---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 12108"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "12108"
heading: "Authority to extend duration of vessel certificates"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/12108"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part H — Identification of Vessels"
  - "Chapter 121 — Documentation of Vessels"
  - "Subchapter I — General"
---

# §12108. Authority to extend duration of vessel certificates

- (a) **Certificates.—** Provided a vessel is in compliance with inspection requirements in [section 3313](/usc/46/3313.md), the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) of the department in which in the [Coast Guard](/usc/46/2101.md?p=2) is operating may, if the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) makes the determination described in [subsection (b)](#b), extend, for a period of not more than 1 year, an expiring certificate of documentation issued for a vessel under chapter 121.
- (b) **Determination.—** The determination referred to in [subsection (a)](#a) is a determination that such extension is required to enable the [Coast Guard](/usc/46/2101.md?p=2) to—
  - (1) eliminate a backlog in processing applications for such certificates; or
  - (2) act in response to a national emergency or natural disaster.
- (c) **Manner of Extension.—** Any extension granted under this section may be granted to individual vessels or to a specifically identified group of vessels.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIII [LXXXIII], § 8320(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4701.)