1625-0056_Stat/Authority

Coast Guard, DHS

§ 181.3

(3) The number of units in which corrective action has been completed as of
the date of the follow-up report;
(4) The number of first purchasers
not notified because of an out-of-date
name or address, or both; and
(5) An updating of the information
required by § 179.13.
(b) Each manufacturer shall submit
any additional follow-up reports requested by the Commandant.
§ 179.17 Penalties.
Each manufacturer who fails to comply with a provision of 46 U.S.C. 4310 or
the regulations in this part, is subject
to the penalties as prescribed in 46
U.S.C. 4311.

181.15
181.17
181.19

Subpart C—Identification of Boats
181.21 Purpose, applicability and effective
dates.
181.23 Hull identification numbers required.
181.25 Hull identification number format.
181.27 Information displayed near hull identification number.
181.29 Hull identification number display.
181.31 Manufacturer identification code assignment.
181.33 Conditions for use of manufacturer
identification codes.
181.35 Removal of numbers.

Subparts D–F [Reserved]
Subpart G—Instruction Pamphlet for
Personal Flotation Devices

[CGD 93–055, 61 FR 13926, Mar. 28, 1996]

§ 179.19 Address of the Commandant.
(a) Each report and communication
sent to the Coast Guard and required
by this part concerning boats and associated equipment other than inflatable
personal flotation devices, must be submitted to Commandant (CG–54223), 2100
2nd St., SW., Stop 7581, Washington, DC
20593–7581.
(b) Each report and communication
sent to the Coast Guard and required
by this part concerning inflatable personal flotation devices, must be submitted to Commandant (CG–5214), 2100
2nd St., SW., Stop 7126, Washington, DC
20593–7126.
[CGD 93–055, 61 FR 13927, Mar. 28, 1996; CGD
96–026, 61 FR 36629, July 12, 1996; USCG–2008–
0179, 73 FR 35024, June 19, 2008; USCG–2010–
0351, 75 FR 36287, June 25, 2010]

Subpart A—General
Purpose and applicability.
Definitions.
Incorporation by reference.

Subpart B—Manufacturer Certification of
Compliance

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181.701 Applicability.
181.702 Information pamphlet: requirement
to furnish.
181.703 Information pamphlet: Contents.
181.704 Contents of information pamphlet:
Recreational hybrid PFD.
181.705 Contents of information pamphlet:
Recreational inflatable PFD.
AUTHORITY: 46 U.S.C. 4302.
SOURCE: CGD 72–60, 37 FR 15779, Aug. 4,
1972, unless otherwise noted.

Subpart A—General
§ 181.1 Purpose and applicability.
This part prescribes requirements for
the certification of boats and associated equipment and identification of
boats to which 46 U.S.C. Chapter 43 applies.
[CGD 85–002, 51 FR 37573, Oct. 23, 1986]

PART 181—MANUFACTURER
REQUIREMENTS

Sec.
181.1
181.3
181.4

Contents of labels.
Label numbers and letters.
Construction of labels.

181.5 Purpose and applicability.
181.7 Compliance certification label required.
181.9 Affixing labels.
181.11 Exceptions to labeling requirement.
181.13 Removal of labels.

§ 181.3 Definitions.
As used in this part:
Associated equipment means:
(1) Any system, part, or component
of a boat as originally manufactured or
any similar part or component manufactured or sold for replacement, repair, or improvement of such system,
part, or component;
(2) Any accessory or equipment for,
or appurtenance to, a boat; and
(3) Any marine safety article, accessory, or equipment intended for use by
a person on board a boat; but
(4) Excluding radio equipment.
Boat means any vessel—

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§ 181.4

33 CFR Ch. I (7–1–10 Edition)

(1) Manufactured or used primarily
for noncommercial use;
(2) Leased, rented, or chartered to another for the latter’s noncommercial
use; or
(3) Operated as an uninspected passenger vessel subject to the requirements of 46 CFR chapter I, subchapter
C.
Date of certification means the date on
which a boat or item of associated
equipment is certified to comply with
all applicable U.S. Coast Guard safety
standards in effect on that date.
Date of manufacture means the month
and year during which construction or
assembly of a boat or item of associated equipment begins.
Manufacturer means any person engaged in:
(1) The manufacture, construction, or
assembly of boats or associated equipment; or
(2) The importation into the United
States for sale of boats, associated
equipment, or components thereof.
Model year means the period beginning August 1 of any year and ending
on July 31 of the following year. Each
model year is designated by the year in
which it ends.
Private label merchandiser means any
person engaged in the business of selling and distributing, under his own
trade name, boats, or items of associated equipment manufactured by another.

