California Code
Harbors and Navigation Code - HNC
DIVISION 3 - VESSELS

CHAPTER 1 - Vessels Generally

ARTICLE 1 - General Provisions and Definitions

Section 399. - 399. The provisions of this Division shall not be construed...

Section 400. - 400. “Appurtenances” include all things belonging to the owners, which...

Section 401. - 401. Vessels are engaged in foreign or domestic navigation, or...

Section 402. - 402. A vessel in a port of the country in...

Section 403. - 403. If a vessel belongs to several persons, not partners,...

Section 404. - 404. If the owner of a vessel commits its possession...

Section 405. - 405. The registry, enrollment, and license of vessels are regulated...

Section 406. - 406. Any and all rights and obligations created pursuant to...

ARTICLE 1.5 - Vessel Repair

Section 410. - 410. As used in this article, the following definitions apply:...

Section 411. - 411. This article applies only to work done on a...

Section 412. - 412. Notwithstanding Section 502, a repairperson has no lien on...

Section 413. - 413. No repairperson shall commence work for compensation without specific...

Section 414. - 414. Any repairperson who gives an original estimate in good...

Section 415. - 415. All work done by a repairperson, including all warranty...

Section 416. - 416. The invoice shall show the repairperson’s business name and...

Section 417. - 417. Notwithstanding Section 413, upon authorization from the customer as...

Section 418. - 418. (a) This article does not apply to a vessel...

ARTICLE 2 - Liability, Generally

Section 420. - 420. A marine carrier is liable in like manner as...

Section 421. - 421. The liability of a common carrier by sea is...

Section 422. - 422. Perils of the sea are: (a) Storms and waves....

Section 423. - 423. A marine carrier shall not stow freight upon deck...

Section 424. - 424. The owner of a vessel is bound to pay...

Section 425. - 425. A carrier by water may, when in case of...

Section 426. - 426. So far as possible, a jettison shall begin with...

Section 427. - 427. A jettison can be made only by authority of...

Section 428. - 428. The loss incurred by a jettison, when lawfully made,...

Section 429. - 429. The proportions in which a general average loss is...

Section 430. - 430. In estimating values for the purpose of a general...

Section 431. - 431. The owner of things stowed on deck, in case...

Section 432. - 432. The law concerning jettison and general average is equally...

ARTICLE 3 - Liability of Licensed Pilots for San Pedro Bay

Section 440. - 440. Pilots holding valid licenses for San Pedro Bay and...

Section 441. - 441. The rates and charges for pilotage services do not...

Section 442. - 442. Upon reasonable notice from the owners, agents, charterers, or...

Section 443. - 443. The election of the owners, agents, charterers, or operators...

Section 444. - 444. It shall be understood and agreed, and shall be...

ARTICLE 4 - Vessel Traffic Service

Section 445. - 445. (a) The Marine Exchange of Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbor,...

Section 445.5. - 445.5. “Covered vessel,” as used in this article, means any...

Section 446. - 446. Prior to entering the VTS area, every covered vessel...

Section 446.5. - 446.5. The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach may...

Section 447. - 447. The following vessels, while transiting the VTS area, shall...

Section 447.5. - 447.5. While transiting the VTS area, every vessel described in...

Section 448. - 448. The vessel traffic service shall be advisory in nature....

Section 448.5. - 448.5. (a) It shall be understood and agreed, and shall...

Section 449. - 449. (a) The marine exchange and its officers and directors...

Section 449.3. - 449.3. The marine exchange shall cooperate fully with the administrator...

Section 449.5. - 449.5. (a) Upon request by the administrator, the marine exchange...

CHAPTER 2 - Civil Actions and Liens

ARTICLE 1 - Bottomry

Section 450. - 450. Bottomry is a contract by which a vessel or...

Section 451. - 451. The owner of a vessel may hypothecate it or...

Section 452. - 452. The master of a vessel may hypothecate it upon...

Section 453. - 453. The master of a vessel can hypothecate it upon...

Section 454. - 454. The master of a vessel may hypothecate freightage upon...

Section 455. - 455. Upon a contract of bottomry, the parties may lawfully...

Section 456. - 456. A lender upon a contract of bottomry, made by...

Section 457. - 457. A stipulation in a contract of bottomry, imposing any...

Section 458. - 458. If there is a total loss of the thing...

Section 459. - 459. Unless it is otherwise expressly agreed, a bottomry loan...

Section 460. - 460. A bottomry lien is independent of possession, and is...

Section 461. - 461. A bottomry lien, if created out of a real...

Section 462. - 462. Of two or more bottomry liens on the same...

