§277. Inspection of documents

Any officer concerned in the collection of the revenue may at all times inspect the certificate of documentation of any documented vessel or any document in lieu thereof; and if the master or other person in charge or command of any such vessel shall not exhibit the same, when required by such officer, unless the vessel is one which by regulation of the Secretary of Transportation is not required to have its certificate of documentation or document in lieu thereof on board, such master or person in charge or command shall be liable to a penalty of $100, unless the failure to do so is willful, in which case he shall be liable to a penalty of $1,000 and to a fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year, or both.

(R.S. §4336; Aug. 5, 1935, ch. 438, title III, §312, 49 Stat. 528 ; Pub. L. 85–237, §2, Aug. 30, 1957, 71 Stat. 518 ; Pub. L. 103–182, title VI, §686(a)(5), Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2220 .)

Codification

R.S. §4336 derived from act Feb. 18, 1793, ch. 8, §13, 1 Stat. 309 .

Amendments

1993-Pub. L. 103–182 substituted "certificate of documentation of any documented vessel" for "register or enrollment or license of any vessel" and "Secretary of Transportation is not required to have its certificate of documentation" for "Secretary of the Treasury is not required to have its register or enrollment or license".

1957-Pub. L. 85–237 provided for penalties against other officer in charge or command of vessel and by excepting vessels which are not required by regulation of the Secretary of the Treasury to exhibit their documents on board.

1935-Act Aug. 5, 1935, provided for inspection of register or any document and punishment for willful failure to exhibit document.

Cross References

Canal boats or boats employed on internal waters or canals of any state, exemption from requirements of this section, see section 336 of this Appendix.