---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 12309"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "12309"
heading: "Penalties"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/12309"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part H — Identification of Vessels"
  - "Chapter 123 — Numbering Undocumented Vessels"
---

# §12309. Penalties

- (a) A [person](/usc/46/3701.md?p=3) willfully violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter shall be fined not more than $5,000, imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.
- (b) A [person](/usc/46/3701.md?p=3) violating this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $1,000. If the violation involves the operation of a vessel, the vessel also is liable in rem for the penalty.
- (c) When a civil penalty of not more than $200 has been assessed under this chapter, the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may refer the matter of collection of the penalty directly to the United States magistrate judge of the jurisdiction in which the [person](/usc/46/3701.md?p=3) liable may be found for collection procedures under supervision of the district court and under an order issued by the court delegating this authority under [section 636(b) of title 28](/usc/28/636.md?p=b).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 592; Pub. L. 101–650, title III, § 321, Dec. 1, 1990, 104 Stat. 5117.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |
| --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| 12309(a) | 46:1483 |
| 12309(b) | 46:1484(b) |
| 12309(c) | 46:1484(d) |

Section 12309 provides for civil and criminal penalties for violation of the vessel numbering provisions in this title.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

“United States magistrate judge” substituted for “United States magistrate” in subsec. (c) pursuant to section 321 of Pub. L. 101–650, set out as a note under section 631 of Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure.