North Carolina Dive Flags

Rules for NC divers and boaters

North Carolina has a strict, clear dive flag law.

For Divers in North Carolina

According to Chapter 75A, North Carolina's Boating Safety Act:

§ 75A-13.1. Skin and scuba divers.

(a) No person shall engage in skin diving or scuba diving in the waters of this State which are open to boating, or assist in such diving, without displaying a diver's flag from a mast, buoy, or other structure at the place of diving; and no person shall display such flag except when diving operations are under way or in preparation.

(b) The diver's flag shall be square, not less than 12 inches on a side, and shall be of red background with a diagonal white stripe, of a width equal to one fifth of the flag's height, running from the upper corner adjacent to the mast downward to the opposite outside corner.

(c) No operator of a vessel under way in the waters of this State shall permit such vessel to approach closer than 50 feet to any structure from which a diver's flag is then being displayed, except where such flag is so positioned as to constitute an unreasonable obstruction to navigation; and no person shall engage in skin diving or scuba diving or display a diver's flag in any locality at which the same will unreasonably obstruct vessels from making legitimate navigational use of the water. (1969, c. 97, s. 1.)

For Boaters in North Carolina

As quoted above, North Carolina law is very clear: Boaters must stay at least 50 feet away from a diver-down flag.

Happy Diving,

Chris Whitten
chris-(@)-interesting.com (remove the hyphens and parentheses)
Dive-Flag.com Webmaster

P.S. The information above was as complete and up-to-date at the time as I could make it. It should not be construed as providing legal advice. You should conduct your own legal research or contact an attorney.