46 CFR 28.140: Lifesaving equipment readiness, maintenance and inspection

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section requires the master or individual in charge to keep lifesaving equipment in good working order, ready and accessible. It requires maintenance and inspection under Table 28.140, the applicable servicing procedure and the manufacturer's guidelines. It also sets servicing rules for inflatable liferafts and bans obstructed escape routes.

Applies toThe section applies to the master or individual in charge of a vessel and to each item of lifesaving equipment, including unapproved equipment.

What it says

  1. The master or individual in charge must ensure each item of lifesaving equipment is in good working order, ready for immediate use, and readily accessible before the vessel leaves port and at all times when the vessel is operated.

    46 CFR 28.140(a)“must ensure that each item of lifesaving equipment must be in good working order, ready for immediate use, and readily accessible before the vessel leaves port and at all times when the vessel is operated”

  2. Each item of lifesaving equipment, including unapproved equipment, must be maintained and inspected in accordance with Table 28.140, the servicing procedure for the item's approval, and the manufacturer's guidelines.

    46 CFR 28.140(b)“Each item of lifesaving equipment, including unapproved equipment, must be maintained and inspected in accordance with:”

  3. The maintenance and inspection must follow the servicing procedure under the subpart of this chapter applicable to the item's approval.

    46 CFR 28.140(b)(2)“The servicing procedure under the subpart of this chapter applicable to the item's approval; and”

  4. An inflatable liferaft or inflatable buoyant apparatus must be serviced no later than the month and year on its servicing sticker, and whenever the container is damaged or the container straps or seals are broken.

    46 CFR 28.140(c)“must be serviced no later than the month and year on its servicing sticker affixed under 46 CFR 160.151-57(n), and whenever the container is damaged or the container straps or seals are broken.”

  5. An inflatable liferaft or inflatable buoyant apparatus must be serviced at a facility specifically approved by the Commandant for the particular brand.

    46 CFR 28.140(c)“It must be serviced at a facility specifically approved by the Commandant for the particular brand.”

  6. An escape route from a space where an individual may be employed, or from an accommodation space, must not be obstructed.

    46 CFR 28.140(d)“An escape route from a space where an individual may be employed or an accommodation space must not be obstructed.”

Common questions

When must lifesaving equipment be ready for use?

It must be in good working order, ready for immediate use, and readily accessible before the vessel leaves port and at all times when the vessel is operated.

“before the vessel leaves port and at all times when the vessel is operated”

Where can an inflatable liferaft be serviced?

It must be serviced at a facility specifically approved by the Commandant for the particular brand.

“It must be serviced at a facility specifically approved by the Commandant for the particular brand.”

Can escape routes be blocked?

No. An escape route from a space where an individual may be employed or an accommodation space must not be obstructed.

“An escape route from a space where an individual may be employed or an accommodation space must not be obstructed.”

What standards apply to maintaining lifesaving equipment, including unapproved equipment?

Each item must be maintained and inspected in accordance with Table 28.140, the applicable servicing procedure, and the manufacturer's guidelines.

“Each item of lifesaving equipment, including unapproved equipment, must be maintained and inspected in accordance with:”

The text of 46 CFR 28.140

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

Operational readiness, maintenance, and inspection of lifesaving equipment

(a) The master or individual in charge of a vessel must ensure that each item of lifesaving equipment must be in good working order, ready for immediate use, and readily accessible before the vessel leaves port and at all times when the vessel is operated.

(b) Each item of lifesaving equipment, including unapproved equipment, must be maintained and inspected in accordance with:

(1) Table 28.140 in this section;

(2) The servicing procedure under the subpart of this chapter applicable to the item's approval; and

(3) The manufacturer's guidelines.

(c) An inflatable liferaft or inflatable buoyant apparatus must be serviced no later than the month and year on its servicing sticker affixed under 46 CFR 160.151-57(n), and whenever the container is damaged or the container straps or seals are broken. It must be serviced at a facility specifically approved by the Commandant for the particular brand.

(d) An escape route from a space where an individual may be employed or an accommodation space must not be obstructed.

Table 28.140—Scheduled Maintenance and Inspection of Lifesaving Equipment Item Interval Regulation Monthly Annually (1) Inflatable wearable personal flotation device (Type V commercial hybrid) Servicing 28.140 (2) Personal flotation devices, exposure suits and immersion suits Inspect, clean and repair as necessary 28.140 (3) Buoyant apparatus and life floats Inspect, clean and repair as necessary 28.140 (4) Inflatable liferaft Servicing 1 28.140 (5) Inflatable buoyant apparatus Servicing 1 28.140 (6) Hydrostatic release Servicing 1 28.140 (7) Disposable hydrostatic release Replace on or before expiration date 28.140 (8) Undated batteries Replace 28.140 (9) Dated batteries 2 and other items Replace on or before expiration date 25.26-50, 28.140 (10) EPIRB Test 25.26-50 1 For a new liferaft or inflatable buoyant apparatus, the first annual servicing may be deferred to two years from the date of first packing if so indicated on the servicing sticker. 2 Water activated batteries must be replaced whenever they are used.

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.