PRIA Logo™
Take the PRIA Score
Title 46 — ShippingRelease 119-73

§60504 Reciprocal privileges for recreational vessels

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle VI— - Clearance, Tonnage Taxes, and Duties › Chapter CHAPTER 605— - DISCRIMINATING DUTIES AND RECIPROCAL PRIVILEGES › § 60504

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

If the President decides that U.S. pleasure yachts may enter, leave, and cruise in a foreign port without customs checks, clearances, or fees (including cruising-license charges), the Secretary of Homeland Security can allow pleasure yachts from that foreign port the same privileges in U.S. ports and waters. The Secretary may require a free cruising license. The license will follow rules the Secretary sets and can limit how long, where, what direction, and what activities the yacht may do, plus any other appropriate conditions.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §60504

Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

When the President is satisfied that yachts owned by residents of the United States and used only for pleasure are allowed to arrive at, depart from, and cruise in the waters of a foreign port without entering, clearing, or paying any duties or fees (including cruising license fees), the Secretary of Homeland Security may allow yachts from that foreign port used only for pleasure to arrive at and depart from the ports of the United States and to cruise in the waters of the United States without paying any duties or fees. However, the Secretary may require foreign yachts to obtain a license to cruise in the waters of the United States. The license shall be in the form prescribed by the Secretary and contain limitations about length of time, direction, place of cruising and action, and other matters the Secretary considers appropriate. The license shall be issued without cost to the yacht.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 6050346 App.:104.May 28, 1908, ch. 212, § 5, 35 Stat. 425; Aug. 5, 1909, ch. 6, § 37 (3d par.), 36 Stat. 112; June 26, 1948, ch. 673, 62 Stat. 1051. The Secretary of Homeland Security is substituted for the Commissioner of Customs because the functions of the Customs Service and of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto were transferred to the Secretary of Homeland Security by section 403(1) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107–296, 116 Stat. 2178). The functions of the Commissioner of Customs previously were vested in the Secretary of the Treasury under section 321(c) of title 31. For prior related transfers of functions, see the

Transfer of Functions

note under 46 App. U.S.C. 104.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 60504

Title 46 — Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73