The U.S. Coast Guard has officially accepted a modern industry-led standard for navigation lights, marking a significant step forward in safety and compliance for boat builders and manufacturers. The American Boat & Yacht Council’s (ABYC) C-5 standard, Construction and Testing of Electric Navigation Lights, is now recognized as equivalent to the decades-old UL 1104 standard, according to Coast Guard Policy Letter 01-25.
The approval gives manufacturers and boat builders — particularly those constructing vessels over 65 feet — a more current and relevant pathway to meet federal requirements for navigation lights.
“ABYC C-5 is a technology-forward standard that reflects how navigation lights are built today,” said Craig Scholten, ABYC vice president of standards and compliance. “This is what success looks like when industry and regulators work together.”
The previous standard, UL 1104, has been in place since 1998 and has not kept pace with modern technology, particularly the widespread use of LED navigation lights. UL 1104 was designed with older incandescent lighting in mind and does not account for the unique performance characteristics or potential failure modes associated with LED technology.
The ABYC C-5 standard addresses these gaps with updated testing requirements that cover visibility, color, service life, electromagnetic compatibility, materials, and labeling. It applies to vessels of all sizes and aligns with ISO 19009, the international standard for electric navigation lights.
Vessels over 65 feet are required to use navigation lights that meet UL 1104 or an equivalent standard specified by the Coast Guard. With the acceptance of ABYC C-5, manufacturers now have a clear, modern option for compliance. Additionally, where certification is required under Titles 33 and 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations, navigation lights meeting C-5 can be certified through Coast Guard-accepted independent laboratories listed under approval series 111.075.
For boaters, this change provides reassurance that navigation lights on the market today — especially LED models — are designed and tested to meet modern safety and performance standards. Most new navigation lights already comply with ABYC C-5, offering a wide selection of certified, compliant products for vessels large and small.
To learn more about ABYC standards or access technical resources, visit www.abycinc.org or contact [email protected].
