46 USC § 12134 - Evidentiary uses of documentation

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s12134"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 12134 - Evidentiary uses of documentation"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "12134"
section_name: "Evidentiary uses of documentation"
chapter_number: 121
chapter_name: "DOCUMENTATION OF VESSELS"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "MISCELLANEOUS"
part_number: "H"
part_name: "Identification of Vessels"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 109–304, § 5, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1506.)"
---


# § 12134. Evidentiary uses of documentation

A certificate of documentation is—

**(1)** conclusive evidence of nationality for international purposes, but not in a proceeding conducted under the laws of the United States;

**(2)** conclusive evidence of qualification to engage in a specified trade; and

**(3)** not conclusive evidence of ownership in a proceeding in which ownership is in issue.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 109–304, § 5, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1506.)

| RevisedSection | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 12134 | 46:12104. |  |