                        TITLE 19--CUSTOMS DUTIES
 
                      CHAPTER 4--TARIFF ACT OF 1930
 
                 SUBTITLE III--ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
 
     Part IV--Transportation in Bond and Warehousing of Merchandise
 
Sec. 1564. Liens

    Whenever a customs officer shall be notified in writing of the 
existence of a lien for freight, charges, or contribution in general 
average upon any imported merchandise sent to the appraiser's store for 
examination, entered for warehousing or taken possession of by him, he 
shall refuse to permit delivery thereof from public store or bonded 
warehouse until proof shall be produced that the said lien has been 
satisfied or discharged. The rights of the United States shall not be 
prejudiced or affected by the filing of such lien, nor shall the United 
States or its officers be liable for losses or damages consequent upon 
such refusal to permit delivery. If merchandise, regarding which such 
notice of lien has been filed, shall be forfeited or abandoned and sold, 
the freight, charges, or contribution in general average due thereon 
shall be paid from the proceeds of such sale in the same manner as other 
lawful charges and expenses are paid therefrom. The provisions of this 
section shall apply to licensed customs brokers who otherwise possess a 
lien for the purposes stated above upon the merchandise under the 
statutes or common law, or by order of any court of competent 
jurisdiction, of any State.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, Sec. 564, 46 Stat. 747; Pub. L. 91-
271, title III, Sec. 301(w), June 2, 1970, 84 Stat. 290; Pub. L. 98-573, 
title II, Sec. 212(c)(A), formerly Sec. 212(b)(7)(A), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 
Stat. 2984, renumbered Pub. L. 99-514, title XVIII, Sec. 1889(3), Oct. 
22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2925.)


                            Prior Provisions

    Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in act 
Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, Sec. 564, 42 Stat. 978. That section 
was superseded by section 564 of act June 17, 1930, comprising this 
section, and repealed by section 651(a)(1) of the 1930 act.
    Provisions somewhat similar to those in this section were contained 
in R.S. Sec. 2981, as amended by act June 10, 1880, ch. 190, Sec. 10, 21 
Stat. 175, and act May 21, 1896, ch. 217, 29 Stat. 129, which also 
required notice to be given the party claiming the lien before delivery 
of the goods, and provided that possession by officers of the customs 
should not affect the discharge of the lien. That section was repealed 
by act Sept. 21, 1922, ch. 356, title IV, Sec. 642, 42 Stat. 989.


                               Amendments

    1984--Pub. L. 98-573 inserted provision making this section 
applicable to licensed customs brokers who otherwise possess a lien for 
the purposes stated above upon the merchandise under the statutes or 
common law, or by order of any court of competent jurisdiction, of any 
State.
    1970--Pub. L. 91-271 substituted reference to customs officer for 
reference to collector of customs.


                    Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 98-573 effective on close of 180th day 
following Oct. 30, 1984, see section 214(d) of Pub. L. 98-573, set out 
as a note under section 1304 of this title.


                    Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

    For effective date of amendment by Pub. L. 91-271, see section 203 
of Pub. L. 91-271, set out as a note under section 1500 of this title.


           Plan Amendments Not Required Until January 1, 1989

    For provisions directing that if any amendments made by subtitle A 
or subtitle C of title XI [Secs. 1101-1147 and 1171-1177] or title XVIII 
[Secs. 1801-1899A] of Pub. L. 99-514 require an amendment to any plan, 
such plan amendment shall not be required to be made before the first 
plan year beginning on or after Jan. 1, 1989, see section 1140 of Pub. 
L. 99-514, as amended, set out as a note under section 401 of Title 26, 
Internal Revenue Code.
