If you list products on our store, you must comply with all federal, state, local laws, and our policies applicable to those products and product listings, including this policy.
A personal flotation device (PFD) is a piece of equipment designed to help a person remain afloat in water. PFDs are a large category of items that includes life vests, boating vests, ring buoys, horseshoe buoys, and throwable cushions. The listing of all United States Coast Guard off shore, near shore, flotation or buoyancy aid, and recreational throwable personal flotation devices on the Amazon website must meet specified standards.
Off-shore life jackets: An Off-shore life jacket is a sleeveless PFD that may be used in open ocean, rough seas, or remote waterways. Commercial vessels and vessels carrying passengers must carry these life-saving devices. Life jackets may be inherently buoyant, inflatable, or hybrid-type PFDs. These are robust PFDs and are bright in color.
Near-shore buoyant vests: Near-shore buoyant vests are less bulky than Off-shore life jackets and may be worn for general boating and water activities. These vests may be inherently buoyant, inflatable, or hybrid-type PFDs.
Flotation aids or buoyancy aids: These PFDs may be used for general boating or specialized water activities (water skiing, hunting, fishing, kayaking, and so on). These PFDs can be inherently buoyant, inflatable, or hybrid-type PFDs. Personal flotation aids, such as flotation coats, are garments intended to provide both warmth and flotation assistance to the wearer.
Buoyant throwable personal flotation devices: Buoyant throwable PFDs are intended to be thrown to the user. A PFD marked as Type IV, or Type V with Type IV performance, is considered a throwable PFD. Buoyant throwable PFDs are made of a buoyant material (fibrous glass or plastic foam) or can be inflatable, and are often white or brightly colored.
Recreational ring buoy: A throwable, ring-shaped PFD that is used to keep a person afloat in water.
Recreational horseshoe buoy: A throwable, U-shaped PFD that is used to keep a person afloat in water.
Buoyant cushion: A throwable, square-shaped PFD that is used to keep a person afloat in water.
A throwable, square-shaped, PFD that is used to keep a person afloat in water.
Off-shore life jacket
Near-shore buoyant vests
Flotation aid or buoyancy aid (flotation vest)
Flotation aid or buoyancy aid (flotation coat)
Recreational ring buoy
Recreational horseshoe buoy
Throwable buoyant cushion
Amazon requires that personal flotation devices have been tested to and comply with the specific regulation or standard requirements listed below:
Product | Regulation or Standard requirements |
---|---|
Off-shore life jackets |
|
Near-shore buoyant vests |
|
Buoyant cushions |
|
Recreational ring buoys and recreational horseshoe buoys |
|
Flotation aid or buoyancy aid |
|
We may request this information from you at any time so we recommend that you have it easily accessible:
Some labs provide special Amazon rates for testing. To find more information about these providers, visit Service Provider Network.
If you receive a request from us for compliance documents, complete the
following steps to submit the requested information:
If you do not provide the required information by the applicable deadline, we may:
We reserve the right to take any further actions that may be necessary in our sole discretion.
The information provided on this page, and anywhere else on this website, does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.