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§31302 Availability of instruments, copies, and information

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle III— - Maritime Liability › Chapter CHAPTER 313— - COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND MARITIME LIENS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - GENERAL › § 31302

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Require the Secretary to let the public inspect any document filed or recorded under this chapter. If someone asks, the Secretary must provide a copy (including a certified copy) or a certificate that shows information from that filed or recorded document.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §31302

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The Secretary shall—
(1)make any instrument filed or recorded with the Secretary under this chapter available for public inspection;
(2)on request, provide a copy, including a certified copy, of any instrument made available for public inspection under this chapter; and
(3)on request, provide a certificate containing information included in an instrument filed or recorded under this chapter.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 31302(1)46:927 (1st sentence) 31302(2)46:927 (2d sentence) 31302(3)New section 31302(1) makes all instruments filed for recording or recorded with the Secretary of Transportation available for public inspection. The only substantive change to law made by this subsection is the inclusion of instruments filed for recording, which is in keeping with the new requirements on filing of instruments made in section 31321. section 31302(2) requires the Secretary to provide the public with a certified copy of the material made available to the public under subsection (a). This subsection makes no substantive change to law. section 31302(3) requires the Secretary, on request, to issue a certificate containing the information included in instruments on file, such as certificates of ownership.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2010—Pub. L. 111–281 struck out “of Transportation” after “Secretary” in introductory provisions.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of Pub. L. 100–710, set out as a note under section 31301 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 31302

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Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73