Penalties — Us Code Code § 12309

Us Code Code § 12309 — Penalties. Reproduced from the official United States Code, with a citation summary, verification link, and related provisions.

§ 12309. Penalties

(a) A person willfully violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

(b) A person violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000. If the violation involves the operation of a vessel, the vessel also is liable in rem for the penalty.

(c) When a civil penalty of not more than $200 has been assessed under this chapter, the Secretary may refer the matter of collection of the penalty directly to the United States magistrate judge of the jurisdiction in which the person liable may be found for collection procedures under supervision of the district court and under an order issued by the court delegating this authority under section 636(b) of title 28.

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 592; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, §321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117.)

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code)
12309(a) 46:1483
12309(b) 46:1484(b)
12309(c) 46:1484(d)

Section 12309 provides for civil and criminal penalties for violation of the vessel numbering provisions in this title.


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

"United States magistrate judge" substituted for "United States magistrate" in subsec. (c) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.

CHAPTER 125—VESSEL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

Sec.
12501.
Establishment of a vessel identification system.
12502.
Identification numbers, signal letters, and markings.
12503.
Information available to the system.
12504.
Information available from the system.
12505.
Fees.
12506.
Delegation of authority.
12507.
Penalties.

        

Historical and Revision Notes

Section 101 of H.R. 3105, as amended, adds a new chapter 125 to title 46, United States Code, to establish a vessel identification system for all vessels of the United States. This would include vessels documented under chapter 121 of title 46, numbered under chapter 123 of that title, or titled under the law of a State. This new chapter consists of new sections 12501–12507 as follows.

About This Section

46 U.S.C. § 12309 is part of Title 46 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.

This section may be cited in legal writing as 46 U.S.C. § 12309. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.

How to Read This Statute

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Sources

Source: official Us Code text · Last verified 2026-08-27

At a glance

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It addresses "Penalties". Read the section together with the surrounding provisions listed under "Nearby provisions" for the full picture.

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