From 9 October, lifejacket rules are changing nationwide. Find out more

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NEW NATIONWIDE LIFEJACKET RULES

Coastguard has long been calling for a change to the wearing of lifejackets in Aotearoa New Zealand. One clear, nationwide expectation that everyone on board wears one.

We've advocated for this change because our volunteers see first-hand what happens when people don't wear lifejackets - callouts that turn from a rescue into a recovery, and devastated families left behind. Too often, these losses were avoidable with a lifejacket. 

A lifejacket can be the difference between staying afloat until help arrives, and not. 

The rules are now changing.

From 9 October 2026, everyone on board recreational craft of 6 metres in length and under will have to wear lifejackets while those craft are underway. The new rule will apply everywhere in Aotearoa New Zealand.   

Currently, lifejackets must be worn on any recreational craft, regardless of size, at times of heightened risk (e.g., crossing a bar) and by a person being towed (e.g., someone water skiing or wakeboarding). These requirements will continue to apply.  

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Wear your lifejacket

Every trip, every time.

From Friday 9 October 2026 there are new lifejacket rules coming into effect. 

Here's what's changing, who it affects, and what to do before then.

At a glance
  • 01

    New Zealand now has one clear, nationwide approach to wearing lifejackets, replacing a patchwork of regional bylaws.

  • 02

    From Friday 9 October 2026, everyone on board must wear a lifejacket on recreational craft 6 metres (in length) or under while underway.

  • 03

    It applies to all craft types, powered and paddle craft alike - including boats, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and jet skis.

  • 04

    "Underway" means the vessel is not at anchor, aground, or tied up to a dock or the shore - it doesn't need to be moving under power or sail to count.

  • 05

    Carrying a lifejacket for everyone aboard is already required on all recreational vessels, of any size - that doesn't change.

  • 06

    On vessels over 6 metres, current requirements stay the same: carry lifejackets for everyone and wear them during periods of heightened risk (e.g., crossing a bar, if you're on a boat being towed, in the dark), and by a person being towed (e.g., someone water skiing or wakeboarding).

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KEY DATE

Friday 9 October 2026
The change comes into effect.

WHAT'S CHANGING & WHAT'S NOT

From Friday 9 October 2026, everyone on board a recreational craft 6 metres or under must wear a lifejacket whenever the vessel is underway. It's one clear, nationwide approach - and it's about people, not paperwork.

The rule will apply across all of New Zealand to people using small recreational vessels such as jet skis, dinghies, sailboats, kayaks, paddleboards, and motorboats. 

Existing basic requirements relating to lifejackets are not changing (unless a specific exclusion applies). This means: 

  • on all recreational craft; lifejackets must be carried in sufficient numbers for all passengers. 
  • for all recreational craft, when people are being towed for activities such as water skiing and wakeboarding, they have to wear a lifejacket.   
  • for all recreational craft over 6 metres, lifejackets that are properly secured and of an appropriate size must be worn at times of heightened risk (for example crossing a bar, when being towed, in the dark), and 
  • on all recreational craft, the skipper is responsible for ensuring the safety of everyone on board the craft.
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WHY IS WEARING A LIFEJACKET IMPORTANT?

Most people who drown on the water from watercraft incidents weren't wearing a lifejacket - and most incidents happen suddenly, with no time to put one on. Between 2000 and 2025, 362 of the 476 people who drowned in craft-related incidents (76%) weren't wearing a lifejacket. Most were adults, and most were men over 40.

Wearing a lifejacket is one of the simplest, most effective ways to get home safe - and it gives Coastguard volunteers and other rescuers a better chance of reaching you in time. Someone who ends up in the water unexpectedly is roughly three times more likely to survive if they're wearing one.

This kind of change has worked before. In Tasmania, mandatory lifejacket laws helped cut boating fatalities from 45 to 19. In Victoria, wearing rates rose from 22% to 63%. Closer to home, a local bylaw in Waikato achieved 90% compliance within eight years.

Much like seatbelts or bike helmets, this change makes the safe choice the normal choice. 

staying safe on the water 
  • Wear it - every time, on every craft, regardless of size. Don't wait for Friday 9 October 2026 to make it a habit.
  • Choose the right lifejacket for what you're doing - a stand-up paddleboard or kayak needs a different type to a powerboat.
  • Wear it properly, done up correctly and ideally with a crotch strap.
  • Make sure you have enough lifejackets on board for everyone, including guests and children.
  • Before you head out, also carry two waterproof ways to call for help and check the marine weather forecast.
  • Don't have one, or need to upgrade? Coastguard's Old4New programme from 16 November 2026 – 31 January 2027, at Hunting & Fishing stores nationwide, makes it easy. Visit old4new.co.nz
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Frequently asked questions
  • When does the change take effect?

    Friday 9 October 2026

  • What recreational craft does this apply to?

    It applies to all recreational craft 6 metres and under, powered and paddle craft alike - including boats, kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and jet skis.

  • How is vessel length determined?

    Length is measured as the vessel's overall length, making it straightforward to check whether it applies to your craft.

  • What does "underway" mean?

