting rule is simple: a recreational vessel must carry enough approved lifejackets for everyone on board at all times, even in situations where they do not have to be worn. Carrying is not enough on its own, though. Lifejackets must be stored for quick and easy access on board, because a lifejacket buried under gear in a locked hatch is no use in the seconds you have during a capsize. If the lifejackets are not easy to see, the storage area must display a sign saying Lifejackets in red lettering on a white background, so anyone on board can find them fast. A lifejacket is also known as a personal flotation device, or PFD, and you will see both terms used in the rules and on the test. Transport for NSW recommends wearing a lifejacket at all times on the water, which is the safest habit even where the rules stop short of requiring it.
- Carry enough approved lifejackets for everyone on board, at all times.
- Store them for quick and easy access, not locked away.
- If they are not easy to see, display a Lifejackets sign in red on white.
When you must wear one, and heightened risk
Whether a lifejacket must be worn, rather than just carried, depends on your age, the level of risk, the type of vessel, where you are and the time of day. On top of the set rules, the skipper of the vessel can require you to wear a lifejacket at any time of heightened risk, and you must wear one when the skipper tells you to. Heightened risk includes several clear triggers. It includes any time the Bureau of Meteorology issues a gale, storm, severe thunderstorm or other severe weather warning. It includes when passengers are elderly, are non swimmers or have a serious medical condition. And it includes when the vessel itself is in trouble, for example if it has broken down or is in danger of capsizing or being swamped. Recognising these heightened risk situations is important, because that is exactly when a lifejacket saves lives, and it is a favourite exam scenario.
Lifejacket levels for a powerboat up to 4.8m
The clearest set of level rules on the test applies to a powerboat up to 4.8m long, where the required lifejacket depends on the waters you are in. On enclosed waters, everyone on such a powerboat must wear a Level 50S or above lifejacket when they are alone on board, including when the only other people aboard are children under 12, or at night, where night means between sunset and sunrise. On alpine waters the rule is stricter: everyone on a powerboat up to 4.8m must wear a Level 50S or above lifejacket at all times, not just when alone or at night. On open waters, and when crossing coastal bars, the level steps up as well as the timing: everyone on a powerboat up to 4.8m must wear a Level 100 or above lifejacket at all times. The pattern to remember is that more exposed waters demand both a higher level and more of the time, so alpine and open waters are all times, and open waters and coastal bars demand the higher Level 100.
| Waters | Minimum level | When it must be worn |
|---|---|---|
| Enclosed waters | Level 50S or above | When alone on board (including with children under 12) or at night (sunset to sunrise) |
| Alpine waters | Level 50S or above | At all times |
| Open waters and crossing coastal bars | Level 100 or above | At all times |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When do you have to wear a lifejacket in NSW?
In New South Wales whether a lifejacket must be worn depends on your age, the level of risk, the type of vessel, where you are and the time of day. On a powerboat up to 4.8m on enclosed waters, everyone must wear a Level 50S or above lifejacket when alone on board or at night, and the skipper can require one at any time of heightened risk.
What lifejacket level do you need on open waters in NSW?
In New South Wales, on open waters and when crossing coastal bars, everyone on a powerboat up to 4.8m must wear a Level 100 or above lifejacket at all times. On enclosed and alpine waters the required level for the same size of boat is Level 50S or above, so open waters demand the higher level.
How many lifejackets must a boat carry in NSW?
In New South Wales a recreational vessel must carry enough approved lifejackets for everyone on board at all times, even when they do not have to be worn. They must be stored for quick and easy access, and if they are not easy to see, the storage area must show a Lifejackets sign in red lettering on a white background.
What counts as heightened risk for lifejackets in NSW?
In New South Wales heightened risk includes a Bureau of Meteorology gale, storm, severe thunderstorm or other severe weather warning, passengers who are elderly, non swimmers or have a serious medical condition, and the vessel breaking down or being in danger of capsizing or swamping. At those times the skipper can require everyone to wear a lifejacket.