US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

37 U.S.C. § 305a

Special pay: career sea pay

(a)

Availability of Special Pay .—

A member of a uniformed service who is entitled to basic pay is also entitled, while on sea duty, to special pay at the applicable rate under subsection (b).
(b)

Rates; Maximum .—

The Secretary concerned shall prescribe the monthly rates for special pay applicable to members of each armed force under the Secretary’s jurisdiction. No monthly rate may exceed $750.
(c)

Premium .—

A member of a uniformed service entitled to career sea pay under this section who has served 36 consecutive months of sea duty is also entitled to a career sea pay premium for the thirty-seventh consecutive month and each subsequent consecutive month of sea duty served by such member. The monthly amount of the premium shall be prescribed by the Secretary concerned, but may not exceed $350.
(d)

Regulations .—

The Secretary concerned shall prescribe regulations for the administration of this section for the armed force or armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary. The entitlements under this section shall be subject to the regulations.
(e)

Definition of Sea Duty .—

(1)
In this section, the term “sea duty” means duty performed by a member—
(A)
while permanently or temporarily assigned to a ship and—
(i)
while serving on a ship the primary mission of which is accomplished while under way;
(ii)
while serving as a member of the off-crew of a two-crewed submarine;
(iii)
while serving as a member of a tender-class ship (with the hull classification of submarine or destroyer); or
(iv)
while serving as an off-cycle crewmember of a multi-crewed ship; or
(B)
while permanently or temporarily assigned to a ship and while serving on a ship the primary mission of which is normally accomplished while in port, but only during a period that the ship is away from its homeport.
(2)
The Secretary concerned may designate duty performed by a member while serving on a ship the primary mission of which is accomplished either while under way or in port as “sea duty” for purposes of this section, even though the duty is performed while the member is permanently or temporarily assigned to a ship-based staff or other unit not covered by paragraph (1).
(3)
For the purpose of determining the years of sea duty with which a member may be credited for purposes of this section, the term “sea duty” also includes duty performed after , by a member while permanently or temporarily assigned to a ship or ship-based staff and while serving on a ship on which the member would be entitled, during a period that the ship is away from its homeport, to receive sea pay by reason of paragraph (1)(B).
(4)
A ship shall be considered to be away from its homeport for purposes of this subsection when it is—
(A)
at sea; or
(B)
in a port that is more than 50 miles from its homeport.

Pub. L. 95–485, title VIII, § 804(a)(1)92 Stat. 1620Pub. L. 96–343, § 3(a)94 Stat. 1124Pub. L. 96–579, § 4(a)94 Stat. 3364Pub. L. 97–60, title I, § 11695 Stat. 996Pub. L. 97–295, § 3(1)96 Stat. 1303Pub. L. 98–525, title VI, § 623(a)98 Stat. 2541Pub. L. 99–145, title VI, § 634(a)99 Stat. 647Pub. L. 100–26, § 8(e)(5)101 Stat. 286Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title VI, § 621(a)101 Stat. 1097Pub. L. 100–224, § 5(a)(1)101 Stat. 1538Pub. L. 100–456, div. A, title XII, § 1233(b)(1)102 Stat. 2057Pub. L. 101–189, div. A, title VI, § 653(b)103 Stat. 1462Pub. L. 102–25, title VII, § 702(b)(1)105 Stat. 117Pub. L. 102–190, div. A, title XI, § 1111(d)(3)105 Stat. 1492Pub. L. 104–106, div. A, title VI, § 618110 Stat. 362Pub. L. 105–85, div. A, title VI, § 620111 Stat. 1790Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]114 Stat. 1654Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title VI, § 618122 Stat. 151(Added , (2), , ; amended , (b), , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; –(c), , , 1099; , , ; , , ; , , ; , (c), , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , title VI, § 630(a), (b)], , , 1654A–156; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 110–1812008—Subsec. (e)(1)(A)(iv). added cl. (iv).

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]2000—Subsec. (a). , title VI, § 630(a)(1)], inserted heading and substituted “A member” for “Under regulations prescribed by the President, a member” in text.

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]Subsec. (b). , title VI, § 630(a)(3)], added subsec. (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which contained tables specifying the monthly rates for special pay under subsec. (a) for enlisted members, warrant officers, and commissioned officers.

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]Subsec. (c). , title VI, § 630(a)(3)], added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: “Under regulations prescribed by the President, a member of a uniformed service who is entitled to career sea pay under this section who has served 36 consecutive months of sea duty (other than an enlisted member in a pay grade above E–4 with more than five years of sea duty) is entitled to a career sea pay premium of $100 a month for the thirty-seventh consecutive month and each subsequent consecutive month of sea duty served by such member.”

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]Subsec. (d). , title VI, § 630(a)(3)], added subsec. (d). Former subsec. (d) redesignated (e).

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]Subsec. (e). , title VI, § 630(a)(2), (b)], redesignated subsec. (d) as (e) and inserted heading.

