Title 46, ShippingRelease 119-102
§60504 Reciprocal Privileges for Recreational Vessels
Title 46 › Subtitle VI — Clearance, Tonnage Taxes, and Duties › CHAPTER 605 — DISCRIMINATING DUTIES AND RECIPROCAL PRIVILEGES › § 60504
Summary
If the President finds that U.S. pleasure yachts can visit a foreign port without entering, clearing, or paying duties or fees, the Secretary of Homeland Security may allow pleasure yachts from that foreign port to enter, leave, and cruise in U.S. waters without paying duties or fees. The Secretary can require a free cruising license that limits how long, where, which direction, what activities, and other rules the yacht must follow.
Full Legal Text
Title 46, §60504
Shipping, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When the President is satisfied that yachts owned by residents of the United States and used only for pleasure are allowed to arrive at, depart from, and cruise in the waters of a foreign port without entering, clearing, or paying any duties or fees (including cruising license fees), the Secretary of Homeland Security may allow yachts from that foreign port used only for pleasure to arrive at and depart from the ports of the United States and to cruise in the waters of the United States without paying any duties or fees. However, the Secretary may require foreign yachts to obtain a license to cruise in the waters of the United States. The license shall be in the form prescribed by the Secretary and contain limitations about length of time, direction, place of cruising and action, and other matters the Secretary considers appropriate. The license shall be issued without cost to the yacht.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 6050346 App.:104.May 28, 1908, ch. 212, § 5, 35 Stat. 425; Aug. 5, 1909, ch. 6, § 37 (3d par.), 36 Stat. 112; June 26, 1948, ch. 673, 62 Stat. 1051. The Secretary of Homeland Security is substituted for the Commissioner of Customs because the functions of the Customs Service and of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto were transferred to the Secretary of Homeland Security by section 403(1) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107–296, 116 Stat. 2178). The functions of the Commissioner of Customs previously were vested in the Secretary of the Treasury under section 321(c) of title 31. For prior related transfers of functions, see the
Transfer of Functions
note under 46 App. U.S.C. 104.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
46 U.S.C. § 60504
Title 46, Shipping
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102