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

46 U.S.C. § 3205

Certification

(a)

Issuance of Certificate and Document .—

After verifying that the responsible person for a vessel to which this chapter applies and the vessel comply with the applicable requirements under this chapter, the Secretary shall issue for the vessel, on request of the responsible person, a Safety Management Certificate and a Document of Compliance.
(b)

Maintenance of Certificate and Document .—

A Safety Management Certificate and a Document of Compliance issued for a vessel under this section shall be maintained by the responsible person for the vessel as required by the Secretary.
(c)

Verification of Compliance .—

The Secretary shall—
(1)
1
1 So in original. Probably should be “Compliance”.
periodically, or upon discovery from other sources of information acquired by the Coast Guard, including a discovery made during an audit or systematic review conducted under section 10104(e) of a failure of a responsible person or vessel to comply with a requirement of a safety management system for which a Safety Management Certificate and a Document of compliance  has been issued under this section, including a failure to comply with regulations prescribed under section 3203(a)(7) and (8), review whether a responsible person having a safety management plan approved under section 3204(b) and each vessel to which the plan applies is complying with the plan; and
(2)
revoke the Secretary’s approval of the plan and each Safety Management Certificate and Document of Compliance issued to the person for a vessel to which the plan applies, if the Secretary determines that the person or a vessel to which the plan applies has not complied with the plan.
(d)

Enforcement .—

section 60105 of this titlesection 3202(a) of this titleAt the request of the Secretary, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall withhold or revoke the clearance required by of a vessel that is subject to this chapter under or to the International Safety Management Code, if the vessel does not have on board a Safety Management Certificate and a copy of a Document of Compliance for the vessel. Clearance may be granted on filing a bond or other surety satisfactory to the Secretary.

Pub. L. 104–324, title VI, § 602(a)110 Stat. 3929Pub. L. 109–304, § 15(10)120 Stat. 1703Pub. L. 110–181, div. C, title XXXV, § 3529(b)(1)(A)122 Stat. 603Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXVI, § 11610(b)136 Stat. 4155(Added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 117–2632022—Subsec. (c)(1). inserted “, or upon discovery from other sources of information acquired by the Coast Guard, including a discovery made during an audit or systematic review conducted under section 10104(e) of a failure of a responsible person or vessel to comply with a requirement of a safety management system for which a Safety Management Certificate and a Document of compliance has been issued under this section, including a failure to comply with regulations prescribed under section 3203(a)(7) and (8),” after “periodically”.

Pub. L. 110–181Pub. L. 109–304, § 15(10)2008—Subsec. (d). amended . See 2006 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 109–304, § 15(10)Pub. L. 110–181section 60105 of this title2006—Subsec. (d). , as amended by , substituted “Secretary of Homeland Security shall withhold or revoke the clearance required by ” for “Secretary of the Treasury shall withhold or revoke the clearance required by section 4197 of the Revised Statutes (46 U.S.C. App. 91)”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–181, div. C, title XXXV, § 3529(b)(2)122 Stat. 603

section 31325 of this titlePublic Law 109–304“The amendments made by paragraph (1) [amending this section and ] shall be effective as if included in the enactment of .”
, , , provided that: