---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 11202"
description: "Qualified service"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "112"
chapter_name: "MERCHANT MARINER BENEFITS"
section: "11202"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 11202"
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/s11202"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "bcffe165b1fa3fb8d8b3ce373a9fb54ab8e9a57922265a1081953f709651574a"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "631dcc7b49802b7e9993e4b55ff7045213233534e2161e29e469d09607836e72"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 11202 - Qualified service

## Text

For purposes of this chapter, an individual shall be considered to have engaged in qualified service if, between August 16, 1945, and December 31, 1946, the individual—

(1) was a member of the United States merchant marine (including the Army Transport Service and the Naval Transport Service) serving as a crewmember of a vessel that was—

(A) operated by the War Shipping Administration or the Office of Defense Transportation (or an agent of the Administration or Office);

(B) operated in waters other than inland waters, the Great Lakes, and other lakes, bays, and harbors of the United States;

(C) under contract or charter to, or property of, the Government of the United States; and

(D) serving the Armed Forces; and

(2) while so serving, was licensed or otherwise documented for service as a crewmember of such a vessel by an officer or employee of the United States authorized to license or document the individual for such service.

(Added Pub. L. 105–368, title IV, § 402(a), Nov. 11, 1998, 112 Stat. 3336; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXV [LXXXV], § 8505(b)(12), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4752.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments2021—Pub. L. 116–283 substituted “an individual” for “a person” in introductory provisions and “the individual” for “the person” in introductory provisions and in par. (2).