---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 1208"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "1208"
heading: "Penalties"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/1208"
units:
  - "Chapter 24 — Vessel Bridge-To-Bridge Communication"
---

# §1208. Penalties

- (a) **Master, person in charge, or pilot subject to penalty—** Whoever, being the master or person in charge of a vessel subject to this chapter, fails to enforce or comply with this chapter or the regulation, hereunder; or

  Whoever, being designated by the master or person in charge of a vessel subject to this chapter to pilot or direct the movement of the vessel, fails to enforce or comply with this chapter or the regulations hereunder—

  Is liable to a civil penalty of not more than $500 to be assessed by the [Secretary](/usc/33/1202.md?p=1).

- (b) **Vessels subject to penalty; jurisdiction—** Every vessel navigating in violation of this chapter or the regulations hereunder is liable to a civil penalty of not more than $500 to be assessed by the [Secretary](/usc/33/1202.md?p=1) for which the vessel may be proceeded against in any district court of the United States having jurisdiction.
- (c) **Remission or mitigation—** Any penalty assessed under this section may be remitted or mitigated by the [Secretary](/usc/33/1202.md?p=1) upon such terms as he may deem proper.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 92–63, § 9, Aug. 4, 1971, 85 Stat. 165.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective May 1, 1971, or six months after the promulgation of regulations which would implement its provisions, whichever is later, see section 10 of Pub. L. 92–63, set out as a note under section 1201 of this title.