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What To Know To Avoid A Ticket - Arizona Boating Requirement Checklist

Apr. 9 2022 Boat Safety By Brooke Wallace

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When boating in Arizona, safety is the top priority. Boating laws require certain safety equipment on board and if you’re caught without them, you can be issued a violation. Boating violations are a misdemeanor and carry penalties of either a fine of no more than $1,000, or even jail time. Make sure you complete this boating requirement checklist so you know you have everything Arizona requires and you don’t get stuck with a ticket. 

Arizona boats are required to have a throwable floatation device, flags, a muffling device, fire extinguisher, visual distress signals (VDSs), and current registration. For boats 16 feet and over, plus kayaks and canoes, a USCG-approved personal floatation device (PFD) life jacket is required for every passenger. 

Getting a ticket when you’re out boating can really spoil the fun. Learn which safety equipment Arizona requires while you’re out on the boat and stay out of trouble. Plus, we’ll share what the 10 most common boating violations are in Arizona, so you can avoid these, too.  

Arizona Boating Requirements Checklist

Personal Floatation Devices (PFDs) - Life Jackets

Any vessel 16 feet and larger, plus canoes and kayaks, is required to have life jackets. Every passenger is required to have a USCG-approved life jacket. But, adults aren’t required to wear them unless there is an emergency.  

Wearing them is required for children 12 and under, anyone on a jet ski or personal watercraft (PWC), and for anyone who is being towed behind the boat. Stand up paddle boarders are also required to wear life jackets. 

The only exception to this requirement are sailboards and certain racing shells. 

Throwable Flotation Device

Arizona law requires at least 1 USCG-approved throwable flotation device (type IV). It can be a cushion, ring buoy, or something similar. If you’ll be doing watersports, these work great to get the person out of the water quickly and safely.  

Flags

Skier-Down Flag

Arizona requires a bright red or orange skier-down flag which is at least 12” x 12” to be displayed whenever a water skier has fallen in the water or is prepared to ski.  

 

Diver-Down Flag

When scuba diving and snorkeling, a diver-down flag must be displayed when someone is diving below the surface. The red flag with 1 white stripe is for Arizona waters, including the Colorado River and Lake System. 

Fire Extinguisher

Surprisingly, not every vessel is required to have a fire extinguisher, but most boats do fit the criteria. 

Per Arizona law, a Type B fire extinguisher is  required is 1 or more of these conditions exist:

  • Inboard engine
  • Closed compartments where portable fuel tanks may be stored
  • Double bottoms not sealed to the hull or which are not completely filled with flotation materials
  • Closed living spaces
  • Closed storage compartments in which combustible or flammable materials are stored 
  • Permanently installed red fuel tanks or where removing fuel tanks is hampered by tie-down straps or clamps 

Requirements for large vessels:

  • Two Type B-I fire extinguishers are required for vessels 26-40 feet, or at least one Type B-II
  • Three Type B-I fire extinguishers, or at least  one Type B-I and one B-II Type extinguisher, are required for vessels 40-65 feet when there is no fixed fire extinguishing system installed. When a fixed extinguisher system is installed in machinery spaces, there must be at least two B-I and at least one B-II extinguishers aboard.

Muffling Devices

All vessels in Arizona are required to have a muffling device. Since engines can be very loud, a muffling device reduces the noise making it safer for the driver to operate the boat. The exception to this is for boats competing in an approved race. 

Do not exceed these noise levels, per Arizona law:

  • 86 dBA when measured 50 feet or more from vessel
  • 90 dBA, if engine was manufactured before January 1, 1993, when measured stationary
  • 99 dBA, if engine was manufactured after January 1, 1993, when measured stationary
  • 75 dBA, if shoreline sound level test is performed 

Visual Distress Signals (VDSs)

To signal for help in an emergency a boat needs to have VDSs. In Arizona, ALL vessels are required to carry night signals between sunset and sunrise, and MOST vessels are required to have day signals. 

Vessels that are NOT required to carry day signal in Arizona are:

  • Recreational vessels 16 feet or less
  • Non-motorized open sailboats that are less than 26 feet
  • Manually propelled vessels, like a canoe or kayak

For every other type of vessel, VDSs are required during the day (and night). Any pyrotechnic VDSs need to be dated and unexpired and you can’t display any type of VDS unless you actually have an emergency. 

Required VDSs are:

  • 3 handheld red flares (day and night)
  • 1 handheld red flare and 2 red meteors (day and night)
  • 1 handheld orange smoke signal (day), 2 floating orange smoke signals (day), adn 1 electric light (night only)

Current Registration

Always make sure registration is up to date on your boat before going out on the water. Arizona law requires an Arizona Certificate of Number (registration number) and decals to operate, moor, or anchor your vessel on any Arizona waterways. The registration number must be displayed on the side of the boat and be 3 inches high with block letters. 

Arizona’s Top 10 Boating Violations

 These are Arizona’s 10 most common boating violations per the Arizona Game and Fish Department to help keep you out of trouble on the water. 

Final Thoughts

When boating in Arizona you need to make sure you aren’t violating any boating laws to avoid a fine, or even jail time. Personal floatation devices, throwable flotation devices, diving flags, a fire extinguisher, muffling devices, VDSs, and current registration are the most important things to have onboard to avoid a ticket. Make sure you have everything on this checklist then, grab some friends, food, and sunscreen and have a great day boating!