§ 7511. Convicted sex offender as grounds for denial

• (a) A license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner’s document authorized to be issued under this part shall be denied to an individual who has been convicted of a sexual offense prohibited under—
  • (1) chapter 109A of title 18, except for subsection (b) of section 2244 of title 18 ;
  • (2) section 920 or 920b of title 10 (article 120 and 120b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice); or
  • (3) a substantially similar offense under Federal, State, local, or Tribal law.
• (b) A license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner’s document authorized to be issued under this part may be denied to an individual who within 5 years before applying for the license, certificate, or document, has been convicted of a sexual offense prohibited under subsection (b) of section 2244 of title 18 , or a substantially similar offense under State, local, or Tribal law.