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[CGD 96–026, 61 FR 33669, June 28, 1996; 61 FR
36786, July 12, 1996, as amended by USCG–
1999;–5040, May 15, 2002]

§ 181.4 Incorporation by reference.
(a) Certain materials are incorporated by reference into this part
with the approval of the Director of the
Federal Register in accordance with 5
U.S.C. 552(a). To enforce any edition
other than the one listed in paragraph
(b) of this section, notice of change
must be published in the FEDERAL REGISTER and the material made available
to the public. All approved material is
available for inspection at the Lifesaving and Fire Safety Standards Division (CG–5214), 2100 2nd St., SW., Stop
7126, Washington, DC 20593–7126, and at
the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information
on the availability of this material at

NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go to: http://
www.archives.gov/federallregister/
codeloflfederallregulations/
ibrllocations.html. All approved material is available from the sources listed
in paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) The materials approved for incorporation by reference in this part, and
the sections affected are:
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL)
12

Laboratory Drive, Research Triangle
Park, NC 27709–3995
UL 1123, Marine Buoyant Devices, 181.703.
February 17, 1995.
[CGD 81–023, 55 FR 32034, Aug. 6, 1990, as
amended by CGD 93–055, 61 FR 13927, Mar. 28,
1996; CGD 96–026, 61 FR 33669, June 28, 1996;
USCG–2000–7223, 65 FR 40059, June 29, 2000; 69
FR 18803, Apr. 9, 2004; USCG–2004–18057, 69 FR
34926, June 23, 2004; USCG–2010–0351, 75 FR
36287, June 25, 2010]

Subpart B—Manufacturer
Certification of Compliance
§ 181.5

Purpose and applicability.

This subpart prescribes requirements
for the certification of boats and associated equipment to which 46 U.S.C.
Chapter 43 applies and to which a safety standard prescribed in Part 183 of
this chapter applies.
[CGD 85–002, 51 FR 37573, Oct. 23, 1986]

§ 181.7 Compliance certification label
required.
Unless there is affixed to it a certification label that contains the information required by § 181.15:
(a) No person who manufactures, constructs, or assembles a boat or associated equipment may deliver that boat
or equipment for the purpose of sale;
(b) No person may import into the
United States any boat or associated
equipment; and
(c) No person engaged in the business
of selling or distributing boats or associated equipment may sell or offer for
sale any boat or associated equipment.
§ 181.9

Affixing labels.

(a) Each manufacturer of a boat or
item of associated equipment to which
a standard or regulation prescribed in
Part 183 of this chapter applies shall
affix a certification label that contains

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Coast Guard, DHS

§ 181.17

the information required by § 181.15 to
that boat or equipment before it:
(1) Leaves the place of manufacture
for the purpose of sale; or
(2) Is imported.
(b) The manufacturer of a boat or
item of associated equipment that is
sold to a private label merchandiser
may, at the option of the private label
merchandiser, affix a certification
label identifying the private label merchandiser as the manufacturer before
the boat or item of associated equipment leaves the place of manufacture.
§ 181.11 Exceptions
quirement.

to

labeling

re-

(a) This part does not apply to boats
or associated equipment intended solely for export, and so labeled, tagged, or
marked on the boat or equipment and
on the outside of the container, if any,
which is exported.
(b) If an item of associated equipment is so small that a certification
label that meets the requirements in
§ 181.15 cannot be affixed to it, a certification label that contains the information required by § 181.15 may be printed
on the smallest container in which the
item is packed or on a slip packed with
the item.
(c) This subpart does not apply to
any outboard motor or starting control
to which § 183.710 of this chapter applies.
[CGD 72–60, 37 FR 15779, Aug. 4, 1972, as
amended by CGD 79–137, 46 FR 3515, Jan. 15,
1981; 46 FR 9579, Jan. 29, 1981]

§ 181.13

Removal of labels.

No person may remove a label required by this part or remove or alter
any information on a label required by
this part, unless authorized by the
Commandant.

