---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 40503"
description: "Refunds and waivers"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "405"
chapter_name: "TARIFFS, SERVICE CONTRACTS, REFUNDS, AND WAIVERS"
section: "40503"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 40503"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s40503"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "6e3dd13a2ed99746d2ce78ed4dd387b26592cc458cfee480131c435b7fe263ae"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "efb5c7422afacfa6ca2457d24db096516fed37cdcd27d02d827c49bcabd4789a"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 40503 - Refunds and waivers

## Text

The Federal Maritime Commission, on application of a carrier or shipper, may permit a common carrier or conference to refund a portion of the freight charges collected from a shipper, or to waive collection of a portion of the charges from a shipper, if—

(1) there is an error in a tariff, a failure to publish a new tariff, or an error in quoting a tariff, and the refund or waiver will not result in discrimination among shippers, ports, or carriers;

(2) the common carrier or conference, before filing an application for authority to refund or waive any charges for an error in a tariff or a failure to publish a tariff, has published a new tariff setting forth the rate on which the refund or waiver would be based; and

(3) the application for the refund or waiver is filed with the Commission within 180 days from the date of shipment.

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 7, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1535.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 4050346 App.:1707(e).Pub. L. 98–237, § 8(e), Mar. 20, 1984, 98 Stat. 75; Pub. L. 105–258, title I, § 106(d), Oct. 14, 1998, 112 Stat. 1907. In paragraph (1), the words “an error in a tariff, a failure to publish a new tariff” are substituted for “an error in a, in failing to publish a new tariff” to correct an obvious error in the underlying statute. In paragraph (2), the words “or waive” are added for consistency with the reference to a waiver later in the paragraph.