Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§463 Bonds from armed vessels on clearing

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 9— - FOREIGN WARS, WAR MATERIALS, AND NEUTRALITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - PREVENTION OF OFFENSES AGAINST NEUTRALITY › § 463

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Before an armed ship owned fully or partly by U.S. citizens can leave U.S. ports or waters, the owner or agent must post a bond to the United States with enough guarantors. The bond must equal double the value of the ship and its cargo on board, including its weapons, and it promises the ship will not be used to go on armed voyages or attack the people or property of any foreign country, colony, district, or people that the United States is at peace with.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §463

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The owners or consignees of every armed vessel sailing out of the ports of, or under the jurisdiction of, the United States, belonging wholly or in part to citizens thereof, shall, before clearing out the same, give bond to the United States, with sufficient sureties, in double the amount of the value of the vessel and cargo on board, including her armament, conditioned that the vessel shall not be employed by such owners to cruise or commit hostilities against the subjects, citizens, or property of any foreign prince or state, or of any colony, district, or people, with whom the United States are at peace.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 28 of title 18 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, by act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, § 1, 62 Stat. 683.

Prior Provisions

Section was derived from R.S. § 5289 (act Apr. 20, 1818, ch. 88, § 10, 3 Stat. 449), which was repealed by act Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 341, 35 Stat. 1153.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 463

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73