    A vessel is underway whenever it’s not at anchor, aground, or tied up to a dock or the shore - even if it’s just drifting with the engine off, it still counts as underway.

  • Can I take my lifejacket off to swim or dive?

    Yes. Lifejacket rules cover people on board the craft, not people swimming, so once you're in the water for a swim or a dive you don't need to be wearing one - the craft doesn't need to be anchored. There's also a short allowance either side of that for getting in and out of the water, including repeated jumping or diving.

  • Do children and babies have to wear a lifejacket?

    Yes. Everyone on board has to wear one. Make sure infants and children have a properly fitted, child-sized lifejacket, ideally with a crotch strap. An adult lifejacket won't keep a child's head above the water.

  • What about craft longer than 6 metres?

    On vessels over 6 metres, current requirements stay the same: carry lifejackets for everyone and wear them during periods of heightened risk (e.g., crossing a bar, if you're on a boat being towed, in the dark), and by a person being towed (e.g., someone water skiing or wakeboarding). But a bigger boat doesn't mean a smaller risk - since 2000, 93 people have drowned in watercraft incidents on vessels over 6 metres. We want to see everyone come home safely so, just wear it - whatever you're on.

  • Does this include tenders and dinghies?

    Yes. A tender or dinghy is a recreational craft in its own right, so it applies when you're rowing or motoring ashore from a larger boat or a mooring - even if the trip only takes a couple of minutes.

  • Does it apply on lakes and rivers?

    Yes. It applies on inland waters as well as harbours and the coast, so lakes, rivers and estuaries are all covered.

  • Are there any exemptions?

    Yes, but only a few - and they're the same exemptions that already exist under Maritime Rule Part 91. You don't have to wear a lifejacket if you're:

    • on a surfboard or similar unpowered craft
    • on a stand-up paddleboard, if you're using it to surf and wearing a leash
    • windsurfing or sailboarding, as long as you're wearing a wetsuit the whole time
    • diving from a boat 6 metres or under, within 5 miles of shore, as long as you're wearing a full wetsuit the whole time
    • training for or competing in a sporting event that's supervised under the safety system of a national sporting organisation approved by the Director of Maritime NZ
    • a member of a visiting overseas watersports team, and you carry or wear a lifejacket approved in your home country
    • on a commercial raft

    There's also scope for exemptions where wearing a lifejacket would get in the way of operating safely. If none of these describe what you're doing, it applies to you - wear your lifejacket.

  • Who's responsible for making sure everyone's wearing one?

    The skipper. As the one in charge of the boat, you're the one who makes sure everyone aboard has a lifejacket that fits and is wearing it properly - that's just good skippering, and it's how everyone gets home safe.

  • What about my council's local bylaw?

    The new nationwide approach takes precedence over conflicting regional bylaws. Councils have up to five years to update their own bylaws to align, but it applies from 9 October 2026 either way.

  • What happens if I don't wear a lifejacket after 9 October 2026?

    Specific offences and penalties for the new wearing requirement haven't been created yet. This work will be led by Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT). Maritime NZ is still able to prosecute for significant harm resulting from violations of the Maritime Rules. 

    Coastguard's focus is on helping you understand the change and get everyone home safe.

    For the latest, check Maritime NZ's website: maritimenz.govt.nz/lifejacket-changes

  • What is a lifejacket?

    A lifejacket is a buoyancy aid that meets an approved standard – either NZS 5823, or an international standard deemed substantially compliant by the Director of Maritime NZ. 

    NZS 5823 defines different types of lifejackets (401 to 406). 

    The term ‘personal flotation device’ has now been replaced with ‘lifejacket’ but the definition has not changed otherwise.  

  • How do I know which lifejacket to wear for what I'm doing?

    Match the lifejacket to the activity. A paddler on a stand-up paddleboard or kayak needs something lighter and easier to move in than someone heading offshore in a powerboat, and children need a properly fitted child-sized one - never an adult jacket they can grow into. Our mates at Hutchwilco have a handy tool to help you narrow it down:

    Help me to choose a life jacket. 

  • What does having a properly secured lifejacket of an appropriate size mean?

    The New Zealand Standard defines lifejacket types (for different purposes) and weight ranges.  

    These place weight restrictions on certain types of lifejackets, such as inflatables. If a lifejacket does not fit, it can’t be “properly secured” as is required and therefore will not meet the rule requirements. 

  • Where can I get a lifejacket if I don't own one, or need to upgrade?

    Coastguard's Old4New programme runs 16 November 2026 to 31 January 2027 at Hunting & Fishing stores nationwide, making it easy to trade in or get a lifejacket. Visit old4new.co.nz

  • If I wear an inflatable lifejacket, does it need servicing?

    Yes - inflatable lifejackets need to be serviced every year so you know they'll actually inflate when you need them. That means checking the gas cylinder, the firing head and the bladder, and following the manufacturer's instructions. 

  • Does this apply to commercial vessels?

    No. This only covers recreational craft. Commercial vessels - ferries, fishing boats, charter vessels and the like - aren't covered by it. They have their own safety requirements under New Zealand's maritime operator safety system.