ARTICLE 2 - Respondentia

Section 470. - 470. Respondentia is a contract by which all or part...

Section 471. - 471. The owner of cargo may hypothecate it upon respondentia,...

Section 472. - 472. The master of a vessel may hypothecate its cargo...

Section 473. - 473. The owner of a vessel is bound to repay...

Section 474. - 474. The provisions of sections 455 to 462 of this...

ARTICLE 3 - Actions Against Vessels

Section 490. - 490. Debts amounting to at least fifty dollars ($50), contracted...

Section 491. - 491. All vessels are liable for: (a) Services rendered on...

Section 492. - 492. The master of a vessel has a general lien,...

Section 493. - 493. The mate and seamen of a vessel have a...

Section 494. - 494. The cost of repairing or replacing any buoy or...

Section 495. - 495. In any action brought pursuant to the provisions of...

Section 495.1. - 495.1. Notwithstanding Section 483.010 of the Code of Civil Procedure,...

Section 495.3. - 495.3. The writ shall be directed to the sheriff of...

Section 495.4. - 495.4. The sheriff or marshal to whom the writ is...

Section 495.5. - 495.5. The owner, or the master agent, or consignee of...

Section 495.6. - 495.6. After the attachment is levied, the owner, or the...

Section 495.7. - 495.7. After the appearance in the action of the owner,...

Section 495.8. - 495.8. If the attachment is not discharged, and a judgment...

Section 495.9. - 495.9. Any mariner, boatman, or other person employed in the...

Section 496. - 496. If the claim of the mariner, boatman, or other...

Section 497. - 497. The notice of sale published by the sheriff or...

ARTICLE 4 - Boaters Lien Law

Section 500. - 500. This article shall be known and may be cited...

Section 501. - 501. As used in this article: (a) “Department” means the...

Section 501.3. - 501.3. The time a notice or statement is given or...

Section 501.5. - 501.5. The possessory vessel lien procedures described by the provisions...

Section 502. - 502. (a) Except as provided in Article 1.5 (commencing with...

Section 503. - 503. (a) A lienholder shall apply to the department for...

Section 504. - 504. (a) For vessels with a value determined to be...

Section 505. - 505. (a) A registered or legal owner of a vessel...

Section 505.5. - 505.5. (a) Whenever the lien upon any vessel is lost...

Section 506. - 506. No lien sale shall be undertaken pursuant to Section...

Section 506.5. - 506.5. Within 10 days after the sale of any vessel...

Section 507. - 507. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), at the...

Section 507.5. - 507.5. The proceeds of a vessel lien sale shall be...

Section 508. - 508. A lien provided for in this article for repairs,...

Section 508.5. - 508.5. All forms required pursuant to this article shall be...

Section 509. - 509. No lien shall attach to any personal property in...

CHAPTER 3 - Wrecks and Salvage

ARTICLE 1 - Wrecks and Wrecked Property

Section 510. - 510. The sheriff of each county shall give all possible...

Section 511. - 511. Wrecked property may be kept or reclaimed at the...

Section 512. - 512. The sheriff of any county in which any wrecked...

Section 513. - 513. If wrecked property is in a perishable state, the...

Section 514. - 514. If, within 90 days after wrecked property is found,...

Section 515. - 515. Before making the order, the judge shall require from...

Section 516. - 516. If the bond becomes forfeited, the judge of the...

Section 517. - 517. The rejection by the judge of any claim shall...

Section 518. - 518. If, within 60 days after saving wrecked property, no...

Section 519. - 519. Public notice of every sale of wrecked property under...

Section 520. - 520. Every sheriff into whose possession any wrecked property comes,...

Section 521. - 521. The expense of publishing notices under the provisions of...

Section 522. - 522. (a) Any hulk, derelict, wreck, or parts of any...

Section 523. - 523. (a) A peace officer, as described in Section 663,...

Section 524. - 524. (a) Any peace officer, as described in Section 663,...

Section 525. - 525. (a) Except for the urgent and immediate concern for...

Section 525.5. - 525.5. (a) On or before January 1, 2005, the department...

Section 526. - 526. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any wrecked...

Section 526.1. - 526.1. For purposes of this article, “surrendered vessel” means a...

Section 527. - 527. It is the intent of the Legislature that a...

ARTICLE 2 - Salvage

Section 530. - 530. Sheriffs and all persons employed by them or aiding...

Section 531. - 531. Every officer to whom an order for the delivery...

Section 532. - 532. If, in any case, the amount of salvage and...

Section 533. - 533. The fees and expenses of the contest shall be...

