2014 US Code
Title 46 - Shipping (Sections 101 - 80509)
Subtitle III - Maritime Liability (Sections 30101 - 31343)
Chapter 313 - Commercial Instruments and Maritime Liens (Sections 31301 - 31343)
Subchapter I - General (Sections 31301 - 31309)
Sec. 31305 - Waiver of lien rights

This chapter does not prevent a mortgagee or other lien holder from waiving or subordinating at any time by agreement or otherwise the lien holder's right to a lien, the priority or, if a preferred mortgage lien, the preferred status of the lien.

(Pub. L. 100–710, title I, §102(c), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4741.)

Section 31305 provides for the waiver of lien rights by the mortgagee or a person performing or supplying necessaries. This section makes no substantive change to law and is included only because of a like provision in current law. Without this provision the Committee believes these waivers would be permissible as a matter of law as they do not violate any public policy and on their face reflect an arms length transaction between the parties. The inclusion of this provision should not raise the implication that a similar provision is required for other matters that may be waivable as a matter of law.

Section 31305 has been changed to clarify that the chapter does not prevent a mortgagee or other lien holder from waiving by contract the right to a lien, or the priority of that lien.