46 CFR 163.003-15: Pilot ladder performance requirements
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section sets performance requirements for each pilot ladder. A ladder must roll up for storage and unroll freely to hang vertically. Its suspension members must stay clear of the vessel's side, and its steps must be able to bear on the side.
Applies toEach pilot ladder, as covered by this section.
What it says
Each pilot ladder must be capable of being rolled up for storage.
46 CFR 163.003-15(a)“Each pilot ladder must be capable of being rolled up for storage.”
Each ladder, when rolled up, must be able to unroll freely and hang vertically.
46 CFR 163.003-15(b)“Each ladder when rolled up must be able to unroll freely and hang vertically.”
Each suspension member must be arranged so that, when the ladder is in use on a vessel, it cannot come in contact with the vessel's side.
46 CFR 163.003-15(c)“Each suspension member must be arranged so that, when the ladder is in use on a vessel, the suspension member cannot come in contact with the vessel's side.”
Each step must be arranged so that it can bear on the side of the vessel when the ladder is in use.
46 CFR 163.003-15(d)“Each step must be arranged so that it can bear on the side of the vessel when the ladder is in use.”
Common questions
Must a pilot ladder be able to be rolled up?
Yes. Each pilot ladder must be capable of being rolled up for storage.
“Each pilot ladder must be capable of being rolled up for storage.”
How must a rolled-up pilot ladder behave when unrolled?
A ladder that is rolled up must be able to unroll freely and hang vertically.
“Each ladder when rolled up must be able to unroll freely and hang vertically.”
Can the suspension members of a pilot ladder touch the vessel's side?
No. Each suspension member must be arranged so that, when the ladder is in use on a vessel, it cannot come in contact with the vessel's side.
“Each suspension member must be arranged so that, when the ladder is in use on a vessel, the suspension member cannot come in contact with the vessel's side.”
Must pilot ladder steps bear on the vessel's side?
Each step must be arranged so that it can bear on the side of the vessel when the ladder is in use.
“Each step must be arranged so that it can bear on the side of the vessel when the ladder is in use.”
The text of 46 CFR 163.003-15
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Performance
(a) Each pilot ladder must be capable of being rolled up for storage.
(b) Each ladder when rolled up must be able to unroll freely and hang vertically.
(c) Each suspension member must be arranged so that, when the ladder is in use on a vessel, the suspension member cannot come in contact with the vessel's side.
(d) Each step must be arranged so that it can bear on the side of the vessel when the ladder is in use.
The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.