46 USC § 12504 - Information available from the system

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s12504"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 12504 - Information available from the system"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "12504"
section_name: "Information available from the system"
chapter_number: 125
chapter_name: "VESSEL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM"
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: "(Added Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 101(a), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4736; amended Pub. L. 101–225, title III, § 302(3), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1923.)"
---


# § 12504. Information available from the system

For law enforcement or other purposes and under conditions prescribed by the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary—

**(1)** shall make available information in the vessel identification system to a State making information available under section 12503(a) of this title; and

**(2)** may make available information in the vessel identification system to others.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 101(a), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4736; amended Pub. L. 101–225, title III, § 302(3), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1923.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

This section requires that the Secretary make available information maintained in the vessel identification system to a State participating in the system for law enforcement or other purposes. The Secretary may make available information in the system to others, under conditions the Secretary may prescribe. At first, the Secretary may elect to deal only with the States. However, the Committee firmly expects that information will be made available through computer terminals in satellite offices or direct computer access by modem. In this manner, boating organizations or financial or documentation services could retrieve data without paper transactions for a fee.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1989— substituted “Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary” for “Secretary, the Secretary of Transportation”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective , with certain exceptions and qualifications, see , set out as a note under .