---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 50908"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "50908"
heading: "Effective periods, and modifications, suspensions, and revocations, of licenses"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/50908"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Programs Targeting Commercial Opportunities"
  - "Chapter 509 — Commercial Space Launch Activities"
---

# §50908. Effective periods, and modifications, suspensions, and revocations, of licenses

- (a) **Effective Periods of Licenses.—** The [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Transportation shall specify the period for which a license issued or transferred under this chapter is in effect.
- (b) **Modifications.—**
  - (1) On the initiative of the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) or on application of the licensee, the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) may modify a license issued or transferred under this chapter if the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) decides the modification will comply with this chapter.
  - (2) The [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) shall modify a license issued or transferred under this chapter whenever a modification is needed for the license to be in conformity with a regulation that was issued pursuant to [section 50905(c)](/usc/51/50905.md?p=c) after the issuance of the license. This paragraph shall not apply to permits.
- (c) **Suspensions and Revocations.—** The [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) may suspend or revoke a license if the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) decides that—
  - (1) the licensee has not complied substantially with a requirement of this chapter or a regulation prescribed under this chapter; or
  - (2) the suspension or revocation is necessary to protect the public health and safety, the safety of property, or a national security or foreign policy interest of the [United States](/usc/51/50501.md?p=14).
- (d) **Additional Suspensions.—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) may suspend a license when a previous [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) or reentry under the license has resulted in a serious or fatal injury (as defined in 49 CFR 830, as in effect on November 10, 2004) to any human being and the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) has determined that continued operations under the license are likely to cause additional serious or fatal injury (as defined in 49 CFR 830, as in effect on November 10, 2004) to any human being.
  - (2) Any suspension imposed under this subsection shall be for as brief a period as possible and, in any event, shall cease when the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5)—
    - (A) has determined that the licensee has taken sufficient steps to reduce the likelihood of a recurrence of the serious or fatal injury; or
    - (B) has modified the license pursuant to [subsection (b)](#b) to sufficiently reduce the likelihood of a recurrence of the serious or fatal injury.
  - (3) This subsection shall not apply to permits.
- (e) **Effective Periods of Modifications, Suspensions, and Revocations.—** Unless the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) specifies otherwise, a modification, suspension, or revocation under this section takes effect immediately and remains in effect during a review under [section 50912 of this title](/usc/51/50912.md).
- (f) **Notification.—** The [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) shall notify the licensee in writing of the decision of the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) under this section and any action the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) takes or proposes to take based on the decision.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1334, § 70107 of title 49; Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(18), (19), Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3980; renumbered § 70107 then § 50908 of title 51 and amended Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(H), (5)(J), (K), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440–3442; Pub. L. 114–90, title I, § 112(n), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 713.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 70107(a) | 49 App.:2606 (last sentence). | Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–575, §§ 7 (last sentence), 10, 98 Stat. 3058, 3059. |
| 70107(b) | 49 App.:2609(b). |  |
| 70107(c) | 49 App.:2609(a). |  |
| 70107(d) | 49 App.:2609(c). |  |
| 70107(e) | 49 App.:2609(d). |  |

In subsection (a), the words “of time” and “in accordance with regulations issued under this chapter” are omitted as surplus.

In subsection (b), the words “the requirements of” are omitted as surplus.

In subsection (e), the words “Whenever the Secretary takes any action” are omitted as surplus.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2015—Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 114–90 substituted “to any human being” for “to crew or space flight participants” in two places.

2010—Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(H), successively renumbered section 70107 of title 49 and section 70107 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(J), substituted “section 50905(c)” for “section 70105(c)”.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(K), substituted “section 50912” for “section 70110”.

2004—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(18), designated existing text as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Subsecs. (d) to (f). Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(19), added subsec. (d) and redesignated former subsecs. (d) and (e) as (e) and (f), respectively.