Title 46ShippingRelease 119-73not60

§12504 Information Available From the System

Title 46 › Subtitle Subtitle II— Vessels and Seamen › Part H— Identification of Vessels › Chapter 125— VESSEL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM › § 12504

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Transportation must give a State access to the vessel identification system if that State is sharing information under section 12503(a). The Secretary can also give access to others for law enforcement or other purposes, but only under rules the Secretary sets.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §12504

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For law enforcement or other purposes and under conditions prescribed by the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary—
(1)shall make available information in the vessel identification system to a State making information available under section 12503(a) of this title; and
(2)may make available information in the vessel identification system to others.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section 12504 This section requires that the Secretary make available information maintained in the vessel identification system to a State participating in the system for law

Enforcement

or other purposes. The Secretary may make available information in the system to others, under conditions the Secretary may prescribe. At first, the Secretary may elect to deal only with the States. However, the Committee firmly expects that information will be made available through computer terminals in satellite offices or direct computer access by modem. In this manner, boating organizations or financial or documentation services could retrieve data without paper transactions for a fee.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1989—Pub. L. 101–225 substituted “Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary” for “Secretary, the Secretary of Transportation”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of Pub. L. 100–710, set out as a note under section 31301 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 12504

Title 46Shipping

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60