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Iowa Life Jacket Rules (2026)

Conditional: Under Iowa law, any child under age 13 must wear a life jacket at all times while on a vessel, including canoes, kayaks and paddleboards.

ConditionalVerified Jul 7, 2026

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Official source: iowadnr.gov →

General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.

Life Jacket Rules in states bordering Iowa

The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.

IllinoisConditional
Illinois requires an approved wearable PFD be worn by each person under age 13 on the deck of, or in an open, watercraft whenever it is underway.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: dnr.illinois.gov · Full Illinois rule →
MinnesotaConditional
Minnesota requires a life jacket be worn by children less than 10 years of age when aboard a watercraft that is underway (not tied at a dock or permanent mooring).
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: dnr.state.mn.us · Full Minnesota rule →
MissouriConditional
Missouri requires each person under age 7 aboard any watercraft on state waters to wear a USCG-approved PFD (exception for fully enclosed areas such as a houseboat/cruiser cabin).
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: mshp.dps.missouri.gov · Full Missouri rule →
NebraskaConditional
In Nebraska no child under 13 may be aboard any vessel without wearing a Coast Guard-approved life preserver, except when hunting waterfowl in an anchored boat.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: outdoornebraska.gov · Full Nebraska rule →
South DakotaConditional
South Dakota requires each child under 7 years old to wear a Coast Guard-approved PFD whenever the boat operates above no-wake speed, unless in a cabin or below deck.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: rules.sd.gov · Full South Dakota rule →
WisconsinConditional
Federal law (enforced in Wisconsin) requires children under 13 to wear a USCG-approved life jacket while underway in an open vessel.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: dnr.wisconsin.gov · Full Wisconsin rule →

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