###### Editorial Note on [Part 199](/current/title-46/part-199?toc=1)

#### Editorial Note:

Nomenclature changes to part 199 appear by USCG-2012-0832, [77 FR 59789](https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/77-FR-59789), Oct. 1, 2012.

#### § 199.610 Exemptions for vessels in specified services.

(a) *All vessels.* Vessels operating in coastwise, Great Lakes, lakes, bays and sounds, and rivers services are exempt from requirements in [subparts A](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/part-199/subpart-A) through [E of this part](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/part-199/subpart-E) as specified in table [199.610(a)](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/section-199.610#p-199.610(a)) of this section.

Table [199.610](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/section-199.610)(a)—Exemptions for All Vessels in Specified Services

| Section or paragraph in this part | Service | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Coastwise | Great Lakes | Lakes, bays, and sounds | Rivers |
| 199.60(c): Distress signals | (1) | (1) | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.70(a)(3)(iii): Lifebuoys fitted with smoke signals | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.70(b)(1)(i): Carriage of additional child-size lifejackets | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) |
| 199.70(b)(4)(i): Lifejacket lights (for lifejackets) | (3) | (3) | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.70(c)(4)(i): Lifejacket lights (for immersion suits) | (3) | (3) | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.70(b)(4)(ii): Lifejacket whistles | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.70(c): Immersion suits for rescue boat crew members | Not Exempt | Not Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.70(c)(4)(ii): Immersion suit whistles | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.100(c)(1): Requirements for person-in-charge of survival craft | Not Exempt | Not Exempt | Not Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.100(d): Designation of second-in-command of lifeboat | (4) | (4) | (4) | Exempt. |
| 199.110(f): Embarkation ladders at launching stations | (5) | (5) | (5) | (5) |
| 199.130(a)(4): Survival craft stowage position | Not Exempt | Not Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.170: Line-throwing appliance | Not Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.175(b)(21)(i)(G) or 199.640(j)(4)(iii)(E): Float-free link | (6) | (6) | (6) | (6) |
| 199.190(j): Renewal of survival craft falls | Not Exempt | (7) | (7) | (7) |
| 199.202 or 199.262 Rescue boats | (8) | (8) | (8) | (8) |
| 199.510: EPIRB requirement | (8 9) | (8 10) | Exempt | Exempt. |
| | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Notes:** | | | | |
| 1 Exempt if the vessel operates on a route with a duration of 30 minutes or less. | | | | |
| 2 Exempt if the vessel does not carry persons smaller than the lower size limit of the lifejackets carried. | | | | |
| 3 Exempt if the vessel is a ferry or has no overnight accommodations. | | | | |
| 4 Exempt if the lifeboat has a carrying capacity of less than 40 persons. | | | | |
| 5 Exempt if the distance is less than 3 meters (10 feet) from the embarkation deck to the water with the vessel in its lightest seagoing operating condition. | | | | |
| 6 Exempt if the vessel operates on a route on which the water depth is never more than the length of the painter. | | | | |
| 7 Exempt if the vessel operates on a fresh water route and inspection shows that the falls are not damaged by corrosion. | | | | |
| 8 Exempt if the vessel is non-self propelled and in tow, moored to or alongside a MODU or a self-propelled vessel, or moored to shore. | | | | |
| 9 Exempt if the vessel is a cargo vessel under 300 tons gross tonnage and operates on a route no more than 3 nautical miles from shore. | | | | |
| 10 Exempt if the vessel operates on a route no more than 3 nautical miles from shore. | | | | |

(b) *Passenger vessels.* In addition to the exemptions in [paragraph (a)](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/section-199.610#p-199.610(a)) of this section, passenger vessels operating in coastwise; Great Lakes; lakes, bays, and sounds; and rivers service are exempt from requirements in [subparts A](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/part-199/subpart-A) through [E of this part](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/part-199/subpart-E) as specified in table [199.610(b)](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/section-199.610#p-199.610(b)) of this section.

Table [199.610](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/section-199.610)(b)—Exemptions for Passenger Vessels in Specified Services

| Section or paragraph in this part | Service | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Coastwise | Great Lakes | Lakes, bays, and sounds | Rivers |
| 199.203: Marshalling of liferafts | Not Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.211(b): Lights on lifebuoys | (1) | (1) | (1) | (1) |
| 199.212(a): Carriage of additional five percent lifejackets | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| 199.214: Immersion suits and thermal protective aids in lifeboats | Not Exempt | Not Exempt | Exempt | Exempt. |
| | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Note:** | | | | |
| 1 Exempt if the length of vessel is under 60 meters (197 feet) and there are self-igniting lights attached to at least one-half the required lifebuoys. | | | | |

(c) *Cargo vessels.* In addition to the exemptions in [paragraph (a)](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/section-199.610#p-199.610(a)) of this section, cargo vessels are exempt from requirements in [subparts A](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/part-199/subpart-A) through [E of this part](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/part-199/subpart-E) as specified in table [199.610(c)](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/section-199.610#p-199.610(c)) of this section.

Table [199.610](/on/2024-09-23/title-46/section-199.610)(c)—Exemptions for Cargo Vessels in Specified Services

| Section or paragraph in this part | Service | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oceans | Coastwise | Great Lakes | Lakes, Bays, and Sounds | Rivers |
| 199.70(a)(3)(ii): Lights on lifebuoys | Not exempt | (1) | (1) | (1) | (1) |
| 199.80(b): Muster list | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) | (2) |
| 199.262(a): Rescue boats | (2 3) | (3) | (3) | (3) | (3) |
| 199.273: Immersion suits | Not exempt | Not exempt | Not exempt | Exempt | Exempt |
| | | | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Notes:** | | | | | |
| 1 Exempt if the length of vessel is under 30 meters (99 feet). | | | | | |
| 2 Exempt if the vessel is under 500 tons gross tonnage. | | | | | |
| 3 Exempt if—(i) the OCMI determines the vessel is arranged to allow a helpless person to be recovered from the water. | | | | | |
| (ii) recovery of the helpless person can be observed from the navigating bridge; and | | | | | |
| (iii) the vessel does not regularly engage in operations that restrict its maneuverability. | | | | | |

[CGD 84-069, [61 FR 25313](https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/61-FR-25313), May 20, 1996, as amended at [63 FR 52819](https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/63-FR-52819), Oct. 1, 1998; USCG-1999-6216, [64 FR 53229](https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/64-FR-53229), Oct. 1, 1999; USCG-2000-7790, [65 FR 58465](https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/65-FR-58465), Sept. 29, 2000]