§ 12503. Information available to the system

• (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a State or a State’s delegate approved by the Secretary of Transportation may make information available to the Secretary if, in a manner and form prescribed by the Secretary, the State—
  • (1) identifies the vessel;
  • (2) identifies the owner of the vessel, including by—
    • (A) the owner’s social security number or, if that number is not available, other means of identification acceptable to the Secretary; or
    • (B) for an owner other than an individual—
      • (i) the owner’s taxpayer identification number; or
      • (ii) if the owner does not have a taxpayer identification number, the social security number of an individual who is a corporate officer, general partner, or individual trustee of the owner and who signed the application for documentation or numbering for the vessel;
  • (3) identifies the State in which it is titled or numbered;
  • (4) indicates whether the vessel is numbered or titled, or both;
  • (5) if titled in a State, indicates where evidence of a lien or other security interest may be found against the vessel in that State;
  • (6) includes information to assist law enforcement; and
  • (7) includes other information agreed to by the Secretary and the State.
• (b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, the Secretary also may accept information under conditions and in a manner and form prescribed by the Secretary.
• (c) The Secretary shall—
  • (1) retain information on a vessel with a preferred mortgage under section 31322(d) of this title that is no longer titled in a State making information available to the Secretary under this chapter until the mortgage is discharged or the vessel is sold; and
  • (2) accept information under section 31321(h) of this title only if that information cannot be provided to a State.