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Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102

§3309 Certificate of Inspection

Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part B — Inspection and Regulation of Vessels › CHAPTER 33 — INSPECTION GENERALLY › § 3309

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

When a vessel passes its required inspection, the Secretary must give it a written inspection certificate in the form the Secretary sets. The Secretary can also give a temporary certificate instead of a regular one. At least 30 days before the current certificate expires, the owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, or individual in charge must send the Secretary a written notice saying either the vessel will need to be inspected or it will not be operated so inspection is required. The certificate must be signed by the senior Coast Guard member or civilian who did the inspection, as well as by the officer in charge of marine inspection.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §3309

Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)When an inspection under section 3307 of this title has been made and a vessel has been found to be in compliance with the requirements of law and regulations, a certificate of inspection, in a form prescribed by the Secretary, shall be issued to the vessel.
(b)The Secretary may issue a temporary certificate of inspection in place of a regular certificate of inspection issued under subsection (a) of this section.
(c)At least 30 days before the current certificate of inspection issued to a vessel under subsection (a) of this section expires, the owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, or individual in charge of the vessel shall submit to the Secretary in writing a notice that the vessel—
(1)will be required to be inspected; or
(2)will not be operated so as to require an inspection.
(d)A certificate of inspection issued under this section shall be signed by the senior Coast Guard member or civilian employee who inspected the vessel, in addition to the officer in charge of marine inspection.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 330946:390c46:391a(8)46:395(d)46:399 section 3309 provides for the issuance of a certificate of inspection that attests to the fact that the vessel has been found to be in compliance with the applicable maritime safety laws and

Regulations

. Under this provision the Coast Guard can issue a temporary certificate of inspection upon compliance with the applicable laws or

Regulations

to facilitate the preparation, processing, and forwarding of the regular certificate of inspection to the vessel. A temporary certificate does not imply less than satisfactory compliance.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–281 added subsec. (d). 1996—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–324 struck out “(but not more than 60 days)” after “30 days” in introductory provisions. 1984—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–498 added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–498 effective 180 days after Oct. 19, 1984, see section 214 of Pub. L. 98–498, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 2306 of this title.

Effective Date

Section effective Apr. 15, 1984, see section 2(g)(1) of Pub. L. 98–89, set out as a note under section 3101 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 3309

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102