5/21/2017 46U.S.

Code31321Filing,recording,anddischarge|USLaw|LII/LegalInformationInstitute

CornellUniversityLawSchool

U.S.CodeTitle46SubtitleIIIChapter313SubchapterII31321

46U.S.Code31321Filing,recording,anddischarge
CurrentthroughPub.L.11438.(SeePublicLawsforthecurrentCongress.)

(a)

(1)Abillofsale,conveyance,mortgage,assignment,orrelatedinstrument,whenevermade,thatincludesanypartofadocumentedvesseloravesselforwhichan
applicationfordocumentationisfiled,mustbefiledwiththeSecretarytobevalid,totheextentthevesselisinvolved,againstanypersonexcept

(A)thegrantor,mortgagor,orassignor

(B)theheirordeviseeofthegrantor,mortgagor,orassignorand

(C)apersonhavingactualnoticeofthesale,conveyance,mortgage,assignment,orrelatedinstrument.

(2)Eachbillofsale,conveyance,mortgage,assignment,orrelatedinstrumentthatisfiledinsubstantialcompliancewiththissectionisvalidagainstanypersonfromthe
timeitisfiledwiththeSecretary.

(3)Thepartiestoaninstrumentoranapplicationfordocumentationshallusediligencetoensurethatthepartsoftheinstrumentorapplicationforwhichtheyareresponsible
areinsubstantialcompliancewiththefilinganddocumentationrequirements.

(4)Abillofsale,conveyance,mortgage,assignment,orrelatedinstrumentmaybefiledelectronicallyunderregulationsprescribedbytheSecretary.

(b)Tobefiled,abillofsale,conveyance,mortgage,assignment,orrelatedinstrumentmust

(1)identifythevessel

(2)statethenameandaddressofeachpartytotheinstrument

(3)state,ifamortgage,theamountofthedirectorcontingentobligations(inoneormoreunitsofaccountasagreedtobytheparties)thatisormaybecomesecuredbythe
mortgage,excludinginterest,expenses,andfees

(4)statetheinterestofthegrantor,mortgagor,orassignorinthevessel

(5)statetheinterestsold,conveyed,mortgaged,orassignedand

(6)besignedandacknowledged.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/46/31321 1/2
5/21/2017 46U.S.Code31321Filing,recording,anddischarge|USLaw|LII/LegalInformationInstitute

(c)Ifabillofsale,conveyance,mortgage,assignment,orrelateddocumentisfiledthatinvolvesavesselforwhichanapplicationfordocumentationisfiled,andtheSecretary
decidesthatthevesselcannotbedocumentedbyanapplicant

(1)theSecretaryshallsendnoticeoftheSecretarysdecision,includingreasonsforthedecision,toeachinterestedpartytotheinstrumentfiledforrecordingand

(2)90daysaftersendingthenoticeasprovidedunderclause(1)ofthissubsection,theSecretary

(A)mayterminatethefilingand

(B)mayreturntheinstrumentfiledwithoutrecordingitundersubsection(e)ofthissection.

(d)Apersonmaywithdrawanapplicationfordocumentationofavesselforwhichamortgagehasbeenfiledunderthissectiononlyifthemortgageeconsents.

(e)TheSecretaryshall

(1)recordthebillsofsale,conveyances,mortgages,assignments,andrelatedinstrumentsofadocumentedvesselcomplyingwithsubsection(b)ofthissectionintheorder
theyarefiledand

(2)maintainappropriateindexes,forusebythepublic,ofinstrumentsfiledorrecorded,orboth.

(f)Onfullandfinaldischargeoftheindebtednessunderamortgagerecordedundersubsection(e)(1)ofthissection,amortgagee,onrequestoftheSecretaryormortgagor,shall
providetheSecretarywithanacknowledgedcertificateofdischargeoftheindebtednessinaformprescribedbytheSecretary.TheSecretaryshallrecordthecertificate.

(g)Themortgageorrelatedinstrumentofavesselcoveredbyapreferredmortgageundersection31322(d)ofthistitle,thatislaterfiledunderthissectionatthetimean
applicationfordocumentationisfiled,isvalidunderthissectionfromthetimethemortgageorinstrumentrepresentingfinancingbecameapreferredmortgageundersection
31322(d).

(h)Onfullandfinaldischargeoftheindebtednessunderamortgagedeemedtobeapreferredmortgageundersection31322(d)ofthistitle,amortgagee,onrequestofthe
Secretary,aState,ormortgagor,shallprovidetheSecretaryortheState,asappropriate,withanacknowledgedcertificateofdischargeoftheindebtednessinaformprescribedby
theSecretaryortheState,asapplicable.IffiledwiththeSecretary,theSecretaryshallenterthatinformationinthevesselidentificationsystemunderchapter125ofthistitle.

(Pub.L.100710,titleI,102(c),Nov.23,1988,102Stat.4741Pub.L.101225,titleIII,303(2),Dec.12,1989,103Stat.1923Pub.L.104324,titleIII,305,Oct.19,1996,110
Stat.3918Pub.L.107295,titleIV,420,Nov.25,2002,116Stat.2124Pub.L.111281,titleIX,913(a)(1),Oct.15,2010,124Stat.3017.)

LIIhasnocontroloveranddoesnotendorseanyexternalInternetsitethatcontainslinkstoorreferencesLII.

AboutLII

Contactus

Advertisehere

Help

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/46/31321 2/2