46 CFR 180.68: Distress flares and smoke signals on vessels

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets the distress flares and smoke signals a vessel must carry, based on its route. It allows some substitutions and exempts vessels on short runs. It requires each flare to be stowed in a marked portable watertight container at the operating station or in a pyrotechnic locker.

Applies toVessels on oceans, coastwise, limited coastwise, Great Lakes, lakes, bays, and sounds, or rivers routes.

What it says

  1. A vessel on an oceans, coastwise, limited coastwise, or Great Lakes route must carry six hand red flare distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant.

    46 CFR 180.68(a)(1)“Six hand red flare distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant, including, but not limited to, approval series 160.121; and”

  2. A vessel on an oceans, coastwise, limited coastwise, or Great Lakes route must also carry six hand orange smoke distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.037 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant.

    46 CFR 180.68(a)(2)“Six hand orange smoke distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.037 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant.”

  3. A vessel on a lakes, bays, and sounds, or rivers route must carry three hand red flare distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant.

    46 CFR 180.68(b)(1)“Three hand red flare distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant; and”

  4. A rocket parachute flare approved in accordance with § 160.036 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant, may be substituted for any of the required hand red flare distress signals.

    46 CFR 180.68(c)(1)“may be substituted for any of the hand red flare distress signals required under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section.”

  5. A vessel operating on short runs limited to approximately 30 minutes away from the dock is not required to carry distress flares and smoke signals under this section.

    46 CFR 180.68(d)“A vessel operating on short runs limited to approximately 30 minutes away from the dock is not required to carry distress flares and smoke signals under this section.”

  6. Each flare carried to meet this section must be stowed in one of two ways. One is a portable watertight container marked as required by § 185.614 of this chapter and carried at the operating station.

    46 CFR 180.68(e)(1)“A portable watertight container marked as required by § 185.614 of this chapter, carried at the operating station; or”

  7. The other stowage option is a pyrotechnic locker secured above the freeboard deck, away from heat, in the vicinity of the operating station.

    46 CFR 180.68(e)(2)“A pyrotechnic locker secured above the freeboard deck, away from heat, in the vicinity of the operating station.”

Common questions

How many hand red flares must a vessel on a rivers route carry?

A vessel on a lakes, bays, and sounds, or rivers route must carry three hand red flare distress signals. They must be approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant.

“Three hand red flare distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant; and”

Can a rocket parachute flare replace a hand red flare?

Yes. A rocket parachute flare approved in accordance with § 160.036 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant, may be substituted for any required hand red flare.

“A rocket parachute flare approved in accordance with § 160.036 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant may be substituted”

Is there an exemption from carrying flares on short runs?

Yes. A vessel on short runs limited to approximately 30 minutes away from the dock is not required to carry distress flares and smoke signals under this section.

“A vessel operating on short runs limited to approximately 30 minutes away from the dock is not required to carry distress flares and smoke signals under this section.”

Where must distress flares be stowed?

Each flare must be stowed in a marked portable watertight container carried at the operating station, or in a pyrotechnic locker secured above the freeboard deck, away from heat, near the operating station.

“Each flare carried to meet this section must be stowed in one of the following:”

The text of 46 CFR 180.68

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of March 31, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Distress flares and smoke signals

(a) Oceans, coastwise, limited coastwise, and Great Lakes routes. A vessel on an oceans, coastwise, limited coastwise, or Great Lakes route must carry—

(1) Six hand red flare distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant, including, but not limited to, approval series 160.121; and

(2) Six hand orange smoke distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.037 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant.

(b) Lakes, bays, and sounds, and rivers routes. A vessel on a lakes, bays, and sounds, or rivers route must carry:

(1) Three hand red flare distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant; and

(2) Three hand orange smoke distress signals approved in accordance with § 160.037 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant.

(c) Substitutions. (1) A rocket parachute flare approved in accordance with § 160.036 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant may be substituted for any of the hand red flare distress signals required under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section.

(2) One of the following may be substituted for any of the hand orange smoke distress signals required under paragraph (a) or (b) of this section:

(i) A rocket parachute flare approved in accordance with § 160.036 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant.

(ii) A hand red flare distress signal approved in accordance with § 160.021 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant, including, but not limited to, approval series 160.121.

(iii) A floating orange smoke distress signal approved in accordance with § 160.022 in subchapter Q of this chapter, or other standard specified by the Commandant, including, but not limited to, approval series 160.122.

(d) Exemption for vessels on short runs. A vessel operating on short runs limited to approximately 30 minutes away from the dock is not required to carry distress flares and smoke signals under this section.

(e) Stowage. Each flare carried to meet this section must be stowed in one of the following:

(1) A portable watertight container marked as required by § 185.614 of this chapter, carried at the operating station; or

(2) A pyrotechnic locker secured above the freeboard deck, away from heat, in the vicinity of the operating station.

Sections it refers to

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 March 31, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.