46 CFR 199.250: Abandon-ship and fire drills on passenger vessels
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section sets drill requirements for passenger vessels. A vessel must conduct an abandon-ship drill and a fire drill at least weekly. Each crewmember must take part in both kinds of drill each month.
Applies toThe section applies to passenger vessels, and paragraph (c) also refers to passengers and special personnel.
What it says
A passenger vessel must conduct an abandon-ship drill and a fire drill, as described in § 199.180, at least weekly.
46 CFR 199.250(a)“An abandon-ship drill and a fire drill, as described in § 199.180, must be conducted on each passenger vessel at least weekly.”
The entire crew does not have to be involved in every drill.
46 CFR 199.250(b)“The entire crew does not have to be involved in every drill”
Each crewmember must participate in an abandon-ship drill and a fire drill each month.
46 CFR 199.250(b)“but each crewmember must participate in an abandon-ship drill and a fire drill each month.”
Passengers and special personnel must be strongly encouraged to attend abandon-ship and fire drills.
46 CFR 199.250(c)“Passengers and special personnel must be strongly encouraged to attend abandon-ship and fire drills.”
Common questions
How often must a passenger vessel hold abandon-ship and fire drills?
A passenger vessel must conduct an abandon-ship drill and a fire drill at least weekly. The drills are described in § 199.180.
“An abandon-ship drill and a fire drill, as described in § 199.180, must be conducted on each passenger vessel at least weekly.”
Does the whole crew have to take part in every drill?
No. The entire crew does not have to be involved in every drill, but each crewmember must participate in an abandon-ship drill and a fire drill each month.
“The entire crew does not have to be involved in every drill, but each crewmember must participate in an abandon-ship drill and a fire drill each month.”
Are passengers required to attend abandon-ship and fire drills?
The text does not require attendance. It says passengers and special personnel must be strongly encouraged to attend.
“Passengers and special personnel must be strongly encouraged to attend abandon-ship and fire drills.”
The text of 46 CFR 199.250
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Drills
(a) An abandon-ship drill and a fire drill, as described in § 199.180, must be conducted on each passenger vessel at least weekly.
(b) The entire crew does not have to be involved in every drill, but each crewmember must participate in an abandon-ship drill and a fire drill each month.
(c) Passengers and special personnel must be strongly encouraged to attend abandon-ship and fire drills.
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 April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.