Equipment and Regulations

What you need to have on board your boat

To be safe and comply with Oregon law, you’ll need the right equipment and to know the regulations that were designed for your safety. Equipment varies based on boat type, boat length, and sometimes by a waterbody’s inherent conditions (e.g. whitewater rivers and the Pacific Ocean/coastal bars).

Be sure you meet the equipment (carriage) requirements listed below and know the local regulations for the waterbody where you'll be boating. Use our interactive Boat Oregon Map, zoom in, and select the regulations data layer icon at the bottom of the map. Then, click on a colored river segment to find out the local regulations for boat operations.

See the table below for the specific equipment (including life jackets) and legal requirements for your boat.

Resources

Find a Life Jacket Loaner Station Near You!

Statewide and Local Regulations

Oregon Revised Statutes

Oregon Administrative Rules

Marine Law Enforcement Partners

Experience Oregon Boating -Regulations and Safety Handbook -with insert with new 2020 laws

Become a Partner in Safety and agree to use imagery of people wearing life jackets when promoting water recreation

Equipment Requirements -What You Need to Carry on Your Boat

Sailboats, Paddlecraft and Drift Boats

1. Wearable Life Jacket

Sailboats less than 16 feet in length and all paddlecraft (canoes, kayaks, stand up paddleboards, etc.) need to carry properly-fitting, U.S. Coast Guard -approved wearable life jacket(s) for each person on board and the life jacket must be readily accessible. All children 12 and younger are required to wear a life jacket.

Sailboats 16 feet and over must also carry one, Type IV throwable cushion.

2. Sound Devices

A boat less than 39 feet 4 inches (or 12 meters) long, must carry a whistle or a compressed air horn. It's easy to attach a whistle to a life jacket! Both are required equipment.

3. Navigation Lights

Required only when underway or at anchor between sunset and sunrise, and during periods of restricted visibility.

4. Waterway Access Permit (boats 10' and longer, including sail between 10'-11'9")

A waterway access permit is required on boats 10' long and longer, and sailboats between 10' and 11'. One permit per boat. Permits are transferrable to other non-motorized boats and children 13 and younger are exempt.

16 feet to less than 26 feet

1. Wearable Life Jackets

Boats under 26 feet need to carry properly-fitting, U.S. Coast Guard -approved wearable life jacket(s) for each person on board and the life jacket must be readily accessible. The boat must also carry a Type IV throwable cushion. All children 12 and younger are required to wear a life jacket while on an open deck or cockpit when a boat is underway or being towed.

*Motorboats less than 16 feet in length and all paddlecraft need to carry properly-fitting, U.S. Coast Guard -approved life jacket(s) for each person on board and the life jacket must be readily accessible, but are not required to carry a Type IV throwable cushion.

2. Sound Devices

A boat less than 39 feet 4 inches (12 meters) must carry a sound producing device such as a whistle or compressed air horn. It's easy to attach a whistle to a life jacket. Both are required equipment.

3. One, B-1 (or newer rating 5-B) Fire Extinguisher when no fixed fire extinguishing system is installed. (Fire extinguishers are not required on outboard motorboats of open construction less than 26 feet in length.) A B-I (or 5-B) type extinguisher is not required if an approved fixed fire extinguishing system is installed in machinery spaces.

4. Carburetor Backfire Flame Arrestor is required for inboard motors not exposed to the atmosphere above the gunwale.

5. Muffling System for the Exhaust of each internal combustion engine.

6. Ventilation System

The particular type depends on when the boat was built. See “Ventilation” below.

7. Navigation Lighting -Lights are required only when the boat is underway or at anchor between sunset and surise and during restricted visibility.

Part of your motorboat registration fees go into the Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention Program and Abandoned/Derelict Vessel Removal Fund, as well as helping fund marine law enforcement and boating facility grants.

26 feet and less than 40 feet

1. Wearable Life Jacket

Boats 26 feet to 40 feet need to carry properly-fitting, U.S. Coast Guard -approved wearable life jacket(s) for each person on board and the life jacket must be readily accessible. The boat must also carry a Type IV throwable cushion that is readily accessible. All children 12 and younger are required to wear a life jacket at all times while on anopen deck or cockpit when a boat is underway or being towed.

2. Sound Devices

A boat less than 39 feet 4 inches (12 meters) must carry a sound producing device such as a whistle or compressed air horn. Both are even better for larger boats. Many larger boats have built-in horns.

3. Two, B-1 (or newer rating 5-B) Fire Extinguishers or one B-II (20-B) rated portable fired extinguisher. When an approved fixed fire extinguishing system is installed, one less B-I type is required.

4. Carburetor backfire flame arrestor is required for inboard motors not exposed to the atmosphere above the gunwale.

5. Muffling system for the exhaust of each internal combustion engine.

6. Ventilation System

The particular type dependent upon when the boat was built.

7. Navigation Lighting -Lights are required only when the boat is underway or at anchor between sunset and surise and during restricted visibility.

40 feet and less than 65 feet

1. Wearable Life Jackets

Boats 40 feet and under 65 feet need to carry properly-fitting, U.S. Coast Guard -approved wearable life jacket(s) for each person on board and the life jacket must be readily accessible. The boat must also carry a Type IV throwable cushion that is readily accessible. All children 12 and younger are required to wear a life jacket at all times while on an open deck orr cockpit when a boat is underway or being towed.

2. Sound Devices

A boat of more than 39 feet 4 inches (12 meters), but less than 65 feet 6 inches (20 meters) must carry on board a bell and a whistle, or a horn. The whistle and the bell must comply with existing federal specifications.

3. Three, B-1 (or newer rating 5-B) fire extinguishers or one B-I (or 5-B) type plus one B-II (or newer rating 20-B) type approved portable fire extinguishers. When an approved fixed fire extinguishing system is installed, one less B-I (5-B) type is required.

4. Carburetor backfire flame arrestor is required for inboard motors not exposed to the atmosphere above the gunwale.

5. Muffling system for the exhaust of each internal combustion engine.

6. Ventilation System

The particular type dependent upon when the boat was built.

7. Navigation Lighting-Lights are required only when the boat is underway or at anchor between sunset and surise and during restricted visibility.

Visual Distress Signals

NOTE: Boats operating on federally controlled waters must be equipped with U.S. Coast Guard-approved visual distress signals. In Oregon, federally controlled waters include the mouth of the Columbia River and all coastal waters. All vessels, regardless of length or type, are required to carry night signals when operating between sunset and sunrise.

Most vessels must carry day signals also; exceptions to the requirement for day signals are:

Recreational vessels that are less than 16 feet in length:

Nonmotorized open sailboats that are less than 26 feet in length, and;
Manually propelled (nonmotorized) boats like kayaks, stand up paddleboards, etc.

Visual Distress Signals must be U.S. Coast Guard-approved, in serviceable condition, and readily accessible.

A minimum of three visual distress signals must be carried and not past their expiration date.

Engine Cut-Off Switches

A Federal boat engine cutoff switch law went into effect on April 1, 2021. This BoatUS article helps explain the new federal regulation for boats under 26 feet operating on plane or displacement speed. The USCG has an FAQ page.

Because there is no rule requiring the use of ECOS for any boat other than personal watercraft, Oregon marine officers cannot enforce their use except for personal watercraft. The Oregon State Marine Board may consider additional requirements for ECOS in the future but is not doing so at this time.

Visual Distress Signals

Engine Cut-Off Switch Attached to Motor Ignition