§11108 — Title 46 Shipping | U.S. Code

Summary

States and their local tax authorities cannot take or hold back the pay of a master or seaman working on vessels in foreign, coastwise, intercoastal, interstate, or noncontiguous trade, or of people employed on fishing or fish‑processing vessels. One exception: a seaman working coastwise between ports inside the same State can agree with the employer to allow withholding. If you are a pilot licensed under section 7101 or by a State who works in more than one State, or a master, officer, or crewman who regularly works on a vessel that operates in navigable waters in 2 or more States, only the State (and its local governments) where you live may tax that pay. Other States and their subdivisions may not tax it.

Title 46, §11108

Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Wages due or accruing to a master or seaman on a vessel in the foreign, coastwise, intercoastal, interstate, or noncontiguous trade or an individual employed on a fishing vessel or any fish processing vessel may not be withheld under the tax laws of a State or a political subdivision of a State. However, this section does not prohibit withholding wages of a seaman on a vessel in the coastwise trade between ports in the same State if the withholding is under a voluntary agreement between the seaman and the employer of the seaman.

(b)(1)An individual to whom this subsection applies is not subject to the income tax laws of a State or political subdivision of a State, other than the State and political subdivision in which the individual resides, with respect to compensation for the performance of duties described in paragraph (2).

(2)This subsection applies to an individual—

(A)engaged on a vessel to perform assigned duties in more than one State as a pilot licensed under section 7101 of this title or licensed or authorized under the laws of a State; or

(B)who performs regularly assigned duties while engaged as a master, officer, or crewman on a vessel operating on navigable waters in 2 or more States.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 1110846:601 section 11108 prohibits the mandatory withholding of state or local taxes from crewmembers on certain specified vessels. It permits, however, voluntary withholding agreements.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 111–281 amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (B) read as follows: “who performs regularly-assigned duties while engaged as a master, officer, or crewman on a vessel operating on the navigable waters of more than one State.” 2000—Pub. L. 106–489 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a), inserted heading, and added subsec. (b). 1984—Pub. L. 98–364 substituted “an individual employed on a fishing vessel or any fish processing vessel” for “a fisherman employed on a fishing vessel”.

§11108 Taxes