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§ 181.15

Contents of labels.

(a) Each label required by § 181.7 must
contain:
(1) The name and address of the manufacturer or private label merchandiser
who certifies that the boat or item of
associated equipment complies with
the standards prescribed in Part 183 of
this subchapter; and
(2) Except as provided in paragraph
(c) of this section, the words:

(i) ‘‘This (insert ‘Boat’ or ‘Equipment’) Complies With U.S. Coast Guard
Safety Standards In Effect On (insert
date of certification as prescribed in
paragraph (b) of this section)’’; or
(ii) If the item being certified is a
boat, the label may show the words,
‘‘This Boat Complies With U.S. Coast
Guard Safety Standards In Effect On
The Date of Certification.’’
(b) Date of certification must be no
earlier than the date on which construction or assembly began and no
later than the date on which the boat
or item of associated equipment leaves
the place of manufacture or assembly
or import for the purposes of sale.
(c) [Reserved]
(d) Except as provided in paragraph
(e) of this section, the manufacturer
may, in addition to the information required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
section, display on the certification
label any or all of the following information:
(1) Model name or designation.
(2) Hull identification number (if a
boat) or serial number (if an item of associated equipment).
(3) Model year.
(e) Display of the hull identification
number on the certification label does
not satisfy the display requirements of
§ 181.29.
(f) Each boat which displays a maximum horsepower capacity determined
in accordance with § 183.53(b) must, in
addition to the information required by
paragraphs (a), (b) and (d) of this section, display on the certification label,
the following statement in letters no
less than one-quarter of an inch in
height:
THIS BOAT IS INTENDED FOR
RACING AND OTHER HIGH PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES. THE SKILL
REQUIRED MAY EXCEED THE ABILITIES OF SOME OPERATORS.
[CGD 72–60, 37 FR 15779, Aug. 4, 1972, as
amended by CGD 83–012, 49 FR 39327, Oct. 5,
1984; CGD 85–002, 51 FR 37573, Oct. 23, 1986;
USCG–1999–5832, 64 FR 34716, June 29, 1999]

§ 181.17

Label numbers and letters.

Letters and numbers on each label
must:
(a) Be no less than one-eighth of an
inch in height; and

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§ 181.19

33 CFR Ch. I (7–1–10 Edition)

(b) Contrast with the basic color of
the label, except that the date of certification
may
be
permanently
stamped, engraved, or embossed on the
label.
§ 181.19

Construction of labels.

(a) Each label must be made of material that can withstand exposure to
water, oil, salt spray, direct sunlight,
heat, cold, and wear expected in normal use of the boat or item of associated equipment without deterioration
of legibility.
(b) Each label must be made of material that shows visible traces of the alteration or removal of information on
the label.

Subpart C—Identification of Boats
SOURCE: CGD 79–013, 48 FR 40718, Sept. 9,
1983, unless otherwise noted.

§ 181.21 Purpose, applicability and effective dates.
This subpart prescribes the requirements for identification of boats to
which section 46 U.S.C. 4301 applies.
[CGD 79–013, 48 FR 40718, Sept. 9, 1983, as
amended by USCG–1998–3799, 63 FR 35534,
June 30, 1998; USCG–1999–5832, 64 FR 34716,
June 29, 1999]

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§ 181.23 Hull
required.

identification

numbers

(a) A manufacturer (or importer), as
defined in § 181.3 of this part, must
identify each boat produced or imported with two hull identification
numbers that meet the requirements of
this subpart:
(1) A primary hull identification
number affixed in accordance with
§§ 181.29(a) and (c) of this subpart; and
(2) A duplicate hull identification
number affixed in accordance with
§§ 181.29(b) and (c) of this subpart.
(b) A person who builds or imports a
boat for his or her own use and not for
the purposes of sale, must identify that
boat with two hull identification numbers that meet the requirements of this
subpart.
(c) No person may assign the same
hull identification number to more
than one boat.

