33 CFR 155.450: Oil discharge placard requirements for ships
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section requires most ships to post a placard warning that discharging oil is prohibited. The placard must be at least 5 by 8 inches, made of durable material, and placed in a conspicuous place. It must be printed in the language or languages the crew understands.
Applies toA ship, except a ship of less than 26 feet in length.
What it says
A ship, except a ship of less than 26 feet in length, must have a placard of at least 5 by 8 inches made of durable material.
33 CFR 155.450(a)“A ship, except a ship of less than 26 feet in length, must have a placard of at least 5 by 8 inches, made of durable material”
The placard must be fixed in a conspicuous place in each machinery space, or at the bilge and ballast pump control station.
33 CFR 155.450(a)“fixed in a conspicuous place in each machinery space, or at the bilge and ballast pump control station, stating the following:”
The placard must carry the heading "Discharge of Oil Prohibited" and a notice that violators are subject to substantial civil penalties and/or criminal sanctions including fines and imprisonment.
33 CFR 155.450(a)“Violators are subject to substantial civil penalties and/or criminal sanctions including fines and imprisonment.”
Ships may use existing stocks of placards for the life of the placard.
33 CFR 155.450(b)“Existing stocks of placards may be used for the life of the placard.”
The placard required by paragraph (a) or (b) of this section must be printed in the language or languages understood by the crew.
33 CFR 155.450(c)“must be printed in the language or languages understood by the crew.”
Common questions
What size must the oil discharge placard be?
The placard must be at least 5 by 8 inches and made of durable material.
“must have a placard of at least 5 by 8 inches, made of durable material”
Are small vessels exempt from the oil discharge placard requirement?
Yes, a ship of less than 26 feet in length is excepted from the placard requirement.
“A ship, except a ship of less than 26 feet in length, must have a placard”
What language must the oil discharge placard be in?
It must be printed in the language or languages understood by the crew.
“must be printed in the language or languages understood by the crew.”
Can I keep using old oil discharge placards?
Yes, existing stocks of placards may be used for the life of the placard.
“Existing stocks of placards may be used for the life of the placard.”
The text of 33 CFR 155.450
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Placard
(a) A ship, except a ship of less than 26 feet in length, must have a placard of at least 5 by 8 inches, made of durable material fixed in a conspicuous place in each machinery space, or at the bilge and ballast pump control station, stating the following:
Discharge of Oil Prohibited The Federal Water Pollution Control Act prohibits the discharge of oil or oily waste into or upon the navigable waters of the United States, or the waters of the contiguous zone, or which may affect natural resources belonging to, appertaining to, or under the exclusive management authority of the United States, if such discharge causes a film or discoloration of the surface of the water or causes a sludge or emulsion beneath the surface of the water. Violators are subject to substantial civil penalties and/or criminal sanctions including fines and imprisonment.
(b) Existing stocks of placards may be used for the life of the placard.
(c) The placard required by paragraph (a) or (b) of this section must be printed in the language or languages understood by the crew.
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.