USC Chapter 125

in effect

46 U.S.C. § 12501 Establishment of a vessel identification system

(a) The Secretary of Transportation shall establish a vessel identification system to make available information under section 12503 of this title for use by the public for law enforcement and other purposes relating to—(1) the ownership of documented vessels; (2) the ownership of vessels numbered under chapter 123 of this title; and (3) the ownership of vessels titled under the law of a State. (b) The vessel identification system shall include information prescribed by the Secretary including—(1) identifying a vessel; (2) identifying the owner of the vessel, including—(A) the owner’s social security number or, if that number is not available, other means of identification acceptable to the Secretary; or (B) for an owner other than an individual—(i) the owner’s taxpayer identification number; or (ii) if the owner does not have a taxpayer identification number, the social security number of an individual who is a corporate officer, general partner, or individual trustee of the owner and who signed the application for documentation or numbering for the vessel; (3) identifying the State in which it is titled or numbered; (4) indicating whether the vessel is numbered or titled, or both; (5) if titled in a State, indicating where evidence of a lien or other security interest may be found against the vessel in that State; and (6) information assisting law enforcement officials. (c) The Secretary may maintain information under this chapter in connection with any other information system maintained by the Secretary.

46 U.S.C. § 12502 Identification numbers, signal letters, and markings

(a) For the identification of a vessel of the United States, the Secretary of Transportation—(1) shall maintain a unique numbering system and assign a number to each vessel of the United States; (2) may maintain a system of signal letters for a documented vessel; (3) shall record a name selected by the owner of a documented vessel approved by the Secretary as the vessel’s name of record; and (4) may establish other identification markings. (b) The manufacturer or owner of a vessel shall affix to the vessel and maintain in the manner prescribed by the Secretary the number assigned and any other markings the Secretary may require. (c) Once a number is assigned under this section, it may not be used by another vessel. (d) Once a documented vessel’s name is established, the name may not be changed without the approval of the Secretary. (e) A person may not tamper with or falsify a number or other marking required under this section.

46 U.S.C. § 12503 Information available to the system

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a State or a State’s delegate approved by the Secretary of Transportation may make information available to the Secretary if, in a manner and form prescribed by the Secretary, the State—(1) identifies the vessel; (2) identifies the owner of the vessel, including by—(A) the owner’s social security number or, if that number is not available, other means of identification acceptable to the Secretary; or (B) for an owner other than an individual—(i) the owner’s taxpayer identification number; or (ii) if the owner does not have a taxpayer identification number, the social security number of an individual who is a corporate officer, general partner, or individual trustee of the owner and who signed the application for documentation or numbering for the vessel; (3) identifies the State in which it is titled or numbered; (4) indicates whether the vessel is numbered or titled, or both; (5) if titled in a State, indicates where evidence of a lien or other security interest may be found against the vessel in that State; (6) includes information to assist law enforcement; and (7) includes other information agreed to by the Secretary and the State. (b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary also may accept information under conditions and in a manner and form prescribed by the Secretary. (c) The Secretary shall—(1) retain information on a vessel with a preferred mortgage under section 31322(d) of this title that is no longer titled in a State making information available to the Secretary under this chapter until the mortgage is discharged or the vessel is sold; and (2) accept information under section 31321(h) of this title only if that information cannot be provided to a State.

46 U.S.C. § 12504 Information available from the system

For law enforcement or other purposes and under conditions prescribed by the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary— (1) shall make available information in the vessel identification system to a State making information available under section 12503(a) of this title; and (2) may make available information in the vessel identification system to others.

46 U.S.C. § 12505 Fees

(a) The Secretary of Transportation may charge a fee under section 9701 of title 31 for providing information to or requesting information from the vessel identification system, except to—(1) an agency; or (2) a State making information available to the Secretary under section 12503(a) of this title. (b) The Secretary shall deposit amounts transferred or collected under this section in the general fund of the Treasury as proprietary receipts of the Secretary and ascribed to the vessel identification system.

46 U.S.C. § 12506 Delegation of authority

The Secretary of Transportation may delegate to an agency, a State, or a qualified person the authority to— (1) establish and maintain the vessel identification system; and (2) charge fees under section 12505 of this title to a person making information available to or requesting information from the vessel identification system.

46 U.S.C. § 12507 Penalties

(a) A person shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 2 years, or both, if the person with the intent to defraud—(1) provides false information to the Secretary of Transportation or a State issuing authority regarding the identification of a vessel under this chapter; or (2) tampers with, removes, or falsifies the unique vessel identification number assigned to a vessel under section 12502 of this title. (b) A person is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 if the person—(1) provides false information to the Secretary or a State issuing authority regarding the identification of a vessel under this chapter; (2) violates section 12502 of this title; or (3) fails to comply with requirements prescribed by the Secretary under section 12505 of this title. (c) A vessel involved in a violation of this chapter, or regulation under this chapter, and its equipment, may be seized by, and forfeited to, the Government. (d) If a person, not an individual, is involved in a violation of this chapter, the president or chief executive of the person also is subject to any penalty provided under this section.