Life Jacket Labels and Types Explained

A life jacket label tells you four things: that the jacket is U.S. Coast Guard-approved, how well it floats (its performance Level or Type), who it fits, and what it is and isn't approved for. Newer labels show a performance Level from 50 to 275, and older labels show a Type from I to V. Both are still legal if the jacket is in good condition and right for the activity.

The labels changed a few years ago, so many families have both kinds at home. This guide explains how to read them.

Why labels changed

The Safe Boating Campaign explains that jackets with the new label are approved for use in the U.S. and Canada (opens in a new tab), while devices with the old labels are approved in one country or the other, not both.

The change also moved away from "Type" codes. The Coast Guard's federal requirements guide says federal regulations no longer mention type codes (opens in a new tab) but instead use "wearable PFD" and "throwable PFD". PFD stands for personal flotation device.

You don't need to replace a jacket because of the label. The Safe Boating Campaign says the new label DOES NOT make obsolete life jackets with the old label (opens in a new tab). You can keep using it as long as it is in good condition and suits the activity.

Two kinds of wearable PFD

The Coast Guard says wearable PFDs fall into two main classes:

• Life jackets: those which provide face up in-water support to the user regardless of physical conditions (opens in a new tab).
• Buoyancy aids: those which require the user to make swimming and other movements to keep their face out of the water.

That difference matters most if someone is hurt, exhausted or unconscious. A buoyancy aid needs you to help it.

The Coast Guard also lists four basic design types: Inherent, Inflatable, Hybrid, and Special Purpose (opens in a new tab). "Inherent" means built-in foam flotation that always floats. Inflatables need air from a cylinder or by mouth. Hybrids combine foam and an inflatable chamber.

Performance Levels and what they mean

On new labels, the number in the Level is the jacket's minimum buoyancy. The Coast Guard says the number in performance Level Devices (Level 70) indicates the minimum buoyancy of the device (opens in a new tab), measured in newtons. For example, 70 newtons equals 15.74 pounds of buoyancy. The Coast Guard adds that most adults only need 7 to 12 pounds of buoyancy (opens in a new tab) to keep their heads above water.

Here is how the Coast Guard describes each Level:

Source: U.S. Coast Guard (opens in a new tab).

The Safe Boating Campaign puts it simply: a lower Level number offers more mobility, comfort, and style with good flotation (opens in a new tab) for near-shore, calm-water activities, and a higher number offers greater flotation, turning and stability for offshore activities, where rescue takes longer. It also says to be honest about your swimming ability, because poor swimmers may need a higher level (opens in a new tab).

Old "Type" labels you may still see

The Coast Guard describes the older Types this way:

• Type I: has the greatest required inherent buoyancy and turns most unconscious persons (opens in a new tab) from face down to a vertical, slightly backward position.
• Type II: intended to turn some unconscious persons face up so breathing isn't blocked.
• Type III: intended to support a conscious person in the water in an upright position (opens in a new tab). It is not required to turn an unconscious person face up.
• Type IV: a throwable device, such as a cushion or ring buoy. The Coast Guard says boats 16 feet and longer (except canoes and kayaks) must also carry one throwable PFD (Type IV) (opens in a new tab).
• Type V: approved for restricted uses or activities such as boardsailing, or commercial white-water rafting (opens in a new tab). The label says how it can be used and its limits.

Levels and Types come from different standards. Rather than converting one to the other, read the whole label to see what each jacket is meant for.

The icons on new labels

New labels use pictures as well as words. The Safe Boating Campaign describes:

• A Level icon showing the number (for example, 70 or 100).
• A turning icon. One version means the life jacket will turn an unconscious wearer face up – test before use (opens in a new tab). The other means it will NOT turn an unconscious wearer face up.
• Warning icons for activities the jacket is not approved for. The Safe Boating Campaign says some jackets are not approved for personal watercraft or wakeboarding (opens in a new tab). The Coast Guard publishes these label graphics (opens in a new tab), including warning icons for personal watercraft and towed sports.

The Coast Guard's label page notes that, in these standards, "whitewater" means paddling on Class II and above rapids (opens in a new tab) on the International Scale of River Difficulty.

Water Safety USA says not all U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets perform the same way (opens in a new tab). Check the label against your planned activity and expected water conditions, and test it in the water.

Size and use restrictions on the label

Every label lists who the jacket is for. Look for:

• The approval number. The Safe Boating Campaign says every Coast Guard-approved life jacket has an approval number (opens in a new tab).
• The size category and weight range. The Coast Guard's categories are infant (up to 33 pounds), child (over 33 to 55), youth (over 55 to 88) and adult (over 88).
• The chest size range.
• Age or swimmer limits. The Coast Guard's guide says inflatable jackets are not for children under 16 or non-swimmers (opens in a new tab). The Coast Guard notes that inflatables are often approved only when worn.
• Activity limits, such as not for personal watercraft, towed sports or whitewater.
• Care instructions, especially for inflatables.

If the label is missing, faded or unreadable, you can't be sure the jacket is approved or what it's for. Replace it.

What you can do today

1. Gather your family's life jackets and read each label. Note the Level or Type, size and any warnings.
2. Match each jacket to its user and activity. A Level 50 vest is not a good choice for a non-swimming child.
3. Do the fit test on each one with our life jacket fit test.
4. Choose new jackets with our guide to choosing the right life jacket and the Life jacket finder.
5. If you use an inflatable, read inflatable life jackets: how they work and who should use them.