Title 33, Navigation and Navigable WatersRelease 119-102
§447 Bribery of Inspector; Penalty
Title 33 › CHAPTER 9 — PROTECTION OF NAVIGABLE WATERS AND OF HARBOR AND RIVER IMPROVEMENTS GENERALLY › SUBCHAPTER III — NEW YORK HARBOR, HARBOR OF HAMPTON ROADS, AND HARBOR OF BALTIMORE › § 447
Summary
Giving or offering, directly or indirectly, money or other bribes to harbor inspectors or their staff to make them allow or ignore rule violations is a crime. Punishment is a $500–$1,000 fine and 6–12 months in jail.
Full Legal Text
Title 33, §447
Navigation and Navigable Waters, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Every person who, directly or indirectly, gives any sum of money or other bribe, present, or reward, or makes any offer of the same to any inspector, deputy inspector, or other employee of the office of any supervisor of a harbor with intent to influence such inspector, deputy inspector, or other employee to permit or overlook any violation of the provisions of this subchapter, shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not less than $500 nor more than $1,000, and be imprisoned not less than six months nor more than one year.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Codification Section was enacted as part of section 3 of act
June 29, 1888. Said section 3 of act
June 29, 1888, enacted sections 443 to 448 of this title. See Codification note set out under section 443 of this title.
Amendments
1958—Pub. L. 85–802 substituted “any supervisor of a harbor” for “the supervisor of the harbor”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1958 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 85–802 effective on sixtieth day after Aug. 28, 1958, see section 2 of Pub. L. 85–802, set out as a note under section 441 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
33 U.S.C. § 447
Title 33, Navigation and Navigable Waters
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102