New Zealand has passed legislation introducing a national requirement for people on recreational craft six metres and under to wear a properly fitted lifejacket while the craft is underway. The change completed its third reading in Parliament in early September and is intended to be in place for the 2026/27 recreational boating season after the remaining legal commencement steps are completed.
The measure is directly relevant to the small boats, dinghies, RIBs, tenders and other compact recreational craft that make up a large part of the Leisure Boat Guide market. Maritime New Zealand and the Transport Accident Investigation Commission have both welcomed the move as a clearer national safety standard.
National rule targets smaller recreational craft
The new requirement applies to recreational craft of six metres or less while underway. It replaces a situation in which lifejacket-wearing requirements could vary between local areas, giving boaters a simpler national baseline for small-craft operation.
Maritime New Zealand says the rule is intended to strengthen one of the sector's most important safety messages: having a lifejacket aboard is not equivalent to wearing one when a capsize, collision or sudden fall overboard happens. The legislation focuses on properly fitted lifejackets rather than simple carriage.
TAIC points to the first moments after capsize
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission says its investigations have repeatedly shown that survival can depend on having flotation already in place when an incident develops suddenly. Small craft can capsize quickly, leaving little or no time to locate, put on and correctly secure a lifejacket once people are in the water.
TAIC also stresses that effective lifejacket use goes beyond compliance. The jacket needs to suit the activity and wearer, fit correctly, be maintained in serviceable condition and be understood by the person using it.
What owners should prepare for
Owners of boats at or below the six-metre threshold should review the lifejackets carried for every regular passenger before the rule comes into force. That includes checking sizing, fastening systems, condition and whether inflatable models are within their service requirements.
The change is a New Zealand rule rather than an international standard, so visitors and owners operating elsewhere should continue checking the requirements that apply in their own waters. For New Zealand boating, however, the new national requirement removes much of the ambiguity around whether a lifejacket merely needs to be carried or actually worn on smaller recreational craft.