Title 43, Public LandsRelease 119-102

§1312 Seaward Boundaries of States

Title 43 › CHAPTER 29 — SUBMERGED LANDS › SUBCHAPTER II — LANDS BENEATH NAVIGABLE WATERS WITHIN STATE BOUNDARIES › § 1312

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Original coastal States have a seaward boundary three geographical miles out from their coast, or to the international boundary in the Great Lakes. States admitted later may set the same kind of seaward line — three geographical miles or to international boundaries in the Great Lakes or other waters crossed by the U.S. border. Any state claim to extend its water boundary, past or future, is accepted and preserved, and this does not affect any seaward boundary beyond three miles that was fixed by a state's constitution or laws when it joined the Union or was already approved by Congress.

Full Legal Text

Title 43, §1312

Public Lands, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

The seaward boundary of each original coastal State is approved and confirmed as a line three geographical miles distant from its coast line or, in the case of the Great Lakes, to the international boundary. Any State admitted subsequent to the formation of the Union which has not already done so may extend its seaward boundaries to a line three geographical miles distant from its coast line, or to the international boundaries of the United States in the Great Lakes or any other body of water traversed by such boundaries. Any claim heretofore or hereafter asserted either by constitutional provision, statute, or otherwise, indicating the intent of a State so to extend its boundaries is approved and confirmed, without prejudice to its claim, if any it has, that its boundaries extend beyond that line. Nothing in this section is to be construed as questioning or in any manner prejudicing the existence of any State’s seaward boundary beyond three geographical miles if it was so provided by its constitution or laws prior to or at the time such State became a member of the Union, or if it has been heretofore approved by Congress.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

43 U.S.C. § 1312

Title 43, Public Lands

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102