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46 USC § 31305 - Waiver of lien rights

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s31305"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 31305 - Waiver of lien rights"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "31305"
section_name: "Waiver of lien rights"
chapter_number: 313
chapter_name: "COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND MARITIME LIENS"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 102(c), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4741.)"
---

# § 31305. Waiver of lien rights

This chapter does not prevent a mortgagee or other lien holder from waiving or subordinating at any time by agreement or otherwise the lien holder’s right to a lien, the priority or, if a preferred mortgage lien, the preferred status of the lien.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 102(c), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4741.)

| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| --- | --- |
| 31305 | 46:974 |

Section 31305 provides for the waiver of lien rights by the mortgagee or a person performing or supplying necessaries. This section makes no substantive change to law and is included only because of a like provision in current law. Without this provision the Committee believes these waivers would be permissible as a matter of law as they do not violate any public policy and on their face reflect an arms length transaction between the parties. The inclusion of this provision should not raise the implication that a similar provision is required for other matters that may be waivable as a matter of law.

### house floor statement

Section 31305 has been changed to clarify that the chapter does not prevent a mortgagee or other lien holder from waiving by contract the right to a lien, or the priority of that lien.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

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