Pub. L. 105–85, § 620(1)1997—Subsec. (d)(1)(A). , struck out “, ship-based staff, or ship-based aviation unit” after “assigned to a ship”.

Pub. L. 105–85, § 620(2)Subsec. (d)(1)(B). , struck out “or ship-based staff” after “assigned to a ship”.

Pub. L. 105–85, § 620(3)Subsec. (d)(2) to (4). , (4), added par. (2) and redesignated former pars. (2) and (3) as (3) and (4), respectively.

Pub. L. 104–1061996—Subsec. (d)(1)(A). amended subpar. (A) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (A) read as follows: “while permanently or temporarily assigned to a ship, ship-based staff, or ship-based aviation unit and while serving on a ship the primary mission of which is accomplished while under way or while serving as a member of the off-crew of a two-crewed submarine; or”.

Pub. L. 102–251991—Subsec. (a). struck out “of this section” after “subsection (b)”.

Pub. L. 102–190Subsec. (b). , in table pertaining to warrant officers, added provisions relating to pay grade W–5 in three places.

Pub. L. 101–1891989—Subsec. (b). inserted “COMMISSIONED” before “OFFICERS” in heading of table relating to officers in pay grades O–1 through O–6.

Pub. L. 100–4561988—Subsec. (d)(2). substituted “after ,” for “on or after the effective date specified in section 621(e)(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1988”.

Pub. L. 100–2241987—Subsec. (b). substituted “Over 14” for “Over 13” in table relating to warrant officers.

Pub. L. 100–180, § 621(a), in amending subsec. (b) generally, struck out “of this section” after “subsection (a)” in introductory provisions and amended table pertaining to enlisted members so as to reflect downward adjustment in monthly special pay rates for persons in pay grade E–4 having over 2 years of sea duty and for persons in pay grades E–5 through E–9 having less than 5 years of sea duty, and amended table so as to reflect upward adjustment for persons in pay grades E–5 through E–9 having over 5 years of sea duty, amended table pertaining to warrant officers so as to reflect upward adjustment for persons in pay grades W–1 through W–3 having over 9 years of sea duty and for persons in pay grade W–4 having over 10 years of sea duty, and in table pertaining to officers for pay grade O–4 substituted “220” for “215” in the column for “Over 8”.

Pub. L. 100–180, § 621(b)Subsec. (c). , inserted “(other than an enlisted member in a pay grade above E–4 with more than five years of sea duty)” after first reference to “sea duty”.

Pub. L. 100–180, § 621(c)Subsec. (d). , amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: “In this section, the term ‘sea duty’ means duty performed by a member—

“(1) while permanently or temporarily assigned to a ship, ship-based staff, or ship-based aviation unit and while serving on a ship the primary mission of which is accomplished while underway or while serving as a member of the off crew of a two-crewed submarine; or

“(2) while permanently or temporarily assigned to a ship or ship-based staff and while serving on a ship the primary mission of which is normally accomplished while in port, but only during a period that the ship is away from its homeport for 30 consecutive days or more.

A ship is considered away from its homeport for purposes of clause (2) of the first sentence when it is at sea or in a port that is more than 50 miles from its homeport.”

Pub. L. 100–26 substituted “In this section,” for “For the purposes of this section,”.

Pub. L. 99–1451985—Subsec. (b). amended table for warrant officers for pay grade W–3 by substituting “330” for “310” in column for “Over 12”, and for pay grade W–4, substituted “320” for “310” in column for “Over 10”, substituted “330” for “310” in column for “Over 11”, and “350” for “310” in column for “Over 12”, inserted columns for “Over 14”, “Over 16”, “Over 18”, and “Over 20”, and in table for commissioned officers inserted columns for “Over 14”, “Over 16”, “Over 18”, and “Over 20”, and struck out the subscript qualifier for pay grades O–1 and O–2, which read: “Commissioned officers with at least four years of active service as enlisted members or as noncommissioned warrant officers”.

Pub. L. 98–5251984—Subsec. (b). amended table relating to rates of pay for enlisted members by substituting “265” for “255” and “320” for “310” in column for “Over 10”, “265” for “255” and “330” for “310” in column for “Over 11”, “280” for “255”, “320” for “310”, and “350” for “310” in column for “Over 12”, and inserted columns for “Over 13”, “Over 14”, “Over 16”, and “Over 18”.

Pub. L. 97–2951982—Subsec. (d). substituted “clause (2)” for “clause (B)” after “for purposes of”.

Pub. L. 97–601981—Subsec. (d)(1). inserted provisions relating to service as a member of the off crew of a two-crewed submarine.

Pub. L. 96–5791980—Subsec. (a). substituted provision declaring a member of a uniformed service entitled to basic pay as eligible for special pay for prior provision for eligibility to such pay of an enlisted member of a uniformed service entitled to basic pay, in pay grade E–4 or above, with three years of sea duty.

