COLREGs · Rule 38
Exemptions
Last verified: 2026-05-16
TL;DR
Pre-existing vessels were granted permanent or time-limited exemptions from the 1972 COLREGs entry-into-force; the comparable Inland exemptions are largely historical at this point but the rule remains for legal continuity.
Authoritative source
Source links checked against the current public rule corpus on 2026-05-16.
- 33 CFR §83.38— verbatim Inland Rule text (US Code of Federal Regulations)(retrieved 2026-05-16)
- International COLREGs Rule 38 verbatim text is published by the IMO. The Inland counterpart 33 CFR §83 chunk above mirrors the international wording almost verbatim.
Inland parallel
Inland Rule 38 — Exemptions →Drill COLREGs Rule 38
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