Get Coast Guard Civil Penalty Guide Form

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services.

“(a) The Coast Guard may make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches, seizures, and arrests upon the high seas and waters over which the United States has jurisdiction, for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations of laws of the United States.

Coast Guard responsibilities include detecting and interdicting contraband and illegal drug traffic; at sea enforcement of U.S. immigration laws and policies; enforcing our Nation's fisheries and marine protected resource laws and regulations; ensuring the integrity of the EEZ, monitoring compliance with international ...

Federal tickets are issued by law enforcement personnel from agencies such as the U.S. Park Police, U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Department of Defense Police, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Provost Marshal, Airforce, Marines & Navy Security Forces, U.S. Postal Police, U.S. Customs, U.S. Border Patrol, and V.A. Police.

The Coast Guard does not charge a fee to provide assistance to a boat at sea. Coast Guard fees are established by federal statute, and for the most part these fees are limited to documentation services, vessel inspection and mariner licensing. The Coast Guard is expressly prohibited by statute (Title 46 US Code, sec.

The LOU is a legal agreement requested by the Coast Guard to secure payment of a civil penalty should one be assessed against a foreign entity. Typically, when the foreign entity is a foreign commercial vessel, a Captain of the Port (COTP) order will initiate the requirement for the LOU.