Section 534. - 534. Any person, other than the master, mate, or a...

ARTICLE 3 - Marine Debris

Section 550. - 550. For purposes of this article, the following terms have...

Section 551. - 551. (a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, marine debris that...

Section 552. - 552. On or before January 1, 2017, the State Lands...

ARTICLE 4 - Offenses

Section 570. - 570. Any person who keeps any wrecked property, or its...

Section 571. - 571. (a) A person who takes away any goods from...

CHAPTER 4 - Service of Process

Section 600. - 600. As used in this chapter: (a) “Watercraft” means any...

Section 605. - 605. Where the nonresident has died prior to the commencement...

Section 606. - 606. Proof of compliance with Section 604 shall be made...

Section 607. - 607. The court in which the suit, action or proceeding...

Section 608. - 608. In the event of service of process pursuant to...

Section 609. - 609. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as affecting...

CHAPTER 4.5 - Marinas

Section 630. - 630. The operator of every privately or publicly owned marina...

CHAPTER 5 - Operation and Equipment of Vessels

ARTICLE 1 - Operation and Equipment

Section 650. - 650. It is the policy of this state to promote...

Section 650.1. - 650.1. (a) This chapter shall apply to vessels and associated...

Section 651. - 651. As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly...

Section 651.1. - 651.1. As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly...

Section 651.5. - 651.5. The Department of Motor Vehicles shall provide every person...

Section 652. - 652. (a) The department may issue regulations to do all...

Section 652.5. - 652.5. (a) The use of a distinctive blue light as...

Section 654. - 654. (a) (1) For the purposes of this section, a...

Section 654.03. - 654.03. (a) A person may not manufacture for sale a...

Section 654.05. - 654.05. (a) The owner of a motorized recreational vessel that...

Section 654.06. - 654.06. No person shall sell or offer for sale at...

Section 654.1. - 654.1. Boating facilities constructed with funds derived from the state...

Section 654.3. - 654.3. (a) Each diesel powered vessel operating exclusively in California,...

Section 654.5. - 654.5. A person who maliciously throws, hurls, or projects an...

Section 655. - 655. (a) No person shall use any vessel or manipulate...

Section 655.05. - 655.05. (a) No person shall operate a vessel other than...

Section 655.1. - 655.1. (a) As used in this section, “mechanically propelled vessel”...

Section 655.2. - 655.2. (a) Every owner, operator, or person in command of...

Section 655.3. - 655.3. The department may adopt regulations to establish and maintain...

Section 655.4. - 655.4. (a) No person shall serve as a crew member...

Section 655.5. - 655.5. (a) Whenever a person convicted of any violation of...

Section 655.6. - 655.6. (a) It is an infraction for a person under...

Section 655.7. - 655.7. (a) A person operating a personal watercraft equipped by...

Section 656. - 656. (a) It is the duty of the operator of...

Section 656.1. - 656.1. The operator of any vessel involved in an accident...

Section 656.2. - 656.2. In addition to the requirements of Section 656.1, the...

Section 656.3. - 656.3. In addition to the requirements of Sections 656.1 and...

Section 656.4. - 656.4. The department is authorized to develop a program of...

Section 657. - 657. In accordance with any request duly made by an...

Section 658. - 658. (a) No person shall operate a vessel on any...

Section 658.3. - 658.3. (a) A person shall not operate a motorboat, sailboat,...

Section 658.5. - 658.5. (a) Except as provided in subdivision (b), no person...

Section 658.7. - 658.7. (a) Failure of the operator of a vessel involved...

Section 659. - 659. The department may make rules and regulations for the...

Section 660. - 660. (a) Any ordinance, law, regulation, or rule relating to...

Section 661. - 661. (a) Every owner of an undocumented vessel numbered under...

Section 662. - 662. A copy of the ordinances or local laws adopted...

Section 663. - 663. Every peace officer of this state or of any...

Section 663.1. - 663.1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a peace officer...

Section 663.5. - 663.5. Within the territorial limits of a county, city, or...

Section 663.6. - 663.6. Every vessel subject to this chapter, if under way...

Section 663.7. - 663.7. (a) Each county of the state is entitled to...

Section 664. - 664. (a) When any person is arrested for a violation...

Section 665. - 665. Any person willfully violating his written promise to appear...

Section 666. - 666. When a person signs a written promise to appear...

Section 667. - 667. In addition to any other court which may be...

Section 668. - 668. (a) Any person who violates subdivision (c) of Section...

Section 668.1. - 668.1. (a) A person convicted of a violation of subdivision...

Section 668.2. - 668.2. The department may grant funds from the Harbors and...

