Home/U.S. Code/Title 46/Ch. SUBCHAPTER III—MISCELLANEOUS/§ 12131
FEDERAL · 46 U.S.C. · Chapter SUBCHAPTER III—MISCELLANEOUS

Command of documented vessels

46 U.S.C. § 12131
Title46 — Shipping
ChapterSUBCHAPTER III—MISCELLANEOUS

This text of 46 U.S.C. § 12131 (Command of documented vessels) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
46 U.S.C. § 12131.

Text

(a)In General.—Except as provided in subsection (b), a documented vessel may be placed under the command only of a citizen or noncitizen national (as such term is described in section 308 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1408)) of the United States.
(b)Exceptions.—Subsection (a) does not apply to—
(1)a vessel with only a recreational endorsement; or
(2)an unmanned barge operating outside of the territorial waters of the United States.

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Related

§ 308
46 U.S.C. § 308
§ 1408
8 U.S.C. § 1408

Source Credit

History

(Pub. L. 109–304, §5, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1505; Pub. L. 110–181, div. C, title XXXV, §3529(a)(3), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 603; Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, §7301(b)(2)(C), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1752.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments
2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60 inserted "or noncitizen national (as such term is described in section 308 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1408))" after "citizen".
2008—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–181 substituted "command" for "commmand".

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Bluebook (online)
46 U.S.C. § 12131, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/usc/46/12131.