---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 U.S.C. § 362"
title: "47"
title_heading: "Telecommunications"
number: "362"
heading: "Forfeitures; recovery"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/47/362"
units:
  - "Chapter 5 — Wire or Radio Communication"
  - "Subchapter III — Special Provisions Relating to Radio"
  - "Part II — Radio Equipment and Radio Operators On Board Ship"
---

# §362. Forfeitures; recovery


The following forfeitures shall apply to this part, in addition to the penalties and forfeitures provided by subchapter V of this chapter:

- (a) Any [ship](/usc/47/153.md?p=46-A) that leaves or attempts to leave any [harbor](/usc/47/153.md?p=23) or [port](/usc/47/153.md?p=23) of the [United States](/usc/47/153.md?p=58) in violation of the provisions of this part, or the rules and regulations of the Commission made in pursuance thereof, or any [ship](/usc/47/153.md?p=46-A) of the [United States](/usc/47/153.md?p=58) that is navigated outside of any [harbor](/usc/47/153.md?p=23) or [port](/usc/47/153.md?p=23) in violation of any of the provisions of this part, or the rules and regulations of the Commission made in pursuance thereof, shall forfeit to the [United States](/usc/47/153.md?p=58) the sum of $5,000, recoverable by way of suit or libel. Each such departure or attempted departure, and in the case of a [ship](/usc/47/153.md?p=46-A) of the [United States](/usc/47/153.md?p=58) each day during which such navigation occurs shall constitute a separate offense.
- (b) Every willful failure on the part of the master of a [ship](/usc/47/153.md?p=46-A) of the [United States](/usc/47/153.md?p=58) to enforce or to comply with the provisions of this chapter or the rules and regulations of the Commission as to equipment, [operators](/usc/47/153.md?p=38-A), watches, or radio service shall cause him to forfeit to the [United States](/usc/47/153.md?p=58) the sum of $1,000.

## Source credit

(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 364, formerly § 362, as added May 20, 1937, ch. 229, § 10(b), 50 Stat. 196; renumbered § 364, Aug. 13, 1954, ch. 729, § 2(a)(1), 68 Stat. 706; amended Pub. L. 101–239, title III, § 3002(g), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2131.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This part, referred to in text, commences with section 351 of this title.

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original “this Act”, meaning act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

1989—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–239, § 3002(g)(1), substituted “$5,000” for “$500”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 101–239, § 3002(g)(2), substituted “$1,000” for “$100”.

### Effective Date

Section effective May 20, 1937, see section 16 of act May 20, 1937, set out as a note under section 351 of this title.