[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR3.10]

[Page 615-616]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
              CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
 
PART 3--AUTHORIZATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF ACCOUNTING AUTHORITIES IN MARITIME AND MARITIME MOBILE-SATELLITE RADIO SERVICES--Table of Contents
 
Sec.  3.10  Basic qualifications.

    (a) Applicants must meet the requirements and conditions contained 
in these rules in order to be certified as an accounting authority. No 
individual or other entity, including accounting authorities approved by 
other administrations, may act as a United States accounting authority 
and settle accounts of U.S. licensed vessels in the

[[Page 616]]

maritime mobile or maritime mobile-satellite services without a 
certification from the Federal Communications Commission. Accounting 
authorities with interim certification as of the effective date of this 
rule must submit to the application process discussed in Sec.  3.20. 
They will be ``grandfathered'', i.e, granted permanent certification 
provided they demonstrate their eligibility and present a proper 
application.
    (b) U.S. citizenship is not required of individuals in order to 
receive certification from the Commission to be an accounting authority. 
Likewise, joint ventures need not be organized under the laws of the 
United States in order to be eligible to perform settlements for U.S. 
licensed vessels. See, however, Sec.  3.11.
    (c) Prior experience in maritime accounting, general commercial 
accounting, international shipping or any other related endeavor will be 
taken into consideration by the Commission in certifying accounting 
authorities. The lack of such expertise, however, will not automatically 
disqualify an individual, partnership, corporation or other entity from 
becoming an accounting authority.
    (d) Applicants must provide formal financial statements or 
documentation proving all assets, liabilities, income and expenses.
    (e) Applicants must offer their services to any member of the public 
making a reasonable request therefor, without undue discrimination 
against any customer or class of customer, and fees charged for 
providing such services shall be reasonable and non-discriminatory. This 
requirement will be waived for applicants who settle their own accounts 
only and are eligible to be ``grandfathered'' during the initial 
application period. However, should the need for additional accounting 
authorities be proven, these accounting authorities will be required to 
offer their services to the public or relinquish their certification.

[61 FR 20165, May 6, 1996, as amended at 64 FR 40776, July 28, 1999]