§ 181.25 Hull
format.

identification

Each of the hull identification numbers required by § 181.23 must consist of
twelve characters, uninterrupted by
slashes, hyphens, or spaces, as follows:
(a) The first three characters must be
a manufacturer identification code assigned under § 181.31(a) or the importer
designation assigned under § 181.31(b).
(b) Characters four through eight
must be a serial number assigned by
the manufacturer in letters of the
English alphabet, or Arabic numerals,
or both, except the letters I, O, and Q.
(c) Characters nine and ten must indicate the month and year of certification when a date of certification is
required. In all other cases characters
nine and ten must indicate the date of
manufacture. The date indicated can be
no earlier than the date construction
or assembly began and no later than
the date the boat leaves the place of
manufacture or assembly or is imported into the United States for the
purposes of sale. Character nine must
be indicated using letters of the
English alphabet. The first month of
the year, January, must be designated
by the letter ‘‘A’’, the second month,
February, by the letter ‘‘B’’, and so on
until the last month of the year, December. Character ten must be the last
digit of the year of manufacture or certification and must be an Arabic numeral.
(d) Characters eleven and twelve
must indicate the model year using Arabic numerals for the last two numbers
of the model year such as ‘‘82’’ for 1982
and ‘‘83’’ for 1983.
§ 181.27 Information displayed
hull identification number.

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With the exception of the characters
‘‘US-’’, which constitute the country of
origin code for the United States, if information is displayed on the boat
within 2 inches of the 12-character hull
identification number (HIN), that information must be separated from the
HIN by means of borders or must be on
a separate label, so that it will not be
interpreted as part of the hull identification number.
[USCG–2003–14272, 69 FR 33860, June 17, 2004]

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Coast Guard, DHS

§ 181.33

§ 181.29 Hull identification number
display.
Two identical hull identification
numbers are required to be displayed
on each boat hull.
(a) The primary hull identification
number must be affixed—
(1) On boats with transoms, to the
starboard outboard side of the transom
within two inches of the top of the
transom, gunwale, or hull/deck joint,
whichever is lowest.
(2) On boats without transoms or on
boats on which it would be impractical
to use the transom, to the starboard
outboard side of the hull, aft, within
one foot of the stern and within two
inches of the top of the hull side, gunwale or hull/deck joint, whichever is
lowest.
(3) On catamarans and pontoon boats
which have readily replaceable hulls,
to the aft crossbeam within one foot of
the starboard hull attachment.
(4) If the hull identification number
would not be visible, because of rails,
fittings, or other accessories, the number must be affixed as near as possible
to the location specified in paragraph
(a) of this section.
(b) The duplicate hull identification
number must be affixed in an unexposed location on the interior of the
boat or beneath a fitting or item of
hardware.
(c) Each hull identification number
must be carved, burned, stamped, embossed, molded, bonded, or otherwise
permanently affixed to the boat so that
alteration, removal, or replacement
would be obvious. If the number is on a
separate plate, the plate must be fastened in such a manner that its removal would normally cause some
scarring of or damage to the surrounding hull area. A hull identification number must not be attached to
parts of the boat that are removable.
(d) The characters of each hull identification number must be no less than
one-fourth of an inch high.

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[CGD 79–013, 48 FR 40718, Sept. 19, 1983; 48 FR
53558, Nov. 28, 1983]

§ 181.31 Manufacturer
identification
code assignment.
(a) Each person required by § 181.23 to
affix hull identifications numbers must
request a manufacturer identification

code in writing from the Recreational
Boating Product Assurance Branch
(CG–54223), 2100 2nd St., SW., Stop 7581,
Washington, DC 20593–7581. The request
must indicate the manufacturer’s name
and U.S. address along with the general
types and lengths of boats that will be
manufactured.
(b) For boats manufactured outside
of the jurisdiction of the United States,
a U.S. importer must obtain a manufacturer identification code as required
by paragraph (a) of this section. The
request of an importer, as defined in
§ 181.3 of this subpart, must indicate
the importer’s name and U.S. address
along with a list of the manufacturers,
their addresses, and the general types
and sizes of boats that will be imported. If a nation has a hull identification number system which has been accepted by the U.S. Coast Guard for the
purpose of importing boats, it may be
used by the importer instead of the one
specified within this subpart. To request a list of those nations having
such a numbering system, write to the
Recreational Boating Product Assurance Branch (CG–54223), 2100 2nd St.,
SW., Stop 7581, Washington, DC 20593–
7581.
(c) Persons who are required to identify boats under § 181.23(b) must obtain
the required hull identification number
from the State Boating Law Administrator of the State where the boat will
be principally used, or, if the State
Boating Law Administrator does not
assign these numbers, from the Coast
Guard District office in the area of
principal use.
[CGD 79–013, 48 FR 40718, Sept. 9, 1983, as
amended by CGD 88–052, 53 FR 25122, July 1,
1988; CGD 96–026, 61 FR 33669, June 28, 1996;
USCG–2008–0179, 73 FR 35024, June 19, 2008;
USCG–2010–0351, 75 FR 36287, June 25, 2010]

