46 CFR 139.145: Suspension of third-party organization approval

Last reviewed: October 14, 2026

This section lets the Coast Guard suspend the approval of a TPO that does not comply with this part. The Coast Guard must give written notice, explain the failure, and set a correction period not to exceed 60 days. The Coast Guard may also suspend approval in part.

Applies toA TPO approved under this part.

What it says

  1. The Coast Guard may suspend the approval of a TPO approved under this part whenever it determines that the TPO does not comply with the provisions of this part.

    46 CFR 139.145(a)“The Coast Guard may suspend the approval of a TPO approved under this part whenever the Coast Guard determines that the TPO does not comply with the provisions of this part.”

  2. The Coast Guard must notify the TPO in writing of its intention to suspend the approval.

    46 CFR 139.145(a)(1)“Notify the TPO in writing of the intention to suspend the approval;”

  3. The Coast Guard must provide the details of the TPO's failure to comply with this part.

    46 CFR 139.145(a)(2)“Provide the details of the TPO's failure to comply with this part;”

  4. The Coast Guard must advise the TPO of the time period within which it must correct its failure to comply. That period must not exceed 60 days.

    46 CFR 139.145(a)(3)“Advise the TPO of the time period, not to exceed 60 days, within which the TPO must correct its failure to comply with this part.”

  5. If the TPO does not correct its failure within the time period allowed, the approval will be suspended.

    46 CFR 139.145(a)(3)“If the TPO fails to correct its failure to comply with this part within the time period allowed, the approval will be suspended.”

  6. The Coast Guard may also partially suspend a TPO's approval, using the process described in paragraph (a) of this section.

    46 CFR 139.145(b)“The Coast Guard may also partially suspend the approval of a TPO, using the process described in paragraph (a) of this section.”

  7. A partial suspension may include suspension of an individual auditor or surveyor, or of the TPO's authority to carry out specific duties.

    46 CFR 139.145(b)“This may include suspension of an individual auditor or surveyor or suspension of the authority of the TPO to carry out specific duties”

Common questions

How long does a TPO have to correct a failure before suspension?

The Coast Guard advises the TPO of the time period to correct the failure. That period must not exceed 60 days.

“Advise the TPO of the time period, not to exceed 60 days, within which the TPO must correct its failure to comply with this part.”

Will the Coast Guard tell a TPO before suspending its approval?

Yes. The Coast Guard must notify the TPO in writing of its intention to suspend the approval and provide the details of the failure to comply.

“Notify the TPO in writing of the intention to suspend the approval;”

Can the Coast Guard suspend just part of a TPO's approval?

Yes. The Coast Guard may partially suspend a TPO's approval using the same process as in paragraph (a) of this section.

“The Coast Guard may also partially suspend the approval of a TPO, using the process described in paragraph (a) of this section.”

The text of 46 CFR 139.145

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

Suspension of approval

(a) The Coast Guard may suspend the approval of a TPO approved under this part whenever the Coast Guard determines that the TPO does not comply with the provisions of this part. The Coast Guard must:

(1) Notify the TPO in writing of the intention to suspend the approval;

(2) Provide the details of the TPO's failure to comply with this part; and

(3) Advise the TPO of the time period, not to exceed 60 days, within which the TPO must correct its failure to comply with this part. If the TPO fails to correct its failure to comply with this part within the time period allowed, the approval will be suspended.

(b) The Coast Guard may also partially suspend the approval of a TPO, using the process described in paragraph (a) of this section. This may include suspension of an individual auditor or surveyor or suspension of the authority of the TPO to carry out specific duties whenever the Coast Guard determines that the provisions of this part are not complied with.

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.