Pub. L. 96–579Subsec. (b). substituted special monthly pay table for enlisted members, warrant officers, and commissioned officers for prior special monthly rate for enlisted members for sea duty above prescribed number of years: $29, 3 yrs.; $40, 5 yrs.; $52, 7 yrs.; $63, 9 yrs.; $75, 10 yrs.; $86, 11 yrs.; and $115, 12 yrs.

Pub. L. 96–343 substituted provision authorizing monthly rates of special pay of $29 for over 3 years, $40 for over 5 years, $52 for over 7 years, $63 for over 10 years, $86 for over 11 years, and $115 for over 12 years for provision authorizing monthly rates of special pay during fiscal year 1979 or 1980 of $25 for over 3 years, $35 for over 5 years, and $55 for over 12 years and for fiscal year 1981 rates of $25 for over 3 years, $35 for over 5 years, $45 for over 7 years, and $55 for over 12 years.

Pub. L. 96–579Subsecs. (c), (d). added subsecs. (c) and (d).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A]114 Stat. 1654

“The amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on , and shall apply with respect to months beginning on or after that date.”
, title VI, § 630(c)], , , 1654A–156, provided that:

Effective Date of 1991 Amendment

Pub. L. 102–190section 1132 of Pub. L. 102–190section 521 of Title 10Amendment by effective , see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.

Effective Date of 1987 Amendment; Save Pay; Definitions

Pub. L. 100–180, div. A, title VI, § 621(d)101 Stat. 1100

“(d)

Save Pay .—

A member of the uniformed services who at any time during the three-month period ending on the day before the effective date applicable to that member under subsection (e) for the new rates of career sea pay is entitled to career sea pay at a rate that is higher than the rate established under such new rates for the member’s pay grade and years of sea duty shall be paid such special pay, when entitled to receive it, at such higher rate until the member is permanently reassigned to duty for which the member is not entitled to such special pay. In the case of a member covered by the preceding sentence who is reduced in grade under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (chapter 47 of title 10, United States Code), the old rate of career sea pay applicable to such member under the preceding sentence which may be paid in lieu of the rate applicable to the member under the new rates of career sea pay shall be the rate under the old rates of career sea pay for the member’s pay grade as so reduced and the member’s years of sea duty.
“(e)

Effective Date .—

(1)
Except as provided under paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on the first day of the first month beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act [] and shall apply with respect to duty performed on or after that date.
“(2)
The new rates of career sea pay that are applicable to enlisted members in pay grades above pay grade E-4 who have five or more years of sea duty and the amendment made by subsection (b) [amending this section] shall take effect on the first day of the fourth month beginning after the effective date specified under paragraph (1). In the case of such members, the old rates of career sea pay shall remain in effect until the new rates take effect under the preceding sentence.
“(f)

Definitions .—

For purposes of subsections (d) and (e):
“(1)
section 305a of title 37 The term ‘career sea pay’ means special pay under , United States Code.
“(2)
The term ‘old rates’, with respect to career sea pay, means the rates of such pay in effect on the date of the enactment of this Act [].
“(3)
The term ‘new rates’, with respect to career sea pay, means the rates of such pay provided by the amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section].”
–(f), , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–145, title VI, § 634(b)99 Stat. 647

“The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall take effect on .”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–525, title VI, § 623(c)98 Stat. 2542

section 307 of this title“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and ] shall take effect on .”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1980 Amendments

Pub. L. 96–579, § 4(b)94 Stat. 3366

section 305a of title 37“The amendment made by this section [amending this section] shall be effective with respect to special pay payable under , United States Code, for months after the month in which this section is enacted [December 1980].”
, , , provided:

Pub. L. 96–343, § 3(c)94 Stat. 1124

section 804(a)(2) of Pub. L. 95–485section 305a of title 37“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and repealing , formerly set out as a note below] shall be effective with respect to special pay payable under , United States Code, for months after August 1980.”
, , , provided that:

Effective Date

Pub. L. 95–485, title VIII, § 804(a)(1)92 Stat. 1620, , , provided that this section is effective .

Repeals

Pub. L. 95–485, title VIII, § 804(a)(2)92 Stat. 1620Pub. L. 96–343, § 3(b)94 Stat. 1124, , , which amended subsec. (b) of this section effective , to provide for monthly rates of special pay of $25 for over 3 years, $35 for over 5 years, $45 for over 7 years, $55 for over 9 years, $65 for over 10 years, $75 for over 11 years, and $100 for over 12 years was repealed by , , .

Determination of Amount of Sea Credit; Periods Prior to

Pub. L. 95–485, title VIII, § 804(a)(3)92 Stat. 1620

section 305a of title 37“In determining the amount of sea duty to be credited to an enlisted member of a uniformed service for purposes of , United States Code (as added by paragraph (1)), the Secretary concerned shall credit such member with all periods of service by such member before , during which such member served in a sea duty status.”
, , , provided that: