---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 C.F.R. § 180.68"
title: "46"
number: "180.68"
heading: "Distress flares and smoke signals."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/46/180.68"
---

# §180.68. 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](/cfr/46/160.021.md) 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](/cfr/46/160.037.md) 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](/cfr/46/160.021.md) 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](/cfr/46/160.037.md) 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](/cfr/46/160.036.md) 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)](#a) or [(b)](#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)](#a) or [(b)](#b) of this section:
    - (i) A rocket parachute flare approved in accordance with [§ 160.036](/cfr/46/160.036.md) 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](/cfr/46/160.021.md) 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](/cfr/46/160.022.md) 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](/cfr/46/185.614.md) 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.

## Notes

### Amendments

[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 975, Jan. 10, 1996; 61 FR 20557, May 7, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 51357, Sept. 30, 1997; USCG-2015-0867, 80 FR 62470, Oct. 16, 2015]

### Authority

Authority: 46 U.S.C. 2104, 3306; E.O. 12234, 45 FR 58801, 3 CFR, 1980 Comp., p. 277; DHS Delegation 00170.1, Revision No. 01.4.

### Source

Source: CGD 85-080, 61 FR 975, Jan. 10, 1996, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[CGD 85-080, 61 FR 975, Jan. 10, 1996; 61 FR 20557, May 7, 1996, as amended at 62 FR 51357, Sept. 30, 1997; USCG-2015-0867, 80 FR 62470, Oct. 16, 2015]