Special anchorage areas are federally designated zones in navigable U.S. waters where vessels under 20 meters (about 65 feet) can anchor without displaying the anchor lights, day shapes, or fog signals that would otherwise be required. The Coast Guard establishes them under 33 U.S.C. § 471, part of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1915, whenever maritime or commercial interests need an anchorage for safe navigation.1eCFR. 33 CFR 109.05 – Anchorage Grounds The designated zones themselves are listed in 33 CFR Part 110, Subpart A. Subpart B of the same part covers general anchorage grounds, which carry occupancy rules but not the signal exemptions.2eCFR. 33 CFR Part 110 – Anchorage Regulations
What the Signal Exemption Covers
Outside a special anchorage area, Rule 30 of the Inland Navigation Rules requires every anchored vessel to show at least one all-round white light visible from all directions.3eCFR. 33 CFR 83.30 – Vessels Anchored, Aground and Moored Barges (Rule 30) Inside one, boats under 20 meters can skip that light entirely.4eCFR. 33 CFR 110.1 – General
The exemption extends to sound signals in restricted visibility. Rule 35 normally requires an anchored vessel to ring a bell rapidly for about five seconds at intervals of no more than one minute, with vessels 100 meters or longer also sounding a gong in the stern after each bell signal.5eCFR. 33 CFR 83.35 – Sound Signals in Restricted Visibility (Rule 35) Within a special anchorage area, vessels under 20 meters and barges, canal boats, scows, and similar craft are excused from those signals.4eCFR. 33 CFR 110.1 – General
That is the entire scope of the relief. Anchor lights, day shapes, fog signals. Nothing else changes.
What Still Applies When You’re Anchored
Larger Vessels
Boats 20 meters or longer still have to comply with Rule 30. For vessels under 50 meters that means at least one all-round white light where it can best be seen; vessels 50 meters and above carry two, one forward and one lower down near the stern; vessels 100 meters or longer must also illuminate their decks with working lights.3eCFR. 33 CFR 83.30 – Vessels Anchored, Aground and Moored Barges (Rule 30)
Automatic Identification System
If your vessel carries AIS, it stays on at anchor. The regulations at 33 CFR 164.46 make no exception for special anchorage areas. AIS may only be turned off when its operation would compromise the vessel’s safety or security, and even then the crew must log the time and reason and report the gap to the nearest Captain of the Port or Vessel Traffic Center.6U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center. AIS Requirements
Marine Sanitation
Under 33 U.S.C. § 1322, it is illegal to operate a vessel with installed toilet facilities on navigable waters without an operable marine sanitation device meeting EPA standards. States can establish no-discharge zones that prohibit even treated sewage in designated waters, once the EPA confirms adequate pump-out facilities exist. The Coast Guard and EPA share enforcement authority and may board and inspect any non-public vessel to verify compliance.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 33 US Code 1322 – Marine Sanitation Devices
Occupancy Rules Vary by Location
There is no single federal rule setting how long a vessel may stay in a designated anchorage. Each area listed in 33 CFR Part 110 can carry its own time caps, vessel-size restrictions, and operational requirements shaped by local traffic and capacity. In the Port of New York, some anchorages cap stays at 48 or 72 hours without the Captain of the Port’s approval, with a 30-day general fallback for that port.8eCFR. 33 CFR 110.155 – Port of New York Other ports set entirely different limits.
Some anchorages impose draft minimums, length restrictions, or vessel-type limits. Certain zones may be reserved for tugs and barges. Others require that a vessel maintain the ability to get underway within 30 minutes, and operating in “dead ship” status where propulsion or control is unavailable often requires advance approval from the Captain of the Port.8eCFR. 33 CFR 110.155 – Port of New York Check the specific entry in 33 CFR Part 110 for any area before you drop anchor.
Penalties for Violating Anchorage Rules
Breaking an anchorage regulation under 33 U.S.C. § 471 carries a maximum adjusted civil penalty of $14,435 per violation, based on the penalty table updated for assessments issued after December 29, 2025.9eCFR. 33 CFR 27.3 – Penalty Adjustment Table That covers the site-specific occupancy rules, time limits, and operational restrictions in Part 110.
More serious conduct — obstruction of or interference with Coast Guard authority over navigation safety — falls under 46 U.S.C. § 70052. Civil penalties reach $25,000 per violation, and each day of a continuing violation counts as a separate offense. Criminal exposure runs to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $10,000. The Coast Guard can also seize the vessel itself, including its tackle, equipment, and furnishings, and pursue forfeiture in federal district court.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 46 USC 70052 – Seizure and Forfeiture of Vessel; Fine and Imprisonment The Coast Guard may also refuse or revoke a vessel’s clearance until penalties are resolved or adequate surety is posted.
Requesting a New Special Anchorage Area
Proposals for new anchorages go through the local Coast Guard District Commander, who evaluates the request and consults the Army Corps of Engineers’ District and Division Engineer along with other interested federal agencies, including the Naval District commander and, where relevant, the medical officer responsible for quarantine stations.1eCFR. 33 CFR 109.05 – Anchorage Grounds
A petition should include precise geographic coordinates for the proposed boundaries, current nautical charts showing the area in relation to navigation channels and aids, an assessment of vessel traffic density, and a written justification explaining why existing anchorage options are inadequate. Water depths, bottom composition, and expected vessel types and sizes strengthen the case. Marine surveyors are frequently hired to verify bottom conditions and soundings. The statutory threshold is whether maritime or commercial interests require the anchorage for safe navigation; a proposal that cannot make that case will not advance.
If the District Commander decides to pursue designation, the Coast Guard publishes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register, mails notice to known interested parties, and may hold a public hearing.1eCFR. 33 CFR 109.05 – Anchorage Grounds The Administrative Procedure Act does not fix a minimum comment period, but Executive Order 12866 directs agencies to allow at least 60 days in most cases. A final rule generally takes effect no earlier than 30 days after publication under 5 U.S.C. § 553(d), though that statute contains an exception for rules that grant exemptions or relieve restrictions, and some anchorage designations may qualify.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 553 – Rule Making Once finalized, the anchorage is codified in 33 CFR Part 110, published in the Local Notice to Mariners, and eventually incorporated into updated NOAA charts. The full process from petition to final rule commonly takes a year or longer.