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33 CFR § 2.38 - Waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; waters over which the United States has jurisdiction.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t33/s2.38"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "33 CFR § 2.38 - Waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; waters over which the United States has jurisdiction."
title_number: 33
title_name: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
section_number: "2.38"
section_name: "Waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; waters over which the United States has jurisdiction."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "A"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL"
part_number: "2"
part_name: "JURISDICTION"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "14 U.S.C. 503; 33 U.S.C. 70031; Public Law 89-670, 80 Stat. 931, 49 U.S.C. 108; Public Law 107-296, 116 Stat. 2135, 2249, 6 U.S.C. 101 note and 468; Department of Homeland Security Delegation No. 0170.1."
regulatory_source: "USCG-2001-9044, 68 FR 42598, July 18, 2003, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "2"
---

# 2.38 Waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; waters over which the United States has jurisdiction.

*Waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States* and *waters over which the United States has jurisdiction* mean the following waters—

(a) Navigable waters of the United States, as defined in § 2.36(a).

(b) Waters, other than those under paragraph (a) of this section, that are located on lands for which the United States has acquired title or controls and—

(1) Has accepted jurisdiction according to 40 U.S.C. 255; or

(2) Has retained concurrent or exclusive jurisdiction from the date that the State in which the lands are located entered the Union.

(c) Waters made subject to the jurisdiction of the United States by operation of the international agreements and statutes relating to the former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, and waters within the territories and possessions of the United States.