Lifejackets save lives.
Let’s keep Aucklanders safe on the water.

• The person in charge of a recreational vessel must, at the time of use, have sufficient personal floatation devices for each person on board.
• Personal floatation devices must be worn in times of heightened risk.
• A person on a recreational vessel of six metres or less in length overall must at all times wear a properly secured personal floatation device of an appropriate size for that person. However, does not apply if the person in charge of the vessel specifically states that the device does not need to be worn.

You can read the full Auckland Navigation Bylaw here.

Auckland Council will release the proposed bylaw amendments in May 2026 when submissions open. Based on sector discussions, we hope to see mandatory lifejacket wearing for everyone on recreational watercraft whenever underway, with clear stationary‑only exceptions, such as when moored. 

Yes. Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury and Marlborough already require lifejacket wearing while underway on vessels 6 metres and under, and Northland and Bay of Plenty are moving to align. Aligning Auckland reduces confusion across boundaries. 

Because preventable drownings continue under the current rules. Incidents happen fast, leaving no time to put on a lifejacket. Our watercraft fatalities are not decreasing and something must be done so that we can reduce these preventable drownings and the heartbreak that occurs when that happens. 

A recreational craft is any vessel used for leisure rather than commercial purposes. This includes small and large boats, dinghies, and manually powered craft.

Examples: powerboats, yachts, dinghies, kayaks, canoes, tenders, paddleboards.

The term “recreational” refers to how the craft is used, not just its size. While some safety rules differentiate based on length (eg, stricter requirements for vessels 6 m and under), our preference is that mandatory lifejacket use should apply to all recreational craft, regardless of size.

Everybody on board should have the right to feel safe. Evidence shows adults overestimate their water competence; conditions can change quickly; and many incidents occur close to shore on “quick” trips. Even the most experienced skippers get caught out. Mandatory wearing removes any guesswork around what deems to be a risky situation and factors in the unexpected, which happens more often than you think. 

Although our preference is for the bylaw to include recreational craft of all sizes, as incidents happen on all-sized craft,  the Council’s existing bylaw - and others nationwide - use the 6‑metre threshold as this tends to be where most fatalities occur. For clarity and consistency, we’re aligning with this approach.

National rules require lifejackets to be carried and worn in heightened risk on vessels over 6 metres. 

We’re campaigning for broader national legislation that would create clear, consistent lifejacket rules for all recreational craft, regardless of size. Stronger national settings would help ensure everyone on the water is protected by the same simple expectation. 

For practicality, we recommend allowing skipper discretion to remove lifejackets in clearly safe circumstances, such as when a vessel is moored or passengers are sleeping. This provides clarity while still recognising the realities of boating and the need for reasonable flexibility.

However, while the vessel is not underway, sufficient lifejackets of an appropriate size to securely fit each person on board must remain in a readily accessible location.

Yes! Craft users are three times more likely to survive if wearing a lifejacket. Fatalities where lifejackets were worn often involve other factors (e.g., fast-flowing rivers, incorrect fit, failure to secure straps, medical events or inflatable jackets not activated). Properly fitted lifejackets dramatically improve survival chances as they keep you afloat, help raise your head above the waterline to reduce the risk of drowning, and provide warmth.

There are practical reasons users such as surfers, windsurfers, divers on small dive boats and some adventure sports are not required to wear a lifejacket, eg, when a wetsuit is worn. We suggest these existing exemptions remain.