46 CFR 136.202: Certificate of Inspection phase-in period

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section sets a phase-in schedule for Certificates of Inspection (COIs) on towing vessels. Owners or managing operators of more than one existing towing vessel must meet percentage targets between July 22, 2019 and July 19, 2022. Owners or managing operators of only one existing towing vessel must have a COI on board by July 20, 2020, and a new towing vessel must obtain a COI before it enters into service.

Applies toOwners or managing operators of existing towing vessels required to have a COI by this subchapter, and new towing vessels.

What it says

  1. Owners or managing operators of more than one existing towing vessel required to have a COI by this subchapter must ensure each existing towing vessel under their ownership or control is issued a valid COI according to the schedule in paragraph (a).

    46 CFR 136.202(a)“must ensure that each existing towing vessel under their ownership or control is issued a valid COI according to the following schedule”

  2. For owners or managing operators of more than one existing towing vessel, at least 25 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board by July 22, 2019.

    46 CFR 136.202(a)(1)“By July 22, 2019, at least 25 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board;”

  3. For owners or managing operators of more than one existing towing vessel, at least 50 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board by July 20, 2020.

    46 CFR 136.202(a)(2)“By July 20, 2020, at least 50 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board;”

  4. For owners or managing operators of more than one existing towing vessel, at least 75 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board by July 19, 2021.

    46 CFR 136.202(a)(3)“By July 19, 2021, at least 75 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board; and”

  5. For owners or managing operators of more than one existing towing vessel, 100 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board by July 19, 2022.

    46 CFR 136.202(a)(4)“By July 19, 2022, 100 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board.”

  6. Owners or managing operators of only one existing towing vessel required to have a COI by this subchapter must ensure the vessel has an onboard, valid COI by July 20, 2020.

    46 CFR 136.202(b)“must ensure the vessel has an onboard, valid COI by July 20, 2020.”

  7. A new towing vessel must obtain a COI before it enters into service.

    46 CFR 136.202(c)“A new towing vessel must obtain a COI before it enters into service.”

Common questions

When must an owner of only one existing towing vessel have a COI?

An owner or managing operator of only one existing towing vessel required to have a COI by this subchapter must ensure the vessel has an onboard, valid COI by July 20, 2020.

“must ensure the vessel has an onboard, valid COI by July 20, 2020.”

When must all of a multi-vessel owner's existing towing vessels have COIs?

For owners or managing operators of more than one existing towing vessel, 100 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board by July 19, 2022.

“By July 19, 2022, 100 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board.”

When does a new towing vessel need a COI?

A new towing vessel must obtain a COI before it enters into service.

“A new towing vessel must obtain a COI before it enters into service.”

The text of 46 CFR 136.202

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

Certificate of Inspection phase-in period

(a) All owners or managing operators of more than one existing towing vessel required to have a COI by this subchapter must ensure that each existing towing vessel under their ownership or control is issued a valid COI according to the following schedule:

(1) By July 22, 2019, at least 25 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board;

(2) By July 20, 2020, at least 50 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board;

(3) By July 19, 2021, at least 75 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board; and

(4) By July 19, 2022, 100 percent of the towing vessels must have valid COIs on board.

(b) All owners or managing operators of only one existing towing vessel required to have a COI by this subchapter must ensure the vessel has an onboard, valid COI by July 20, 2020.

(c) A new towing vessel must obtain a COI before it enters into service.

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.