---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 12151"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "12151"
heading: "Penalties"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/12151"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part H — Identification of Vessels"
  - "Chapter 121 — Documentation of Vessels"
  - "Subchapter IV — Penalties"
---

# §12151. Penalties

- (a) **In General.—**
  - (1) **Civil penalties.—** Except as provided in [paragraph (2)](#a-2), a [person](/usc/46/3701.md?p=3) that violates this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $15,000. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation.
  - (2) **Activities involving mobile offshore drilling units.—** A [person](/usc/46/3701.md?p=3) that violates [section 12111(d)](/usc/46/12111.md?p=d) or a regulation prescribed under that section is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty in an amount that is $25,000 or twice the charter rate of the vessel involved in the violation (as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46)), whichever is greater. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation.
- (b) **Seizure and Forfeiture of Vessels.—** A vessel and its equipment are liable to seizure by and forfeiture to the Government if—
  - (1) the [owner](/usc/46/10101.md?p=2) of the vessel or the representative or agent of the [owner](/usc/46/10101.md?p=2) knowingly falsifies or conceals a material fact, or knowingly makes a false statement or representation, about the documentation of the vessel or in applying for documentation of the vessel;
  - (2) a certificate of documentation is knowingly and fraudulently used for the vessel;
  - (3) the vessel is operated after its endorsement has been denied or revoked under [section 12152 of this title](/usc/46/12152.md);
  - (4) the vessel is employed in a trade without an appropriate endorsement;
  - (5) the vessel has only a recreational endorsement and is operated other than for pleasure;
  - (6) the vessel is a documented vessel and is placed under the command of a [person](/usc/46/3701.md?p=3) not a citizen of the United States, except as authorized by [section 12131(b) of this title](/usc/46/12131.md?p=b); or
  - (7) the vessel is rebuilt outside the United States and a report of the rebuilding is not submitted as required by [section 12139(b) of this title](/usc/46/12139.md?p=b).
- (c) **Engaging in Fishing After Falsifying Eligibility.—** In addition to other penalties under this section, the [owner](/usc/46/10101.md?p=2) of a documented vessel for which a fishery endorsement has been issued is liable to the Government for a civil penalty of not more than $100,000 for each day the vessel engages in fishing (as defined in section 3 of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act ([16 U.S.C. 1802](/usc/16/1802.md))) within the exclusive economic zone, if the [owner](/usc/46/10101.md?p=2) or the representative or agent of the [owner](/usc/46/10101.md?p=2) knowingly falsified or concealed a material fact, or knowingly made a false statement or representation, about the eligibility of the vessel under [section 12113(c)](/usc/46/12113.md?p=c) or (d) of this title in applying for or applying to renew the fishery endorsement.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 109–304, § 5, Oct. 6, 2006, 120 Stat. 1508; Pub. L. 112–213, title III, § 309, Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1566.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 12151(a) | 46:12122(a). |  |
| 12151(b) | 46:12122(b). |  |
|  | 46 App.:14 (last proviso). | R.S. § 4136 (last proviso); Feb. 24, 1915, ch. 57, 38 Stat. 812; Pub. L. 103–182, title VI, § 686(a)(4), Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2220. |
|  | 46 App.:883a (2d, last sentences). | July 14, 1956, ch. 600, § 2 (2d, last sentences), 70 Stat. 544; Pub. L. 86–583, § 2, July 5, 1960, 74 Stat. 321. |
| 12151(c) | 46:12122(c). |  |

In subsection (b), in restating 46 App. U.S.C. 883a (2d, last sentences), the penalty of $200 for the owner and master of the vessel is omitted because subsection (a) provides a general civil penalty for violation of this chapter. The authority to remit or mitigate a penalty under section 2107(b) is omitted because section 2107(b) applies to subtitle II and this section is in subtitle II.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2012—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–213 designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. (1) heading, substituted “Except as provided in paragraph (2), a person that violates” for “A person that violates” and “$15,000” for “$10,000”, and added par. (2).