46 USC § 7318 - Radiotelegraph operators on Great Lakes

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t46/s7318"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "46 USC § 7318 - Radiotelegraph operators on Great Lakes"
title_number: 46
title_name: "SHIPPING"
section_number: "7318"
section_name: "Radiotelegraph operators on Great Lakes"
chapter_number: 73
chapter_name: "MERCHANT MARINERS’ DOCUMENTS"
part_number: "E"
part_name: "Merchant Seamen Licenses, Certificates, and Documents"
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. 545.)"
---


# § 7318. Radiotelegraph operators on Great Lakes

**(a)** A radiotelegraph operator on the Great Lakes only shall have a first-class or second-class radiotelegraph operator’s license issued by the Federal Communications Commission.

**(b)** An endorsement as radiotelegraph operator on the Great Lakes only ends if the holder ceases to hold the license issued by the Commission.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 545.)

| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| --- | --- |
| 7318 | 46:229c46:229g46:643(a) |

Section 7318 specifies that radiotelegraph operators on the Great Lakes shall have a first-class or second-class radiotelegraph operator’s license issued by the FCC and need not be licensed as a radio operator by the Coast Guard. However, an endorsement as radio telegraph operator has to be noted on his merchant mariners’ document. If the holder ceases to have a valid FCC license, then the endorsement is terminated automatically without recourse to suspension and revocation proceedings.