---
type: "LegalText"
title: "46 U.S.C. § 14303"
description: "Tonnage Certificate"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
chapter_number: "143"
chapter_name: "CONVENTION MEASUREMENT"
section: "14303"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 14303"
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/s14303"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml"
source_hash: "b111a375c02e27115a8b5ee8d009586e1e6abadd883e5d80658c2a09f61fbe50"
raw_snapshot_hash: "eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f"
text_hash: "c1b06262343c377e722ec54e631e94f8f358f4fd9c355ebf6d908cd0bc18033b"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 46 U.S.C. § 14303 - Tonnage Certificate

## Text

(a) After measuring a vessel under this chapter, the Secretary shall issue, on request of the owner, an International Tonnage Certificate (1969) and deliver it to the owner or master of the vessel. For a vessel to which the Convention does not apply, the Secretary shall prescribe a certificate to be issued as evidence of a vessel’s measurement under this chapter.

(b) The certificate issued under this section shall be maintained as required by the Secretary.

(Pub. L. 99–509, title V, § 5101(3), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1921; Pub. L. 111–281, title III, § 303(e)(1), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2925.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision NotesRevised section 14303 Source: International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships. Section 14303(a) requires the Secretary to issue, on the request of the owner, an International Tonnage Certificate after measuring a vessel under this chapter. Section 14303(b) requires that the certificate be maintained as required by the Secretary.

Editorial Notes

Amendments2010—Pub. L. 111–281, § 303(e)(1)(C), struck out “International” before “Tonnage” and “(1969)” after “Certificate” in section catchline. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–281, § 303(e)(1)(A), inserted at end “For a vessel to which the Convention does not apply, the Secretary shall prescribe a certificate to be issued as evidence of a vessel’s measurement under this chapter.” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–281, § 303(e)(1)(B), inserted “issued under this section” after “The certificate”.