---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 10904"
description: "Refusal to proceed"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "109"
chapter_name: "PROCEEDINGS ON UNSEAWORTHINESS"
section: "10904"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 10904"
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/s10904"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "50d08bcbaeb659e8f6d0c0213eca87239469717b563db1ebd4969149bd697a6a"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "4781c07cdf5d9b886ffca11cd92a42e2d636c71045cc751b720cf08c1f8bc55c"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 10904 - Refusal to proceed

## Text

After a judgment under section 10903 of this title that a vessel is fit to proceed on the intended voyage, or after the order of a judgment to make up deficiencies is complied with, if a seaman does not proceed on the voyage, the unpaid wages of the seaman are forfeited.

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 576.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 1090446:655 Section 10904 provides that if a vessel is found fit to proceed by a judge or justice of the peace and a seaman refuses to proceed, the seaman shall forfeit any unpaid wages.