Availability of instruments, copies, and information
About This Law
/us/usc/t46/s31302
Title
46 — Shipping
Chapter
STIII/CH313
Release
119-84
Release Date
2026-04-17
Section Text
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The Secretary shall—(1) make any instrument filed or recorded with the Secretary under this chapter available for public inspection;
(2) on request, provide a copy, including a certified copy, of any instrument made available for public inspection under this chapter; and
(3) on request, provide a certificate containing information included in an instrument filed or recorded under this chapter.
(Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 102(c), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4740; Pub. L. 111–281, title IX, § 913(a)(1), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3017.)
Historical and Revision Notes
Revised sectionSource section (U.S. Code)
31302(1)46:927 (1st sentence)
31302(2)46:927 (2d sentence)
31302(3)New
Section 31302(1) makes all instruments filed for recording or recorded with the Secretary of Transportation available for public inspection. The only substantive change to law made by this subsection is the inclusion of instruments filed for recording, which is in keeping with the new requirements on filing of instruments made in section 31321.
Section 31302(2) requires the Secretary to provide the public with a certified copy of the material made available to the public under subsection (a). This subsection makes no substantive change to law.
Section 31302(3) requires the Secretary, on request, to issue a certificate containing the information included in instruments on file, such as certificates of ownership.
Editorial Notes
Amendments2010—Pub. L. 111–281 struck out “of Transportation” after “Secretary” in introductory provisions.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective DateSection effective Jan. 1, 1989, with certain exceptions and qualifications, see section 107 of Pub. L. 100–710, set out as a note under section 31301 of this title.
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