4.1—Boarding of vessels; cutter and dock passes.

(a) Every vessel arriving at a Customs port will be subject to such supervision while in port as the port director considers necessary. The port director may detail Customs officers to remain on board a vessel to secure enforcement of the requirements set forth in this part. Customs may determine to board as many vessels as considered necessary to ensure compliance with the laws it enforces.

Code of Federal Regulations


Footnote(s): 1-27 [Reserved]
(b) (1) No person, with or without the consent of the master, except a pilot in connection with the navigation of the vessel, personnel from another vessel in connection with the navigation of an unmanned barge, an officer of Customs or the Coast Guard, an immigration or health officer, an inspector of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or an agent of the vessel or consular officer exclusively for purposes relating to Customs formalities, shall go on board any vessel arriving from outside the Customs territory of the United States without permission of the port director or the Customs officer in charge until the vessel has been taken in charge by a Customs officer.
(2) A person may leave the vessel for the purpose of reporting its arrival as required by law (see § 4.2 ), but no other person, except those designated in paragraph (b)(1) of this section, shall leave any vessel arriving from outside the Customs territory of the United States, with or without the consent of the master, without the permission of the port director or the Customs officer in charge until the vessel has been properly inspected by Customs and brought into the dock or anchorage at which cargo is to be unladen and until all passengers have been landed from the vessel (19 U.S.C. 1433 ).
(3) Every person permitted to go on board or to leave without the consent of a Customs officer under the provisions of this paragraph shall be subject to Customs and quarantine regulations.
(4) The master of any vessel shall not authorize the boarding or leaving of his vessel by any person in violation of this paragraph.
(c) A port director, in his discretion may issue a cutter pass on Customs Form 3093 to permit the holder to board an incoming vessel after it has been inspected by the quarantine authorities and taken in charge by an officer of the Customs, as follows: (1) To persons on official business; (2) to news reporters, newspaper photographers, photographers of established motionpicture companies, and broadcasters of established radio broadcasting cmmpanies; and (3) in cases of special exigency in which the port director is satisfied as to the urgent need for the boarding and that its allowance will not result in undue interference with the performance of official business.
(d) No person in charge of a tugboat, rowboat, or other vessel shall bring such conveyance alongside an incoming vessel heretofore described and put on board thereof any person, except as authorized by law or regulations.
(e) [Reserved]
(f) Term cutter and dock passes, for a period of not to exceed one year, may be issued in the discretion of the port director, to persons on official business and to duly accredited news reporters and newspaper photographers. Passes are not transferable and shall be forfeited upon presentation by others than those to whom issued.

Code of Federal Regulations

[28 FR 14596, Dec. 31, 1963, as amended by T.D. 78-141, 43 FR 22174, May 24, 1978; T.D. 82-224, 47 FR 35475, Aug. 16, 1982; T.D. 92-74, 57 FR 35751, Aug. 11, 1992; T.D. 95-77, 60 FR 50010, Sept. 27, 1995; T.D. 00-4, 65 FR 2872, Jan. 19, 2000]