46 U.S.C. § 12136

1. (a)An invalid certificate of documentation, or a certificate with an invalid endorsement, shall be surrendered as provided by regulations prescribed by the Secretary.
2. (b)
   1. (1)The Secretary may condition approval of the surrender of the certificate of documentation for a vessel over 1,000 gross tons.
   2. (2)The Secretary may approve the surrender of the certificate of documentation of a vessel covered by a mortgage filed or recorded under section 31321 of this title only if the mortgagee consents.
   3. (3)The Secretary may not refuse to approve the surrender of the certificate of documentation for a vessel solely on the basis that a notice of a claim of a lien on the vessel has been recorded under section 31343(a) of this title.
3. (c)
   1. (1)Notwithstanding subsection (a), until the certificate of documentation is surrendered with the approval of the Secretary, a documented vessel is deemed to continue to be documented under this chapter for purposes of—
      1. (A)chapter 313 of this title for an instrument filed or recorded before the date of invalidation and an assignment after that date;
      2. (B)sections 56101 and 56102(a)(2) and chapter 563 of this title; and
      3. (C)any other law of the United States identified by the Secretary by regulation as a law to which the Secretary applies this subsection.
   2. (2)This subsection does not apply when a vessel is forfeited or sold by order of a district court of the United States.