33 CFR 401.90: Boarding vessels for inspections

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section lets an officer board any vessel to enforce the regulations in this part in Canadian and U.S. waters. In Canadian waters, a Manager's officer has added powers, and the owner and people on the vessel must help. Vessels must provide a safe and approved means of boarding.

Applies toIt applies to any vessel in Canadian and U.S. waters, with added powers and duties that apply in Canadian waters only.

What it says

  1. To enforce the regulations in this part in both Canadian and U.S. waters, an officer may board any vessel.

    33 CFR 401.90(a)“For the purpose of enforcing these Regulations in this part in both Canadian and U.S. waters, an officer may board any vessel and:”

  2. After boarding, the officer may examine the vessel, its equipment and cargo.

    33 CFR 401.90(a)(1)“Examine the vessel, its equipment and cargo; and”

  3. In Canadian waters, a Manager's officer may require any person appearing to be in charge of the vessel to produce any log book, document or paper for inspection, or for making copies or extracts.

    33 CFR 401.90(b)(1)“Require any person appearing to be in charge of the vessel to produce for inspection, or for the purpose of making copies or extracts, any log book, document or paper; and”

  4. In Canadian waters, during an inspection, a Manager's officer may use or cause to be used any computer system or data processing system on the vessel to examine data in or available to the system.

    33 CFR 401.90(b)(2)(i)“Use or cause to be used any computer system or data processing system on the vessel to examine any data contained in, or available to, the system;”

  5. In Canadian waters, the owner, the person in possession or control of an inspected vessel, and every person found on the vessel must give the officer all reasonable assistance to carry out the inspection and exercise any power conferred by the Canada Marine Act.

    33 CFR 401.90(c)(1)“Give the officer all reasonable assistance to enable the officer to carry out the inspection and exercise any power conferred by the Canada Marine Act; and”

  6. In Canadian waters, those same persons must give the officer any information relevant to the administration of these practices and procedures that the officer may reasonably require.

    33 CFR 401.90(c)(2)“Provide the officer with any information relevant to the administration of these practices and procedures that the officer may reasonably require.”

  7. Pigeon holes are not accepted as a means of boarding, and an alternate safe means of access must be provided.

    33 CFR 401.90(d)“Pigeon holes are not accepted as a means of boarding and an alternate safe means of access shall be provided.”

Common questions

Can an officer board my vessel for an inspection?

Yes. To enforce the regulations in this part in both Canadian and U.S. waters, an officer may board any vessel.

“an officer may board any vessel and:”

Are pigeon holes acceptable for boarding a vessel?

No. Pigeon holes are not accepted as a means of boarding, and an alternate safe means of access must be provided.

“Pigeon holes are not accepted as a means of boarding and an alternate safe means of access shall be provided.”

What must people on a vessel do during an inspection in Canadian waters?

The owner, the person in possession or control, and every person found on the vessel must give the officer all reasonable assistance. They must also provide information the officer may reasonably require.

“Give the officer all reasonable assistance to enable the officer to carry out the inspection and exercise any power conferred by the Canada Marine Act; and”

The text of 33 CFR 401.90

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

Boarding for inspections

(a) For the purpose of enforcing these Regulations in this part in both Canadian and U.S. waters, an officer may board any vessel and:

(1) Examine the vessel, its equipment and cargo; and

(2) Determine that the vessel is adequately manned.

(b) In addition to § 401.90(a)(1) and (2) in Canadian waters, a Manager's officer may also:

(1) Require any person appearing to be in charge of the vessel to produce for inspection, or for the purpose of making copies or extracts, any log book, document or paper; and

(2) In carrying out an inspection:

(i) Use or cause to be used any computer system or data processing system on the vessel to examine any data contained in, or available to, the system;

(ii) Reproduce any record, or cause it to be reproduced from the data, in the form of a print-out or other intelligible output and remove the print-out or other output for examination or copying; and

(iii) Use or cause to be used any copying equipment in the vessel to make copies of any books, records, electronic data or other documents.

(c) In Canadian waters, the owner or person who is in possession or control of a vessel that is inspected, and every person who is found on the vessel, shall:

(1) Give the officer all reasonable assistance to enable the officer to carry out the inspection and exercise any power conferred by the Canada Marine Act; and

(2) Provide the officer with any information relevant to the administration of these practices and procedures that the officer may reasonably require.

(d) Vessels shall provide a safe and approved means of boarding. Pigeon holes are not accepted as a means of boarding and an alternate safe means of access shall be provided.

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.