---
kind: "section"
citation: "46 U.S.C. § 3314"
title: "46"
title_heading: "Shipping"
number: "3314"
heading: "Expiration of certificate of inspection"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/46/3314"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Vessels and Seamen"
  - "Part B — Inspection and Regulation of Vessels"
  - "Chapter 33 — Inspection Generally"
---

# §3314. Expiration of certificate of inspection

- (a) If the [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1) of inspection of a [vessel](/usc/46/115.md) expires when the [vessel](/usc/46/115.md) is on a foreign voyage, the [vessel](/usc/46/115.md) may complete the voyage to a port of the [United States](/usc/46/114.md) within 30 days of the expiration of the [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1) without incurring the penalties for operating without a [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1) of inspection.
- (b) If the [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1) of inspection would expire within 15 days of sailing on a foreign voyage from a [United States](/usc/46/114.md) port, the [vessel](/usc/46/115.md) shall secure a new [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1) of inspection before sailing, unless the voyage is scheduled to be completed prior to the expiration date of the [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1). If a voyage scheduled to be completed in that time is not so completed, the applicable penalties may be enforced unless the failure to meet the schedule was beyond the [control](/usc/46/12113.md?p=c-2) of the owner, charterer, managing operator, agent, master, or individual in charge of the [vessel](/usc/46/115.md).
- (c) When the [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1) of inspection of a [foreign vessel](/usc/46/110.md) carrying passengers, operated on a regularly established line, expires at sea after leaving the country to which it belongs or when the [vessel](/usc/46/115.md) is in the [United States](/usc/46/114.md), the [Secretary](/usc/46/2101.md?p=46) may permit the [vessel](/usc/46/115.md) to sail on its regular route without further inspection than would have been required had the [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1) not expired. This permission applies only when the [vessel](/usc/46/115.md) will be regularly inspected and issued a [certificate](/usc/46/55104.md?p=a-1) before the [vessel](/usc/46/115.md)’s next return to the [United States](/usc/46/114.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 98–89, Aug. 26, 1983, 97 Stat. 516.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |
| --- | --- |
| Revised section | Source section (U.S. Code) |
| 3314 | 46:362<br>46:399 |

Section 3314 contains the procedures for when a vessel’s certificate of inspection expires while on a foreign voyage.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Apr. 15, 1984, see section 2(g)(1) of Pub. L. 98–89, set out as a note under section 3101 of this title.