---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 892b"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "892b"
heading: "Quality assurance program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/892b"
units:
  - "Chapter 17 — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration"
  - "Subchapter IV — Noaa Hydrographic Services"
---

# §892b. Quality assurance program

- (a) **Definition—** For purposes of this section, the term “hydrographic product” means any publicly or commercially available product or service produced or disseminated by a non-Federal entity that includes or displays [hydrographic data](/usc/33/892.md?p=3).
- (b) **Program—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/33/892.md?p=1)—
    - (A) by not later than 2 years after December 19, 2002, shall, subject to the availability of appropriations, develop and implement a quality assurance program that is equally available to all applicants, under which the [Administrator](/usc/33/892.md?p=1) may certify hydrographic products that satisfy the standards promulgated by the [Administrator](/usc/33/892.md?p=1) under [section 892a(a)(3) of this title](/usc/33/892a.md?p=a-3);
    - (B) may authorize the use of the emblem or any trademark of the [Administration](/usc/33/892.md?p=2) on a hydrographic product certified under [subparagraph (A)](#b-1-A); and
    - (C) may charge a fee for such certification and use.
  - (2) **Limitation on fee amount—** Any fee under [paragraph (1)(C)](#b-1-C) shall not exceed the costs of conducting the quality assurance testing, evaluation, or studies necessary to determine whether the hydrographic product satisfies the standards adopted under [section 892a(a)(3) of this title](/usc/33/892a.md?p=a-3), including the cost of administering such a program.
- (c) **Limitation on liability—** The Government of the United States shall not be liable for any negligence by a person that produces hydrographic products certified under this section.
- (d) **Hydrographic Services Account—**
  - (1) **Establishment—** There is established in the Treasury a separate account, which shall be known as the “[Hydrographic Services](/usc/33/892.md?p=4) Account”.
  - (2) **Content—** The account shall consist of—
    - (A) amounts received by the United States as fees charged under [subsection (b)(1)(C)](#b-1-C); and
    - (B) such other amounts as may be provided by law.
  - (3) **Use—** Amounts in the account shall be available to the [Administrator](/usc/33/892.md?p=1), without further appropriation, for [hydrographic services](/usc/33/892.md?p=4).
- (e) **Limitation on new fees and increases in existing fees for hydrographic services—** After November 13, 1998, the [Administrator](/usc/33/892.md?p=1) may not—
  - (1) establish any fee or other charge for the provision of any hydrographic service except as authorized by this section; or
  - (2) increase the amount of any fee or other charge for the provision of any hydrographic service except as authorized by this section and [section 1307 of title 44](/usc/44/1307.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 105–384, title III, § 304, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3455; Pub. L. 107–372, title I, § 104(a), Dec. 19, 2002, 116 Stat. 3080; Pub. L. 117–263, div. J, title CIII, § 10308(c), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 3980.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–263 substituted “product or service produced or disseminated” for “product produced”.

2002—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 107–372 reenacted heading without change and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Administrator may—

“(A) develop and implement a quality assurance program that is equally available to all applicants, under which the Administrator may certify hydrographic products that satisfy the standards promulgated by the Administrator under section 892a(a)(3) of this title;

“(B) authorize the use of the emblem or any trademark of the Administration on a hydrographic product certified under subparagraph (A); and

“(C) charge a fee for such certification and use.”