---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 5103"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "5103"
heading: "Load line requirements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/5103"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part C — Load Lines of Vessels"
  - "Chapter 51 — Load Lines"
---

# §5103. Load line requirements

- (a) A vessel may be operated only if the vessel has been assigned load lines.
- (b) The [owner](/usc/46/10101.md?p=2), charterer, managing operator, agent, [master](/usc/46/10101.md?p=1), and individual in charge of a vessel shall mark and maintain the load lines permanently and conspicuously in the way prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46).
- (c) A [fishing vessel](/usc/46/10101.md?p=4) built on or before July 1, 2013, that undergoes a [major conversion](/usc/46/2101.md?p=18) completed after the later of July 1, 2013, or the date the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) establishes standards for an alternate loadline compliance program, shall comply with such an alternative loadline compliance program that is developed in cooperation with the commercial fishing industry and prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–509, title V, § 5101(2), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1915; Pub. L. 111–281, title VI, § 604(d)(2), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 2965; Pub. L. 112–213, title III, § 305(d)(2), Dec. 20, 2012, 126 Stat. 1565.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section 5103

Source: Section (U.S. Code) 46 App. U.S.C. 86c, 88b.

Section 5103(a) prohibits a vessel that is subject to load line requirements from operating, unless it has load lines assigned by the Secretary.

Section 5103(b) requires that load lines be permanently and conspicuously maintained in the manner prescribed by the Secretary.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2012—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 112–213 substituted “July 1, 2013,” for “July 1, 2012,” in two places and substituted “major conversion” for “substantial change to the dimension of or type of the vessel”.

2010—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–281 added subsec. (c).