Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-110

§12101 Definitions

Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part H — Identification of Vessels › CHAPTER 121 — DOCUMENTATION OF VESSELS › SUBCHAPTER I — GENERAL › § 12101

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

A vessel counts as rebuilt in the United States only if all of the rebuilding was done inside the United States, including any major parts of the hull or the upper structure. When other laws or papers use certain words about a vessel’s documentation, they mean these things: "registry endorsement" means the vessel’s documentation certificate that includes a registry note; "coastwise endorsement" means the documentation certificate that includes permission for coastwise trade; "yacht" means a recreational boat, even if it is not documented.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §12101

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(a)Rebuilt in the United States.—
In this chapter, a vessel is deemed to have been rebuilt in the United States only if the entire rebuilding, including the construction of any major component of the hull or superstructure, was done in the United States.
(b)Related Terms in Other Laws.—
When the following terms are used in a law, regulation, document, ruling, or other official act referring to the documentation of a vessel, the following definitions apply:
(1)Registry endorsement.—
The terms “certificate of registry”, “register”, and “registry” mean a certificate of documentation with a registry endorsement issued under this chapter.
(2)Coastwise endorsement.—
The terms “license”, “enrollment and license”, “license for the coastwise (or coasting) trade”, and “enrollment and license for the coastwise (or coasting) trade” mean a certificate of documentation with a coastwise endorsement issued under this chapter.
(3)Yacht.—
The term “yacht” means a recreational vessel even if not documented.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 12101(a)46:12101(a)(2). 46 App.:883 (2d proviso related to meaning of “rebuilt”).June 5, 1920, ch. 250, § 27 (2d proviso related to meaning of “rebuilt”), 41 Stat. 999; July 2, 1935, ch. 355, 49 Stat. 442; July 14, 1956, ch. 600, § 1, 70 Stat. 544; Pub. L. 86–583, § 1, July 5, 1960, 74 Stat. 321; Pub. L. 100–239, § 6(c)(1), Jan. 11, 1988, 101 Stat. 1782. 12101(b)46:12101(b). In subsection (a), the words “its territories” and “or its possessions” are omitted because of the definition of “United States” in chapter 1 of the revised title. The words “(not including trust territories)” are omitted because the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands has terminated. See 48 U.S.C. 1681 note prec.

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 12101, Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 585; Pub. L. 98–364, title IV, § 402(16),
July 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 450; Pub. L. 99–36, § 1(a)(7)(B),
May 15, 1985, 99 Stat. 67; Pub. L. 100–239, § 3(2), (3), Jan. 11, 1988, 101 Stat. 1778; Pub. L. 101–225, title III, § 301(a)(1), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1920; Pub. L. 104–324, title XI, § 1115(b)(2), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3972, originally derived from section 65w of former Title 46, Shipping, related to definitions and related terms in other laws, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 109–304. See this section and section 108 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 12101

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110