Code of Federal Regulations · Section

§ 4.20 — Tonnage Taxes

19 C.F.R. § 4.20

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(a) Except as specified in § 4.21, a regular tonnage tax or duty of 2 cents per net ton, not to exceed in the aggregate 10 cents per net ton in any 1 year, shall be imposed at each entry on all vessels which shall be entered in any port of the United States from any foreign port or place in North America, Central America, the West Indies, the Bahama Islands, the Bermuda Islands, the coast of South America bordering on the Caribbean Sea (considered to include the mouth of the Orinoco River), or the high seas adjacent to the U.S. or the above listed foreign locations, and on all vessels (except vessels of the U.S., recreational vessels, and barges, as defined in § 2101 of Title 46) that depart a U.S. port or place and return to the same port or place without being entered in the United States from another port or place, and regular tonnage tax of 6 cents per net ton, not to exceed 30 cents per net ton per annum, shall be imposed at each entry on all vessels which shall be entered in any port of the United States from any other foreign port. In determining the port of origin of a voyage to the United States and the rate of tonnage tax, the following shall be used as a guide:

(1) Arriving in ballast. Vessels arriving to the United States in ballast from either a 2-cent port, 6-cent port, or both, will be subject to the tonnage rate applicable to the last port of call.

(2) Arriving with cargo, passengers, or both from a port, or ports, of the same rate. (i) Vessels arriving to the United States with cargo, passengers, or any combination thereof taken onboard only at a 2-cent port or ports will be subject to the 2-cent rate.

(ii) Vessels arriving to the United States with cargo, passengers, or any combination thereof taken onboard only at a 6-cent port or ports will be subject to the 6-cent rate.

(3) Arriving from ports subject to various rates. (i) If any of the cargo or passengers on board the vessel were taken on board at a 6-cent port, then the vessel will be subject to the 6-cent rate, except for in the situation specified in paragraph (a)(3)(iii) of this section.

(ii) Vessels which transport cargo, passengers, or any combination thereof taken on board at a 6-cent port or ports and which discharge all cargo and passengers in a 2-cent port or ports prior to arriving in the United States will be subject to the 2-cent rate, regardless of whether the vessel is in ballast or took on cargo or passengers at the 2-cent port, as long as there is no cargo or passengers still onboard from a 6-cent port.

(iii) Vessels which arrive to the United States with cargo, passengers, or any combination thereof from a 6-cent port will be subject to the 6-cent rate. If the vessel then proceeds to a foreign 2-cent port to discharge or take on cargo, passengers, or any combination thereof and returns to the United States, the vessel will be subject to the 2-cent rate.

(4) Yearly maximum met. A vessel subject to the 6-cent rate will not be assessed at the 2-cent rate, even if the yearly maximum (specified in paragraph (b) of this section) has been met at the 6-cent rate. A vessel subject to the 2-cent rate will not be assessed at the 6-cent rate, even if the yearly maximum (specified in paragraph (b) of this section) has been met at the 2-cent rate.

(b) The tonnage year is equal to the fiscal year beginning on October 1 of each year and ending on September 30 of the following year, without regard to the rate of the payment made at each entry. Each vessel may be charged no more than five payments at the 6-cent rate and no more than five payments at the 2-cent rate within a tonnage year.

(c) A vessel shall also be subject on every entry from a foreign port or place, whether or not regular tonnage tax is payable on the particular entry, to the payment of a special tonnage tax and to the payment of light money at the rates and under the circumstances specified in the following table:

(d) Tonnage tax shall be imposed upon a vessel even though she enters a port of the United States only for orders.

(e) The fact that a vessel passes through the Panama Canal does not affect the rate of tonnage tax otherwise applicable to the vessel.

(f) For the purpose of computing tonnage tax, the net tonnage of a vessel stated in the vessel's marine document shall be accepted unless

(1) Such statement is manifestly wrong, in which case the net tonnage shall be estimated, pending admeasurement of the vessel, or the tonnage reported for her by any recognized classification society may be accepted, or

(2) An appendix is attached to the marine document showing a net tonnage ascertained under the so-called “British rules” or the rules of any foreign country which have been accepted as substantially in accord with the rules of the United States, in which case the tonnage so shown may be accepted and the date the appendix was issued shall be noted on the Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement, CBP Form 1300. For the purpose of computing tonnage tax on a vessel with a tonnage mark and dual tonnages, the higher of the net tonnages stated in the vessel's marine document or tonnage certificate shall be used unless the CBP officer concerned is satisfied by report of the boarding officer, statement or certificate of the master, or otherwise that the tonnage mark was not submerged at the time of arrival. Whether the vessel has a tonnage mark, and if so, whether the mark was submerged on arrival, shall be noted on CBP Form 1300 by the boarding officer.

(g) The decision of the Commissioner of Customs is the final administrative decision on any question of interpretation relating to the collection of tonnage tax or to the refund of such tax when collected erroneously or illegally, and any question of doubt shall be referred to him for instructions.

(h) Any person adversely affected by a decision of the Commissioner of Customs relating to the collection of tonnage tax, or to the refund of such tax when collected erroneously or illegally, may appeal the decision in the Court of International Trade provided that the appeal action is commenced in accordance with the rules of the Court within 2 years after the cause of action first accrues.

For Federal Register citations affecting § 4.20, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.

19 C.F.R. § 4.17 19 C.F.R. § 4.21

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