33 CFR 155.4020: Deadlines and conditions for vessel response plans

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets deadlines for updating and submitting vessel response plans to the Coast Guard. It also lists the conditions under which a vessel may not conduct oil transport or transfer operations.

Applies toIt applies to vessels with an existing approved vessel response plan required by § 155.1015, vessels meeting § 155.1015 that lack an approved plan, and vessels required to have a plan by § 155.5015.

What it says

  1. If you have an existing approved vessel response plan required by § 155.1015, you must update it and submit it to the Coast Guard by February 22, 2011.

    33 CFR 155.4020(a)(1)“If you have an existing approved vessel response plan required by § 155.1015, you must have your vessel response plan updated and submitted to the Coast Guard by February 22, 2011.”

  2. New or existing vessels operating on the navigable waters of the United States or transferring oil in a port or place subject to United States jurisdiction must comply with § 155.1065 if they meet the applicability requirements of § 155.1015 and have no approved vessel response plan.

    33 CFR 155.4020(a)(2)“must comply with § 155.1065.”

  3. Your vessel may not conduct oil transport or transfer operations if you did not submit a plan to the Coast Guard in accordance with § 155.1065 before February 22, 2011.

    33 CFR 155.4020(a)(3)(i)“You have not submitted a plan to the Coast Guard in accordance with § 155.1065 prior to February 22, 2011;”

  4. Your vessel may not conduct oil transport or transfer operations if the Coast Guard determines that the response resources referenced in your plan do not meet the requirements of this subpart.

    33 CFR 155.4020(a)(3)(ii)“The Coast Guard determines that the response resources referenced in your plan do not meet the requirements of this subpart;”

  5. Your vessel may not conduct oil transport or transfer operations if the contracts or agreements cited in your plan have lapsed or are otherwise no longer valid.

    33 CFR 155.4020(a)(3)(iii)“The contracts or agreements cited in your plan have lapsed or are otherwise no longer valid;”

  6. Your vessel may not conduct oil transport or transfer operations if you are not operating in accordance with your plan, or if the plan's approval has expired.

    33 CFR 155.4020(a)(3)(iv)“You are not operating in accordance with your plan; or”

  7. If § 155.5015 requires you to have a vessel response plan, you must submit it to the Coast Guard by January 30, 2014.

    33 CFR 155.4020(b)“If § 155.5015 requires that you have a vessel response plan, you must have your vessel response plan submitted to the Coast Guard by January 30, 2014.”

Common questions

When must an existing approved vessel response plan be updated?

If you have an existing approved plan required by § 155.1015, you must have it updated and submitted to the Coast Guard by February 22, 2011.

“you must have your vessel response plan updated and submitted to the Coast Guard by February 22, 2011.”

What happens if my vessel response plan approval has expired?

Your vessel may not conduct oil transport or transfer operations if the plan's approval has expired.

“The plan's approval has expired.”

What is the deadline for plans required by § 155.5015?

If § 155.5015 requires a vessel response plan, you must submit it to the Coast Guard by January 30, 2014.

“you must have your vessel response plan submitted to the Coast Guard by January 30, 2014.”

The text of 33 CFR 155.4020

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR

Complying with this subpart

(a)(1) If you have an existing approved vessel response plan required by § 155.1015, you must have your vessel response plan updated and submitted to the Coast Guard by February 22, 2011.

(2) All new or existing vessels operating on the navigable waters of the United States or transferring oil in a port or place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, that meet the applicability requirements of § 155.1015, that do not have an approved vessel response plan, must comply with § 155.1065.

(3) Your vessel may not conduct oil transport or transfer operations if—

(i) You have not submitted a plan to the Coast Guard in accordance with § 155.1065 prior to February 22, 2011;

(ii) The Coast Guard determines that the response resources referenced in your plan do not meet the requirements of this subpart;

(iii) The contracts or agreements cited in your plan have lapsed or are otherwise no longer valid;

(iv) You are not operating in accordance with your plan; or

(v) The plan's approval has expired.

(b) If § 155.5015 requires that you have a vessel response plan, you must have your vessel response plan submitted to the Coast Guard by January 30, 2014.

Sections it refers to

The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.