§ 181.33 Conditions for use of manufacturer identification codes.
(a) No manufacturer or importer may
sell or transfer a manufacturer identification code or use a manufacturer
identification code that has been assigned to another.
(b) A manufacturer or importer who
changes the business name or address
must advise the Recreational Boating
Product Assurance Branch (CG–54223),

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§ 181.35

33 CFR Ch. I (7–1–10 Edition)

2100 2nd St., SW., Stop 7581, Washington, DC 20593–7581 of the change in
writing.
[CGD 79–013, 48 FR 40718, Sept. 9, 1983, as
amended by CGD 88–052, 53 FR 25122, July 1,
1988; CGD 96–026, 61 FR 33669, June 28, 1996;
USCG–2008–0179, 73 FR 35024, June 19, 2008;
USCG–2010–0351, 75 FR 36287, June 25, 2010]

§ 181.35

Removal of numbers.

No person may remove or alter a
number required by this subpart unless
authorized by the Commandant, U.S.
Coast Guard.

Subparts D–F [Reserved]

§ 181.704 Contents of information pamphlet: Recreational hybrid PFD.
Each information pamphlet for a recreational hybrid PFD approved under
46 CFR 160.077 must contain the information specified in 46 CFR 160.077–27.
[CGD 93–055, 61 FR 13927, Mar. 28, 1996]

§ 181.705 Contents of information pamphlet: Recreational inflatable PFD.
Each information pamphlet for a recreational inflatable PFD approved
under 46 CFR 160.076 must contain the
information required by 46 CFR 160.076–
35.
[CGD 93–055, 61 FR 13927, Mar. 28, 1996]

Subpart G—Instruction Pamphlet
for Personal Flotation Devices

PART 183—BOATS AND
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT

SOURCE: CGD 75–008a, 43 FR 9767, Mar. 9,
1978, unless otherwise noted.

§ 181.701

Applicability.

This subpart applies to all personal
flotation devices that are sold or offered for sale for use on recreational
boats.
§ 181.702 Information pamphlet:
quirement to furnish.

re-

(a) Each manufacturer of a Type I, II,
III, IV, or V personal flotation device
(PFD) must furnish with each PFD
that is sold or offered for sale for use
on a recreational boat, an information
pamphlet meeting the requirements of
§ 181.703, § 181.704, or § 181.705 of this subpart, as appropriate.
(b) No person may sell or offer for
sale for use on a recreational boat, a
Type I, II, III, IV, or V PFD unless an
information pamphlet required by this
section is attached in such a way that
it can be read prior to purchase.

Sec.
183.1
183.3
183.5

Purpose and applicability.
Definitions.
Incorporation by reference.

Subpart B—Display of Capacity
Information
183.21
183.23
183.25
183.27

Applicability.
Capacity marking required.
Display of markings.
Construction of markings.

Subpart C—Safe Loading

§ 181.703 Information pamphlet: Contents.

183.31 Applicability.
183.33 Maximum weight capacity: Inboard
and inboard-outdrive boats.
183.35 Maximum weight capacity: Outboard
boats.
183.37 Maximum weight capacity: Boats
rated for manual propulsion and boats
rated for outboard motors of 2 horsepower or less.
183.39 Persons capacity: Inboard and inboard-outdrive boats.
183.41 Persons capacity: Outboard boats.
183.43 Persons capacity: Boats rated for
manual propulsion and boats rated for
outboard motors of 2 horsepower or less.

Unless otherwise specified in this
subpart, each information pamphlet
must contain the information specified
in sections 33, 34 and 35 of UL 1123.

183.51
183.53

[CGD 93–055, 61 FR 13927, Mar. 28, 1996]

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Subpart A—General

Subpart D—Safe Powering
Applicability.
Horsepower capacity.

[CGD 93–055, 61 FR 13927, Mar. 28, 1996]

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