---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 7318"
description: "Radiotelegraph operators on Great Lakes"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "73"
chapter_name: "MERCHANT MARINERS’ DOCUMENTS"
section: "7318"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 7318"
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/s7318"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "ffee518d04bd735da9e44378b6607c5a4c3749fdc6c073c78abbcbbb14ad76d8"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "89e8db7990b3a3aa0ce63040c7032713265c82dcef0f7ec699547a96d6f03339"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 7318 - Radiotelegraph operators on Great Lakes

## Text

(a) A radiotelegraph operator on the Great Lakes only shall have a first-class or second-class radiotelegraph operator’s license issued by the Federal Communications Commission.

(b) An endorsement as radiotelegraph operator on the Great Lakes only ends if the holder ceases to hold the license issued by the Commission.

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 545.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 731846:229c46:229g46:643(a) Section 7318 specifies that radiotelegraph operators on the Great Lakes shall have a first-class or second-class radiotelegraph operator’s license issued by the FCC and need not be licensed as a radio operator by the Coast Guard. However, an endorsement as radio telegraph operator has to be noted on his merchant mariners’ document. If the holder ceases to have a valid FCC license, then the endorsement is terminated automatically without recourse to suspension and revocation proceedings.