republic-os/legal/us/code/title-46/chapter-121/section-12121.md

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LegalText	46 U.S.C. § 12121	Small passenger vessels and uninspected passenger vessels	us	united_states_code	code_section	46	SHIPPING	121	DOCUMENTATION OF VESSELS	12121	46 U.S.C. § 12121	current	119-100	2026-06-26	official	https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc46@119-100.zip	/us/usc/t46/s12121	data/legal/raw/us/code/title-46/usc46.xml	038c94485eb3ea99db32441eb28e40407efcd0c7c6875f0c482c6d023ec07ce6	eb1331aa3c08ed87231a3606d86b30d1b5942cdf8542f6a3df8ac1d66e86057f	aafd681831ec2573ad88f920d4cadb8227f1571da567747685f1f0f233b20782	2026-07-04	official	legal us-code

46 U.S.C. § 12121 - Small passenger vessels and uninspected passenger vessels

Text

(a) Definitions.— In this section:

(1) Eligible vessel.— The term “eligible vessel” means a vessel that—

(A) was built in the United States;

(B) was not built in the United States and is at least 3 years old; or

(C) if rebuilt, was rebuilt—

(i) in the United States; or

(ii) outside the United States at least 3 years before the certificate requested under subsection (b) would take effect.

(2) Small passenger vessel; uninspected passenger vessel; passenger for hire.— The terms “small passenger vessel”, “uninspected passenger vessel”, and “passenger for hire” have the meaning given those terms in section 2101 of this title.

(b) Issuance of Certificate and Endorsement.— Notwithstanding sections 12112, 12113, 12132, 55102, and 55103 of this title, the Secretary may issue a certificate of documentation with an appropriate endorsement for employment in the coastwise trade as a small passenger vessel or an uninspected passenger vessel in the case of an eligible vessel authorized to carry no more than 12 passengers for hire if the Secretary of Transportation, after notice and an opportunity for public comment, determines that the employment of the vessel in the coastwise trade will not adversely affect—

(1) United States vessel builders; or

(2) the coastwise trade business of any person that employs vessels built in the United States in that business.

(c) Revocation.— (1) For fraud.— The Secretary shall revoke a certificate or endorsement issued under subsection (b) if the Secretary of Transportation, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, determines that the certificate or endorsement was obtained by fraud.

(2) Other provisions not affected.— Paragraph (1) does not affect—

(A) the criminal prohibition on fraud and false statements in section 1001 of title 18; or

(B) any other authority of the Secretary to revoke a certificate or endorsement issued under subsection (b).

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 5, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1504; Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIII [LXXXIII], § 8312, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4697.)

Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 1212146:12106 note.Pub. L. 105–383, title V, §§ 502–504, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3445; Pub. L. 107–295, title II, § 207(c)(2), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2097. The definition of “Secretary” is omitted for consistency in the chapter.

Editorial Notes

Amendments2021—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 116–283, § 8312(1), added subpars. (A) to (C) and struck out former subpars. (A) and (B) which read as follows: “(A) was not built in the United States and is at least 3 years old; or “(B) if rebuilt, was rebuilt outside the United States at least 3 years before the certificate requested under subsection (b) would take effect.” Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 116–283, § 8312(2), inserted “12132,” after “12113,” in introductory provisions.

Prior ProvisionsA prior section 12121, Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 589, originally derived from section 65v(2) of former Title 46, Shipping, related to the authority of the Secretary to prescribe regulations to carry out this chapter, prior to being repealed by Pub. L. 100–710, title I, §§ 106(b)(5), 107(a), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4752, effective Jan. 1, 1989. A prior section 12122, Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 590; Pub. L. 99–307, § 1(16), May 19, 1986, 100 Stat. 446; Pub. L. 104–324, title III, § 301(a), (b), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3916; Pub. L. 105–277, div. C, title II, § 203(f), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–620; Pub. L. 106–31, title III, § 3027(b), May 21, 1999, 113 Stat. 101; Pub. L. 108–293, title IV, § 404(b), Aug. 9, 2004, 118 Stat. 1043, originally derived from sections 65n and 65u(a) of former Title 46, Shipping, related to penalties, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 109–304. See section 12151 of this title. A prior section 12123, added Pub. L. 102–587, title V, § 5213(a)(3), Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5077, related to denial and revocation of endorsements, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 109–304. See section 12152 of this title. Another prior section 12123, added Pub. L. 102–388, title III, § 348(a), Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1554, related to the denial and revocation of trade or recreational endorsement upon failure of vessel’s owner to pay assessment of civil penalty for violation of law, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, § 746(a)(1), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3943. A prior section 12124, added Pub. L. 105–383, title IV, § 401(a)(2), Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3424, related to surrender of title and number, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 109–304. See section 12106 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effect of RepealPub. L. 107–295, title II, § 207(c)(1), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2097, provided that: “Section 505 of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1998 [Pub. L. 105–383] ([formerly] 46 U.S.C. 12106 note) is repealed. The repeal of section 505 shall have no effect on the validity of any certificate or endorsement issued under section 502 of that Act [now 46 U.S.C. 12121(b)].”