---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 12106"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "12106"
heading: "Surrender of title and number"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/12106"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part H — Identification of Vessels"
  - "Chapter 121 — Documentation of Vessels"
  - "Subchapter I — General"
---

# §12106. Surrender of title and number

- (a) **In General.—** A documented vessel may not be titled by a State or required to display numbers under [chapter 123](/usc/46/chstII/ptH/ch123.md) of this title, and any certificate of title issued by a State for a documented vessel shall be surrendered as provided by regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46).
- (b) **Vessels Covered by Preferred Mortgage.—** The [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may approve the surrender under [subsection (a)](#a) of a certificate of title for a vessel covered by a preferred mortgage under [section 31322(d) of this title](/usc/46/31322.md?p=d) only if the mortgagee consents.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 5, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1494.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 12106 | 46:12124. |  |

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 12106, Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 586; Pub. L. 98–454, title III, § 301(b), Oct. 5, 1984, 98 Stat. 1734; Pub. L. 100–239, § 6(a)(2), (3), Jan. 11, 1988, 101 Stat. 1781; Pub. L. 101–225, title III, § 301(a)(6), Dec. 12, 1989, 103 Stat. 1921; Pub. L. 101–380, title IV, § 4205, Aug. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 533; Pub. L. 104–324, title VII, § 743, title XI, § 1113(d), Oct. 19, 1996, 110 Stat. 3942, 3971; Pub. L. 108–293, title VI, § 608(a), Aug. 9, 2004, 118 Stat. 1054, originally derived from section 65i of former Title 46, Shipping, related to coastwise endorsements, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 109–304. See sections 12102, 12112, 12116, 12117, and 12119 of this title.