§ 2199

Stowaways on vessels or aircraft

Up to life Transportation & Aviation 3 sentenced (FY2025) Ch. 107 · Seamen and Stowaways

Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term

Whoever, without the consent of the owner, charterer, master, or person in command of any vessel, or aircraft, with intent to obtain transportation, boards, enters or secretes himself aboard such vessel or aircraft and is thereon at the time of departure of said vessel or aircraft from a port, harbor, wharf, airport or other place within the jurisdiction of the United States; or

Whoever, with like intent, having boarded, entered or secreted himself aboard a vessel or aircraft at any place within or without the jurisdiction of the United States, remains aboard after the vessel or aircraft has left such place and is thereon at any place within the jurisdiction of the United States; or

Whoever, with intent to obtain a ride or transportation, boards or enters any aircraft owned or operated by the United States without the consent of the person in command or other duly authorized officer or agent—

(1) shall be , imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both;

(2) if the person commits an act proscribed by this section, with the intent to commit , and occurs (as defined under section 1365, including any conduct that, if the conduct occurred in the , would violate section 2241 or 2242) to any person other than a participant as a result of a violation of this section, shall be or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both; and

(3) if an individual commits an act proscribed by this section, with the intent to cause death, and if the death of any person other than a participant occurs as a result of a violation of this section, shall be , imprisoned for any number of years or for life, or both.

The word "aircraft" as used in this section includes any contrivance for navigation or flight in the air.

History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 802 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §601(a)(8), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3498; Pub. L. 109–177, title III, §308, Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 241.)

Simplified explanation

It is a federal crime to stow away on a ship or aircraft without the consent of the person in charge in order to get transportation, when it departs from or arrives at a place under U.S. jurisdiction. Boarding a U.S. government aircraft for a ride without permission is also covered.