Section 668.3. - 668.3. (a) For the purposes of Section 668.1, the department...

Section 668.5. - 668.5. (a) The interest of any registered owner of a...

Section 669. - 669. The regulations adopted by the department pursuant to this...

Section 673. - 673. The owner of a boat livery shall cause to...

Section 674. - 674. Neither the owner of a boat livery nor his...

ARTICLE 1.3 - Quagga and Zebra Mussel Infestation Prevention Fee

Section 675. - 675. (a) In addition to the fees imposed pursuant to...

Section 676. - 676. (a) All moneys deposited in the Harbors and Watercraft...

Section 676.1. - 676.1. Any person or entity that manages any aspect of...

Section 677. - 677. This article does not preempt a special district, city,...

ARTICLE 1.4 - Vessel Operators Education and Certification Cards

Section 678. - 678. (a) On or before January 1, 2018, the division...

Section 678.3. - 678.3. (a) (1) The division shall determine the fees required...

Section 678.5. - 678.5. (a) The division may develop and provide a vessel...

Section 678.7. - 678.7. (a) An amount not to exceed four million dollars...

Section 678.9. - 678.9. (a) On or before April 1, 2019, and on...

Section 678.11. - 678.11. (a) Subject to the schedule in subdivision (b), a...

Section 678.15. - 678.15. (a) A violation of this article is an infraction....

ARTICLE 1.5 - Anthony Farr and Stacy Beckett Boating Safety Act of 2004

Section 680. - 680. This act shall be known as the Anthony Farr...

Section 681. - 681. (a) It is unlawful to operate a motorized vessel...

Section 682. - 682. All state-sponsored boating safety courses and all boating safety...

Section 683. - 683. (a) When a new or used motorized vessel is...

Section 684. - 684. (a) The Department of Motor Vehicles shall insert the...

Section 685. - 685. The Department of Boating and Waterways pursuant to subdivision...

ARTICLE 2 - Yacht and Ship Brokers

Section 700. - 700. This article shall be known and may be cited...

Section 701. - 701. Unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions shall...

Section 702. - 702. Except as otherwise provided by law, all records of...

Section 702.5. - 702.5. Any declaration, license, or other record electronically generated or...

Section 703. - 703. (a) The director may, in accordance with the State...

Section 704. - 704. In accordance with the provisions of Section 82 of...

Section 705. - 705. (a) The director may adopt a seal and such...

Section 706. - 706. The Attorney General shall act as the attorney for...

Section 707. - 707. The division shall publish or cause to be published...

Section 708. - 708. (a) No person shall engage in the business of,...

Section 709. - 709. No licensed broker or licensed salesman shall practice any...

Section 710. - 710. The definitions of “broker” and “salesperson,” as set forth...

Section 711. - 711. No person engaged in the business or acting in...

Section 712. - 712. (a) No licensed broker shall employ or compensate, directly...

Section 713. - 713. Nothing contained in this article shall preclude a partnership...

Section 714. - 714. A licensed broker who accepts funds from others in...

Section 715. - 715. Within one month after the closing of a transaction...

Section 716. - 716. (a) No broker shall engage in any transaction for...

Section 717. - 717. Application for a license as a broker shall be...

Section 718. - 718. Application for a license as a salesman shall be...

Section 719. - 719. (a) A person shall be deemed qualified to submit...

Section 720. - 720. The department may require proof as it deems advisable...

Section 721. - 721. (a) In addition to any proof of honesty, truthfulness,...

Section 722. - 722. The license first issued to a broker shall be...

Section 723. - 723. The license first issued to a salesman shall be...

Section 724. - 724. (a) An application on the form prescribed by the...

Section 725. - 725. Temporary licenses may be issued to salespersons under the...

Section 726. - 726. (a) A person who fails to renew his license...

Section 727. - 727. The department may issue a certificate of convenience to...

Section 728. - 728. (a) Every license issued to a corporation entitles one...

Section 729. - 729. (a) Every license issued to a partnership entitles one...

Section 729.5. - 729.5. (a) Any limited liability company licensed by the department...

Section 730. - 730. (a) Before any broker’s license shall be issued or...

Section 731. - 731. (a) A cash deposit given instead of the bond...

Section 732. - 732. The department may deny an application or temporarily suspend...

Section 733. - 733. The department may deny an application or may suspend...

Section 734. - 734. (a) The department shall not deny, suspend, or revoke...

Section 735. - 735. (a) Every broker shall maintain a definite place of...

Section 735.1. - 735.1. A licensed broker shall retain, for four years, copies...

