Us Code § 1706a - Civil penalties for trading without required certificate of documentation
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 1706a — Civil penalties for trading without required certificate of documentation, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 1706a. Civil penalties for trading without required certificate of documentation
Whenever a vessel, entitled to be documented and not so documented, is employed in a trade for which certificates of documentation are issued under the vessel documentation laws, other than a trade covered by a registry, the vessel is liable to a civil penalty of $500 for each port at which it arrives without the proper certificate of documentation, and if it has on board any merchandise of foreign growth or manufacture (sea stores excepted), or any taxable domestic spirits, wines, or other alcoholic liquors, on which the duties or taxes have not been paid or secured to be paid, the vessel, together with its equipment and cargo, is liable to seizure and forfeiture. Marks, labels, brands, or stamps, indicative of foreign origin, upon or accompanying merchandise or containers of merchandise found on board such vessel, shall be prima facie evidence of the foreign origin of such merchandise.
(June 19, 1886, ch. 421, §7, 24 Stat. 81; Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, title III, §314, 49 Stat. 529; Pub. L. 96–594, title I, §126(e), Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3459.)
Editorial Notes
Codification
Section was not enacted as part of act Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, which comprises this chapter.
Section was classified to section 319 of the former Appendix to Title 46, Shipping, prior to the completion of the enactment of Title 46 by Pub. L. 109–304, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1485.
Amendments
1980—Pub. L. 96–594 substituted provisions relating to violations and penalties for employment in a trade of a vessel entitled to be documented but not so documented for provisions relating to fines and penalties for trading without a license by a vessel twenty tons or upward, and struck out provisions respecting expiration of a license while a vessel is at sea.
1935—Act Aug. 5, 1935, provided for forfeiture, to deem marks, etc., prima facie evidence of foreign origin of merchandise, and to substitute "said fine or forfeiture" for "said fine of $30" in last sentence.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 1980 Amendment
Pub. L. 96–594, title I, §128, Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3461, provided in part that the amendment made by Pub. L. 96–594 is effective on first day of eighteenth month following December 1980.
About This Section
19 U.S.C. § 1706a is part of Title 19 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 19 U.S.C. § 1706a. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.