{"data":{"id":"us/46-u.s.c.-12502","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"46 U.S.C. § 12502","heading":"Identification numbers, signal letters, and markings","body":"(a) For the identification of a vessel of the United States, the Secretary of Transportation—(1) shall maintain a unique numbering system and assign a number to each vessel of the United States; (2) may maintain a system of signal letters for a documented vessel; (3) shall record a name selected by the owner of a documented vessel approved by the Secretary as the vessel’s name of record; and (4) may establish other identification markings. (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. (c) Once a number is assigned under this section, it may not be used by another vessel. (d) Once a documented vessel’s name is established, the name may not be changed without the approval of the Secretary. (e) A person may not tamper with or falsify a number or other marking required under this section.","path":["Title 46—SHIPPING","CHAPTER 125—VESSEL IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM"],"source_url":"https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/103/xml_usc46@119-103.zip","current_through":"Public Law 119-103 (09/02/2026)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-10T06:00:50Z","sha256":"578053a44826fc77a4e9e1a42f8bb2bb549fa40ece79e2ca0e5108ae75b1b250","source_id":"us","stale":false,"prev":"us/46-u.s.c.-12501","next":"us/46-u.s.c.-12503"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}