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119-hr-9650119th Congress

Vessel Identification Protection Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create new federal crimes to stop the removal, alteration, or falsification of vessel identification numbers and to punish dealing in vessels with altered or missing IDs. It ties those crimes to Coast Guard rules and requires a connection to interstate commerce.

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  • Boat buyers and owners: Buying, receiving, or possessing a vessel that you know has had its identification number removed, altered, or forged would be a federal trafficking offense punishable by fines or up to 10 years in prison.
  • People who tamper with identifiers: Knowingly removing, obliterating, forging, altering, covering, or otherwise obstructing hull or identification numbers or decals would be a crime punishable by fines or up to 5 years in prison.
  • Manufacturers, importers, and regulators: The bill bars affixing identification numbers or decals not issued by the appropriate manufacturer, importer, State, or Federal authority and anchors definitions and exceptions to Coast Guard regulations, including authorized removals and damage from collision or fire.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

New criminal rules for boat IDs

If enacted, this would make it a federal crime to knowingly remove, alter, cover, forge, or otherwise tamper with hull identification numbers, identification numbers, or ID decals on a vessel or vessel part in or affecting interstate commerce. It would also make it illegal to attach a hull ID, identification number, or decal that was not issued by the proper manufacturer, importer, State, or Federal authority. Violations would be punishable by a fine, up to 5 years in prison, or both. The bill would add a separate trafficking crime for knowingly buying, receiving, possessing, or controlling a vessel with altered or missing IDs when you intend to sell or dispose of it, punishable by a fine, up to 10 years in prison, or both. The rules would not apply to removals the U.S. Coast Guard authorizes or requires. The trafficking rule would not apply if ID damage was caused by collision, allision, or fire.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Ezell, Mike [R-MS-4]

MS • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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