46 USC § 11109 - Attachment of wages

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s11109"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 11109 - Attachment of wages"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "11109"
section_name: "Attachment of wages"
chapter_number: 111
chapter_name: "PROTECTION AND RELIEF"
part_number: "G"
part_name: "Merchant Seamen Protection and Relief"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 580; Pub. L. 98–364, title IV, § 402(15), July 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 450.)"
---


# § 11109. Attachment of wages

**(a)** Wages due or accruing to a master or seaman are not subject to attachment or arrestment from any court, except for an order of a court about the payment by a master or seaman of any part of the master’s or seaman’s wages for the support and maintenance of the spouse or minor children of the master or seaman, or both. A payment of wages to a master or seaman is valid, notwithstanding any prior sale or assignment of wages or any attachment, encumbrance, or arrestment of the wages.

**(b)** An assignment or sale of wages or salvage made before the payment of wages does not bind the party making it, except allotments authorized by section 10315 of this title.

**(c)** This section applies to an individual employed on a fishing vessel or any fish processing vessel.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 580; Pub. L. 98–364, title IV, § 402(15), July 17, 1984, 98 Stat. 450.)

| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| --- | --- |
| 11109 | 46:601 |

Section 11109 limits the attachment of a seaman’s wages and establishes certain rules for the assignment of a seaman’s wages. It also applies to fishermen on fishing vessels.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1984—Subsec. (c).  substituted “an individual employed on a fishing vessel or any fish processing vessel” for “a fisherman on a fishing vessel”.