(a) All persons twelve (12) years of age and under in an open boat or on an open deck of a vessel being used for recreational purposes on the waters of this state shall wear a United States coast guard approved wearable personal flotation device while such vessel is underway. Any personal flotation devices required by this section shall be in good and serviceable condition, appropriately sized and properly worn by the person. It is unlawful for any person to operate a vessel in violation of this section.

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class C misdemeanorup to 30 daysup to $50
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 69-9-225

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Boat: means any vessel:
    (A) Manufactured or used primarily for noncommercial use. See Tennessee Code 69-9-204
  • Operate: means to navigate, be in physical control of, or otherwise use a motorboat or a vessel. See Tennessee Code 69-9-204
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, or other entity. See Tennessee Code 69-9-204
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Underway: means a vessel that is not anchored, moored or aground. See Tennessee Code 69-9-204
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Vessel: means every description of watercraft, other than a seaplane on the water, used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water. See Tennessee Code 69-9-204
(b) This section does not apply to a commercial vessel owned and operated by a commercial entity that charges a per passenger fee.
(c) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00).
(d) Any person cited under this section shall be given thirty (30) days to provide to the officer proof of legal age and for good cause shown, in the judgment of the officer, such period shall be extended for an additional period of thirty (30) days. In the event the proof shows that the person was of legal age at the time of arrest, the individual shall not be required to appear in court and the court, upon request of the officer, shall dismiss the citation and there shall be no costs assessed to the person.
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