Title 46ShippingRelease 119-73

§60103 Oath of ownership on entry

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle VI— - Clearance, Tonnage Taxes, and Duties › Chapter CHAPTER 601— - ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE REQUIREMENTS › § 60103

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When a U.S. vessel returns from a foreign port, an owner who lives at that port—or if no owner lives there, the captain—must swear that the ship’s papers list all owners or that any sale left ownership only with U.S. citizens, to the best of their knowledge. If no oath is given, the ship loses U.S. vessel privileges.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §60103

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(a)On entry of a vessel of the United States from a foreign port, the individual designated under subsection (b) shall state under oath that—
(1)the vessel’s certificate of documentation contains the names of all the owners of the vessel; or
(2)part of the ownership has been transferred since the certificate was issued and, to the best of the individual’s knowledge and belief, the vessel is still owned only by citizens of the United States.
(b)The statement under subsection (a) shall be made by—
(1)an owner if one resides at the port of entry; or
(2)the master if an owner does not reside at the port of entry.
(c)If the appropriate individual does not make the statement required by this section, the vessel is not entitled to the privileges of a vessel of the United States.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 6010346 App.:42.R.S. § 4173. In subsection (a), the words “certificate of documentation” and “certificate” are substituted for “register” for consistency with chapter 121 of the revised title. In paragraph (2), the words “sold or” are omitted as unnecessary. The words “owned only by citizens of the United States” are substituted for “no foreign subject or citizen has . . . any share, by way of trust, confidence, or otherwise” for consistency in the revised title and to eliminate unnecessary words.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 60103

Title 46Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73