---
kind: "section"
citation: "40 U.S.C. § 558"
title: "40"
title_heading: "Public Buildings, Property, and Works"
number: "558"
heading: "Donation of forfeited vessels"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/40/558"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Federal Property and Administrative Services"
  - "Chapter 5 — Property Management"
  - "Subchapter III — Disposing of Property"
---

# §558. Donation of forfeited vessels

- (a) **In General.—** A vessel that is forfeited to the Federal Government may be donated, in accordance with procedures under this subtitle, to an eligible institution described in [subsection (b)](#b).
- (b) **Eligible Institution.—** An eligible institution referred to in [subsection (a)](#a) is an educational institution with a commercial fishing vessel safety program or other vessel safety, education and training program. The institution must certify to the federal officer making the donation that the program includes, at a minimum, all of the following courses in vessel safety:
  - (1) Vessel stability.
  - (2) Firefighting.
  - (3) Shipboard first aid.
  - (4) Marine safety and survival.
  - (5) Seamanship rules of the road.
- (c) **Terms and Conditions.—** The donation of a vessel under this section shall be made on terms and conditions considered appropriate by the federal officer making the donation. All of the following terms and conditions are required:
  - (1) **No warranty.—** The institution must accept the vessel as is, where it is, and without warranty of any kind and without any representation as to its condition or suitability for use.
  - (2) **Maintenance.—** The institution is responsible for maintaining the vessel.
  - (3) **Instruction only.—** The vessel may be used only for instructing students in a vessel safety education and training program.
  - (4) **Documentation.—** If the vessel is eligible to be documented, it must be documented by the institution as a vessel of the United States under chapter 121 of title 46. The requirements of [paragraph (5)](#c-5) must be noted on the permanent record of the vessel.
  - (5) **Disposal.—** The institution must obtain prior approval from the Administrator of General Services before disposing of the vessel and any proceeds from disposal shall be payable to the Government.
  - (6) **Inspection or regulation.—** The vessel shall be inspected or regulated in the same manner as a nautical school vessel under chapter 33 of title 46.
- (d) **Government Liability.—** The Government is not liable in an action arising out of the transfer or use of a vessel transferred under this section.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1103.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 558 | 40:484d. | Pub. L. 99–640, § 13(a)–(c), Nov. 10, 1986, 100 Stat. 3551. |

In subsection (b), the words “all of” are inserted for clarity.