A white light is the one you have to be able to show. Under US Coast Guard rules, a paddle board moved by a paddle counts as a vessel under oars, so at a minimum you must carry a white light, like a torch or a lantern, ready to shine in time to prevent a collision. Red and green are an optional upgrade, not the baseline.
That white light is the whole legal minimum for a hand-paddled board. It does not have to be mounted or lit the entire time under the federal rule, but it does have to be bright enough and reachable enough that you can show it the moment a boat comes near. Some states and local waterways go further and want a white light displayed continuously after dark, so check your local rules before an evening launch.
Red and green come in when you add a proper set of navigation lights. Red marks your port side (your left as you face forward) and green marks your starboard side (your right), the same convention every boat on the water uses. A white all-around light sits above them so you are visible from every direction. Together they do something a single white torch cannot: they tell an approaching boater which way you are pointing and roughly how far off you are.
For most paddlers the setup is simple. Carry a white light so you meet the rule and stay visible, and add red and green sidelights if you paddle harbors, marina channels, or any water shared with powerboats, where a driver reading your direction can be the difference that keeps you clear.
Dawn and dusk count too. The low-light window right around sunrise and sunset is when a low, dark board is hardest to see and boat traffic is often still heavy. If your session starts before sunup or runs past golden hour, bring a light.
The NIXY Navigation Lights ($19) give you white, red, and green LEDs that mount to your board in minutes and handle splash and spray, so you cover both the white-light rule and the red-green visibility that helps boaters read you at a glance.
Frequently asked questions
Do paddle boards legally need red and green lights?
No. A hand-paddled board only has to be able to show a white light in time to prevent a collision under US Coast Guard rules. Red and green sidelights are an optional upgrade that make you easier for boaters to read, and they are worth adding if you share water with powerboats.
What does a white all-around light do?
It makes you visible from every direction. A white all-around light sits above the colored sidelights and is the core light a paddle craft should display at night, since it marks your position to anyone nearby regardless of the angle they are approaching from.
Do you need lights at sunrise and sunset?
Yes, carry one. The low-light window at dawn and dusk is when a low board is hardest to see and boat traffic is often still heavy, so bring a light if your session starts before sunup or runs past sunset.
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