Title 46 — ShippingRelease 119-73not60
§12303 Exemption From Numbering Requirements
Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle II— Vessels and Seamen › Part H— Identification of Vessels › Chapter 123— NUMBERING UNDOCUMENTED VESSELS › § 12303
Summary
The Secretary can let a vessel or a group of vessels skip the law’s numbering rules and can set the conditions for that exemption. A State that issues vessel numbers may also allow those same exemptions or other exemptions the Secretary permits.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §12303
Shipping — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)When the Secretary is the authority issuing a number under this chapter, the Secretary may exempt a vessel or class of vessels from the numbering requirements of this chapter under conditions the Secretary may prescribe.
(b)When a State is the issuing authority, it may exempt from the numbering requirements of this chapter a vessel or class of vessels exempted under subsection (a) of this section or otherwise as permitted by the Secretary.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 1230346:1468 section 12303 permits the Secretary and any State, when it is the issuing authority, to exempt vessels from the numbering requirements.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 12303
Title 46 — Shipping
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60