{"identifier":"/us/usc/t46/s12502","title":46,"num":"\u00a7\u202f12502.","heading":"Identification numbers, signal letters, and markings","text":"\u00a7\u202f12502.\nIdentification numbers, signal letters, and markings\n(a) For the identification of a vessel of the United States, the Secretary of Transportation\u2014\n(1) shall maintain a unique numbering system and assign a number to each vessel of the United States;\n(2) may maintain a system of signal letters for a documented vessel;\n(3) shall record a name selected by the owner of a documented vessel approved by the Secretary as the vessel\u2019s name of record; and\n(4) may establish other identification markings.\n(b) The manufacturer or owner of a vessel shall affix to the vessel and maintain in the manner prescribed by the Secretary the number assigned and any other markings the Secretary may require.\n(c) Once a number is assigned under this section, it may not be used by another vessel.\n(d) Once a documented vessel\u2019s name is established, the name may not be changed without the approval of the Secretary.\n(e) A person may not tamper with or falsify a number or other marking required under this section.","url":"https://projectusc.org/usc/t46/s12502.html","content":[{"t":"sec","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502","children":[{"t":"num","text":"\u00a7\u202f12502."},{"t":"heading","text":"Identification numbers, signal letters, and markings"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/a","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(a)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" For the identification of a vessel of the United States, the Secretary of Transportation\u2014"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/a/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"content","text":" shall maintain a unique numbering system and assign a number to each vessel of the United States;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/a/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"content","text":" may maintain a system of signal letters for a documented vessel;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/a/3","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(3)"},{"t":"content","text":" shall record a name selected by the owner of a documented vessel approved by the Secretary as the vessel\u2019s name of record; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/a/4","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(4)"},{"t":"content","text":" may establish other identification markings.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/b","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(b)"},{"t":"content","text":" The manufacturer or owner of a vessel shall affix to the vessel and maintain in the manner prescribed by the Secretary the number assigned and any other markings the Secretary may require.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/c","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(c)"},{"t":"content","text":" Once a number is assigned under this section, it may not be used by another vessel.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/d","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(d)"},{"t":"content","text":" Once a documented vessel\u2019s name is established, the name may not be changed without the approval of the Secretary.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t46/s12502/e","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(e)"},{"t":"content","text":" A person may not tamper with or falsify a number or other marking required under this section.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"}]}]}