# 33 C.F.R. § 2.22 (2026): Territorial sea

> Federal · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_22

## Section

- **Citation:** 33 C.F.R. § 2.22 (2026)
- **Heading:** Territorial sea
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Title 33 CFR: Navigation and Navigable Waters / Chapter I: COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY / Part 2: JURISDICTION / Subpart B: Jurisdictional Terms / § 2.22: § 2.22   Territorial sea.

## Text

(a) With respect to the United States, the following apply—
(1)
Territorial sea
means the waters, 12 nautical miles wide, adjacent to the coast of the United States and seaward of the territorial sea baseline, for—
(i) Statutes included within subtitle II, subtitle VI, and subtitle VII, title 46, U.S.C.; the Act of June 15, 1917, as amended (46 U.S.C. 70051-70054); and the Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radiotelephone Act (33 U.S.C. 1201-1208), and any regulations issued under the authority of these statutes.
(ii) Purposes of criminal jurisdiction pursuant to Title 18, United States Code.
(iii) The special maritime and territorial jurisdiction as defined in 18 U.S.C. 7.
(iv) Interpreting international law.
(v) Any other treaty, statute, or regulation, or amendment thereto, interpreted by the Coast Guard as incorporating the definition of territorial sea as being 12 nautical miles wide, adjacent to the coast of the United States and seaward of the territorial sea baseline.
(2) Unless otherwise specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section,
territorial sea
means the waters, 3 nautical miles wide, adjacent to the coast of the United States and seaward of the territorial sea baseline.
(3) In cases where regulations are promulgated under the authority of statutes covered by both paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section, the Coast Guard may use the definition of territorial sea in paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(b) With respect to any other nation,
territorial sea
means the waters adjacent to its coast that have a width and baseline recognized by the United States.
[USCG-2001-9044, 68 FR 42598, July 18, 2003, as amended by USCG-2003-14792, 68 FR 60470, Oct. 22, 2003; USCG-2020-0304, 85 FR 58275, Sept. 18, 2020]

## Nearby sections

- [33 C.F.R. § 2.20 (2026) § 2.20   Territorial sea baseline.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_20.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.22 (2026) § 2.22   Territorial sea.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_22.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.24 (2026) § 2.24   Internal waters.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_24.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.26 (2026) § 2.26   Inland waters.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_26.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.28 (2026) § 2.28   Contiguous zone.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_28.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.30 (2026) § 2.30   Exclusive Economic Zone.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_30.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.32 (2026) § 2.32   High seas.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_32.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.34 (2026) § 2.34   Waters subject to tidal influence; waters subject to the ebb and flow of the tide; mean high water.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_34.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.36 (2026) § 2.36   Navigable waters of the United States, navigable waters, and territorial waters.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_36.md)
- [33 C.F.R. § 2.38 (2026) § 2.38   Waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; waters over which the United States has jurisdiction.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_38.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/CFR_T33_P2_S2_22. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.