46 USC § 12301 - Numbering vessels

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s12301"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 12301 - Numbering vessels"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "12301"
section_name: "Numbering vessels"
chapter_number: 123
chapter_name: "NUMBERING UNDOCUMENTED VESSELS"
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. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 590; Pub. L. 102–587, title V, § 5305, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5083; Pub. L. 115–282, title V, § 513, Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4276.)"
---


# § 12301. Numbering vessels

**(a)** An undocumented vessel equipped with propulsion machinery of any kind shall have a number issued by the proper issuing authority in the State in which the vessel principally is operated.

**(b)** The Secretary may require an undocumented barge of more than 100 gross tons operating on the navigable waters of the United States to be numbered.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 590; Pub. L. 102–587, title V, § 5305, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5083; Pub. L. 115–282, title V, § 513, Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4276.)

| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| --- | --- |
| 12301 | 46:1466 |

Section 12301 requires that undocumented vessels that are propelled by machinery be issued an identification number by the proper issuing authority in the State in which the vessel is primarily operated.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (b).  substituted “may” for “shall” and inserted “of” after “barge”.

1992— designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).