46 USC § 12506 - Delegation of authority

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s12506"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 12506 - Delegation of authority"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "12506"
section_name: "Delegation of authority"
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. 4737.)"
---


# § 12506. Delegation of authority

The Secretary of Transportation may delegate to an agency, a State, or a qualified person the authority to—

**(1)** establish and maintain the vessel identification system; and

**(2)** charge fees under section 12505 of this title to a person making information available to or requesting information from the vessel identification system.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 101(a), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4737.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

This section allows the Secretary to delegate the authority to establish and maintain the vessel identification system to an agency, a State, or a qualified person. The Secretary may also delegate the authority to charge fees under section 12505 for requesting information from or making information available to the vessel identification system.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

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