46 CFR 136.115: Equivalents to Subchapter M requirements

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section lets the Coast Guard approve alternatives that give a level of safety equivalent to a specific provision of this subchapter. Requests go to the Coast Guard through the cognizant OCMI. Alternate compliance arrangements must be documented within the TSMS applicable to the vessel.

What it says

  1. The Coast Guard may approve any arrangement, fitting, appliance, apparatus, equipment, calculation, information, or test that provides a level of safety equivalent to that established by any specific provision of this subchapter.

    46 CFR 136.115(a)“The Coast Guard may approve any arrangement, fitting, appliance, apparatus, equipment, calculation, information, or test that provides a level of safety equivalent to that established by any specific provision of this subchapter.”

  2. Requests for approval of an equivalent must be submitted to the Coast Guard via the cognizant OCMI.

    46 CFR 136.115(a)“Submit requests for approval to the Coast Guard via the cognizant OCMI.”

  3. The Marine Safety Center may require engineering evaluations and tests to verify the equivalence.

    46 CFR 136.115(a)“The Marine Safety Center may require engineering evaluations and tests to verify the equivalence.”

  4. The Coast Guard may accept compliance with the provisions of SOLAS applicable to the vessel's size and route as an equivalent to specific requirements of this subchapter. The text refers to § 136.112 for the incorporation by reference.

    46 CFR 136.115(b)“The Coast Guard may accept compliance with the provisions of SOLAS applicable to the vessel's size and route (incorporated by reference, see § 136.112), as an equivalent to specific requirements of this subchapter.”

  5. Requests for a determination of equivalency for a particular vessel must be submitted to the Coast Guard via the cognizant OCMI.

    46 CFR 136.115(b)“Submit requests for a determination of equivalency for a particular vessel to the Coast Guard via the cognizant OCMI.”

  6. Alternative compliance arrangement provisions related to SMSs are contained in § 138.225 of this subchapter.

    46 CFR 136.115(c)“Alternative compliance arrangement provisions related to SMSs are contained in § 138.225 of this subchapter.”

  7. Alternate compliance arrangements must be documented within the TSMS applicable to the vessel.

    46 CFR 136.115(d)“Alternate compliance arrangements must be documented within the TSMS applicable to the vessel.”

Common questions

Can the Coast Guard approve an alternative to a Subchapter M requirement?

Yes. The Coast Guard may approve an arrangement, fitting, appliance, apparatus, equipment, calculation, information, or test that provides an equivalent level of safety.

“The Coast Guard may approve any arrangement, fitting, appliance, apparatus, equipment, calculation, information, or test that provides a level of safety equivalent to that established by any specific provision of this subchapter.”

Where do I submit a request for an equivalency?

Requests go to the Coast Guard via the cognizant OCMI.

“Submit requests for approval to the Coast Guard via the cognizant OCMI.”

Can SOLAS compliance count as an equivalent under Subchapter M?

The Coast Guard may accept compliance with the SOLAS provisions applicable to the vessel's size and route as an equivalent to specific requirements of this subchapter.

“The Coast Guard may accept compliance with the provisions of SOLAS applicable to the vessel's size and route (incorporated by reference, see § 136.112), as an equivalent to specific requirements of this subchapter.”

Where must alternate compliance arrangements be documented?

They must be documented within the TSMS applicable to the vessel.

“Alternate compliance arrangements must be documented within the TSMS applicable to the vessel.”

The text of 46 CFR 136.115

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

Equivalents

(a) The Coast Guard may approve any arrangement, fitting, appliance, apparatus, equipment, calculation, information, or test that provides a level of safety equivalent to that established by any specific provision of this subchapter. Submit requests for approval to the Coast Guard via the cognizant OCMI. The Marine Safety Center may require engineering evaluations and tests to verify the equivalence.

(b) The Coast Guard may accept compliance with the provisions of SOLAS applicable to the vessel's size and route (incorporated by reference, see § 136.112), as an equivalent to specific requirements of this subchapter. Submit requests for a determination of equivalency for a particular vessel to the Coast Guard via the cognizant OCMI.

(c) Alternative compliance arrangement provisions related to SMSs are contained in § 138.225 of this subchapter.

(d) Alternate compliance arrangements must be documented within the TSMS applicable to the vessel.

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.