---
kind: "section"
citation: "14 U.S.C. § 3908"
title: "14"
title_heading: "Coast Guard"
number: "3908"
heading: "Vessel deemed public vessel"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/14/3908"
units:
  - "Subtitle III — Coast Guard Reserve and Auxiliary"
  - "Chapter 39 — Coast Guard Auxiliary"
---

# §3908. Vessel deemed public vessel


While assigned to authorized Coast Guard duty, any motorboat or yacht shall be deemed to be a public vessel of the United States and a vessel of the Coast Guard within the meaning of sections [937](/usc/14/937.md) and [938](/usc/14/938.md) of this title and other applicable provisions of law.


## Source credit

(Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, 63 Stat. 555, § 827; Pub. L. 104–324, title IV, § 406, Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3924; renumbered § 3908 and amended Pub. L. 115–282, title I, §§ 119(b), 123(b)(2), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4236, 4240.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 14, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 266 (Feb. 19, 1941, ch. 8, title I, § 7, 55 Stat. 10).

Changes were made in phraseology. 81st Congress, House Report No. 557.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–282, § 123(b)(2), substituted “sections 937 and 938” for “sections 646 and 647”.

Pub. L. 115–282, § 119(b), renumbered section 827 of this title as this section.

1996—Pub. L. 104–324 reenacted section catchline without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Any motorboat or yacht, while assigned to authorized Coast Guard duty shall be deemed to be a public vessel of the United States, and within the meaning of section 646 of this title shall be deemed to be a vessel of the Coast Guard.”