A new phase of public submissions are now open for the Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill.
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is calling for additional public submissions on proposed changes to the Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill.
This is a critical opportunity to help shape national boating safety law - and potentially extend lifejacket requirements to people of all ages.
Submissions close: 11.59 pm, Wednesday 15 April 2026
Thank you to everyone who submitted on the original Bill in December 2025 and made oral submissions.
The Transport & Infrastructure Committee heard evidence during the first round of submissions that New Zealand averages around 17 boating fatalities each year, mostly involving adults who unexpectedly end up in the water. Children wearing lifejackets often survive incidents that adults do not. The Committee is now considering extending lifejacket requirements to all occupants of vessels 6 metres and under when underway and is seeking further public submissions.
"We absolutely welcome the move to extend lifejacket requirements to all ages. But limiting that protection to vessels six metres and under doesn’t make sense from a safety perspective.
It’s difficult to justify a rule where a child must wear a lifejacket on a 5.9-metre boat, but not a 6.1-metre one.”
Coastguard volunteers see first-hand the heartbreak that comes when someone isn’t wearing a lifejacket. It's because of that we've consistently advocated for mandatory wearing of lifejackets, not just carrying them, as the most effective way to prevent drowning.
We strongly support the proposed strengthening of the Bill to include people of all ages, however, limiting the rule to 6 metres doesn’t go far enough, as vessel length is not a reliable indicator of drowning risk.
How can we as a nation accept that children on a vessel 5.9m must wear a lifejacket, but don't on a vessel 6.1m?
Maritime Rule Part 91 currently does not rely on vessel length when addressing lifejacket use. So introducing a length‑based distinction risks creating confusion where clarity is needed most.
Coastguard and Water Safety NZ support a simple, behaviour‑based rule that people can easily understand and follow - for example, requiring lifejackets to be worn on all recreational craft whenever a recreational craft is underway.
If exceptions are needed for lower‑risk situations, these can be addressed through clear drafting and guidance (such as when vessels are anchored, moored, or when people are in an enclosed cabin), while still ensuring people wear lifejackets when the risk is greatest.
Source: Water Safety New Zealand
From Coastguard’s available vessel profile Callsign data:
A rule limited to ≤6 metres would therefore exclude a substantial share of recreational craft, particularly vessels in the 6–15 metre range, which are commonly used for fishing, cruising and family boating.
People unexpectedly end up in the water on all types of vessels - through falls, sudden weather changes, bar crossings, medical events or collisions.
New Zealanders shouldn't be comfortable accepting preventable drownings on larger vessels by design.
Legislation works:
Public feedback will help the Committee decide whether to:
The next few weeks are critical.
Submissions can be short. What matters is that your voice is heard.
You may wish to comment on some or all of the following, based on your own views and experience:
The Life Jackets for Children and Young Persons Bill is a Members’ Bill that proposes changes to New Zealand’s lifejacket laws for recreational boating.
As originally drafted, it would require anyone under the age of 15 to always wear a lifejacket on a recreational craft 6 metres or less in waterline length.
The Transport and Infrastructure Committee is now considering whether that protection should be extended to people of all ages.
During the select committee process, the Committee received strong evidence that:
The Committee also heard first‑hand accounts where children survived because they were wearing lifejackets, while adults on the same vessel drowned because they were unable to access or put on lifejackets once in the water.
The Committee is considering an amendment that would require lifejackets to be worn by all occupants of a recreational craft 6 metres or less in waterline length, when the vessel is underway.
Because this goes beyond the Bill’s original scope, the Committee has opened a six‑week period for additional public submissions.
Vessel length is not a reliable indicator of drowning risk.
Since 2000:
Coastguard’s available vessel profile Callsign data shows that nearly half of recreational vessels are 6 metres or longer. A rule limited to ≤6 metres would therefore exclude a substantial share of vessels commonly used for fishing, cruising and family boating.
No. Coastguard supports a practical, risk‑based approach that focuses on when people are most likely to end up in the water.
We believe there is room in the legislation and guidance to recognise low‑risk situations, such as:
These can be addressed without weakening the core safety objective.
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 crotch straps, medical events or inflatable jackets not activated). Properly fitted lifejackets dramatically improve survival chances.
“Underway” means when a vessel is moving through the water.
Not when a vessel is moored, anchored, or tied up or when people are resting, eating, or sleeping on board while the vessel is stationary.
The focus is on the moments when the risk of unexpectedly entering the water is highest.
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 (e.g., stricter requirements for vessels 6 m and under), our position is that mandatory lifejacket use should apply to all recreational craft, regardless of size.
Enforcement would sit with Harbourmasters and Maritime New Zealand, supported by education and awareness campaigns.
Coastguard supports practical, proportionate enforcement, including:
Maritime Rule Part 91 sets the basic safety rules for recreational boating in New Zealand. At present, the rule requires carriage of personal flotation devices (PFDs) - meaning you must have a lifejacket on board for each person, but not necessarily be wearing one. This applies to most recreational craft, including pleasure craft and manually powered craft used in commercial operations such as sea kayak rentals.
Lifejackets must currently be worn only in situations of heightened risk, such as rough conditions, poor visibility, or when instructed by the skipper. Some craft are exempt from carrying lifejackets altogether, such as sailboards when the sailor is wearing a wetsuit, and people training or competing in certain sporting events where a support vessel is present.
The rule also sets standards for the types of lifejackets allowed, including specialised devices used for paddle craft.
While requiring lifejackets to be carried is important, it doesn’t prevent drownings when incidents happen suddenly - and they often do. Many fatalities occur close to shore, in calm conditions, or on “quick trips” where people assumed they didn’t need to put a lifejacket on. Moving from carriage to mandatory wearing ensures people already have a lifejacket on in the moments that matter most. International evidence shows this simple shift saves lives, which is why Coastguard supports extending mandatory lifejacket use to everyone on all recreational craft.
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, e.g., when a wetsuit is worn. We are not suggesting these be removed.