Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-102
§463 Bonds From Armed Vessels on Clearing
Title 22 › CHAPTER 9 — FOREIGN WARS, WAR MATERIALS, AND NEUTRALITY › SUBCHAPTER III — PREVENTION OF OFFENSES AGAINST NEUTRALITY › § 463
Summary
Owners or consignees of armed U.S.-owned vessels must, before clearing a U.S. port, give the United States a bond with guarantors for double the value of the vessel, cargo, and armament, promising not to use the ship to attack foreign powers at peace with the U.S.
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Section was derived from R.S. § 5289 (act Apr. 20, 1818, ch. 88, § 10, 3 Stat. 449), which was repealed by act Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 341, 35 Stat. 1153.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
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102