Section 735.2. - 735.2. The department shall accept any electronic record or electronic...

Section 736. - 736. (a) The division shall adopt regulations setting forth the...

Section 737. - 737. (a) The proceedings and hearings under this article shall...

Section 738. - 738. (a) Each violation of a section or subdivision of...

Section 739. - 739. Any person who violates any provision of this article,...

Section 740. - 740. Any action taken in the enforcement of this article...

ARTICLE 2.5 - Stored Vessels

Section 754. - 754. (a) Every keeper of a storage facility shall keep...

ARTICLE 2.9 - Accident Liability Protection for Vessels

Section 759. - 759. For purposes of this article, the following provisions shall...

Section 759.2. - 759.2. The division shall require every for-hire vessel company to...

Section 759.4. - 759.4. The division shall, after a public hearing, set the...

Section 759.6. - 759.6. The protection required under Section 759.2 shall be evidenced...

Section 759.8. - 759.8. With the consent of the division, a copy of...

Section 759.10. - 759.10. The protection against liability shall be continued in effect...

Section 759.12. - 759.12. The division may establish rules as are necessary to...

Section 759.14. - 759.14. Any for-hire vessel company that knowingly refuses or fails...

Section 759.16. - 759.16. Following an administrative hearing, the division may impose a...

Section 759.18. - 759.18. (a) Upon filing of the evidence of liability protection...

Section 759.20. - 759.20. Upon receiving notification of impending cancellation of liability protection...

Section 759.22. - 759.22. Rules and regulations adopted by the Public Utilities Commission...

Section 759.24. - 759.24. This article shall become operative on July 1, 2018....

ARTICLE 3 - For-Hire Vessel Operators Licenses

Section 760. - 760. As used in this article, “for-hire vessel” includes any...

Section 761. - 761. No for-hire vessel, while carrying passengers for hire, shall...

Section 762. - 762. An applicant for an operator’s license shall submit his...

Section 764. - 764. Upon application for an operator’s license, the department shall...

Section 765. - 765. The examination may include a test of the applicant’s...

Section 766. - 766. Upon completion of the examination, the department may, with...

Section 767. - 767. An operator’s license issued by the department pursuant to...

Section 768. - 768. (a) The department may suspend or revoke any license...

Section 769. - 769. The department shall be responsible for administering the licensing...

Section 770. - 770. The division shall make rules and regulations to carry...

Section 771. - 771. It is unlawful and constitutes a misdemeanor for any...

Section 772. - 772. The authority and power granted to the department in...

ARTICLE 4 - Charter Boat Safety

Section 773. - 773. The Legislature finds and declares that the charter boat...

Section 773.1. - 773.1. This article shall be known and may be cited...

Section 773.2. - 773.2. As used in this article, the following definitions shall...

Section 773.3. - 773.3. No person shall take or offer to take seven...

Section 773.4. - 773.4. (a) No operator or charterer shall prevent any person...

Section 773.5. - 773.5. The operator of a charter boat, or the operator’s...

Section 773.6. - 773.6. An operator, or the operator’s employee or agent, who...

Section 773.7. - 773.7. The operator, or the operator’s employee or agent, of...

Section 773.8. - 773.8. (a) A charterer or operator who organizes charter boat...

Section 774. - 774. (a) Every charterer and every charter boat operator shall...

Section 774.1. - 774.1. No operator of a for-hire vessel shall leave or...

Section 774.2. - 774.2. The operation of Section 655, 773.5, 773.7, or 774.1...

Section 774.3. - 774.3. (a) Except as provided in Section 774, violation of...

Section 774.4. - 774.4. (a) This article does not impose any mandatory duties...

CHAPTER 6 - Vessel Sanitation

Section 775. - 775. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of...

Section 775.5. - 775.5. The definitions in this section govern the construction of...

Section 776. - 776. (a) Every vessel terminal shall, as required by the...

Section 777. - 777. (a) Vessel pumpout facilities for the transfer and disposal...

Section 778. - 778. The state board shall adopt standards for the location,...

Section 779. - 779. Every peace officer of the state and of any...

Section 780. - 780. (a) A person shall not disconnect, bypass, or operate...

Section 781. - 781. The Attorney General, at the request of the department,...

Section 782. - 782. (a) Excepting laws regulating the discharge of sewage into...

Section 783. - 783. Nothing in this chapter precludes the regulation of houseboats,...

Section 784. - 784. Nothing in this chapter is intended to affect the...

Section 785. - 785. Nothing in this chapter shall prevent the state board...

Section 786. - 786. (a) Any loan made pursuant to Section 71.4 or...