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Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102

§3502 List or Count of Passengers

Title 46 › Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen › Part B — Inspection and Regulation of Vessels › CHAPTER 35 — CARRIAGE OF PASSENGERS › § 3502

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Certain passenger vessels must keep a daily record of passengers they take on and put ashore, while other passenger vessels must keep a daily head count. A written list is required for three types of trips: vessels arriving from foreign ports (except between Canadian and U.S. Great Lakes ports), seagoing vessels in the coastwise trade, and Great Lakes passenger trips over 300 miles (except from Canada to the U.S.). The master of any other passenger vessel must keep a correct count. The lists and counts must be shown to Coast Guard and Customs officials at any time, and the total number of passengers must be given when asked. If the owner, operator, master, or person in charge fails to make the required list or count, they owe the U.S. a $100 civil penalty, and the vessel can be held to pay it.

Full Legal Text

Title 46, §3502

Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The owner, charterer, managing operator, master, or individual in charge of the following categories of vessels carrying passengers shall keep a correct list of passengers received and delivered from day to day:
(1)vessels arriving from foreign ports (except at United States Great Lakes ports from Canadian Great Lakes ports).
(2)seagoing vessels in the coastwise trade.
(3)passenger vessels making voyages of more than 300 miles on the Great Lakes except from a Canadian to a United States port.
(b)The master of a vessel carrying passengers (except a vessel listed in subsection (a) of this section) shall keep a correct count of all passengers received and delivered.
(c)Lists and counts required under this section shall be open to the inspection of designated officials of the Coast Guard and the Customs Service at all times. The total number of passengers shall be provided to the Coast Guard when requested.
(d)This section applies to a foreign vessel arriving at a United States port.
(e)The owner, charterer, managing operator, master, or individual in charge of a passenger vessel failing to make a list or count of passengers as required by this section is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of $100. The vessel also is liable in rem for the penalty.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code) 350246:46046:460a46:46146:462 section 3502 is related to section 3501 and requires the listing or counting of passengers on certain vessels. This requirement applies to large as well as small passenger vessels when operating on the types of voyages enumerated. This section also applies to a foreign vessel arriving at a port or place in the United States.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Transfer of Functions

For transfer of authorities, functions, personnel, and assets of the Coast Guard, including the authorities and functions of the Secretary of Transportation relating thereto, to the Department of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 468(b), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For

Transfer of Functions

, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see section 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section 542 of Title 6. For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in Pub. L. 107–296 as of Nov. 25, 2002, see section 211 of Title 6, as amended generally by Pub. L. 114–125, and section 802(b) of Pub. L. 114–125, set out as a note under section 211 of Title 6.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

46 U.S.C. § 3502

Title 46, Shipping

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102