USCG Boarding Team Member (BTM) Qualification – Study Guide, Standards &
Exam Prep
authority - ANS ✔✔the government's legal power to act
jurisdiction - ANS ✔✔the government's right to exercise its legal authority over its persons,
vessels, and territories
jurisdictional triangle elements - ANS ✔✔vessel status/flag status, substantive law, location
substantive law - ANS ✔✔a law that prohibits certain action or requires affirmative conduct
14 USC 102 - ANS ✔✔The Coast Guard shall enforce or assist in the enforcement of all
applicable federal laws on, under, and over the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States.
14 USC 522 - ANS ✔✔The Coast Guard may make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches,
seizures, and arrests upon the high seas and waters over which the United States has
jurisdiction, for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations of laws of the United
States, for such purposes, commissioned, warrant, and petty officers may at any time go on
board any vessel subject to the jurisdiction or to the operation of any law of the United States,
address inquiries to those onboard, examine the ship's documents and papers, and examine,
inspect, and search the vessel and use all necessary force to compel compliance.
4th Amendment - ANS ✔✔the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated and no warrants
shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation and particularly
describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
Exam Prep
authority - ANS ✔✔the government's legal power to act
jurisdiction - ANS ✔✔the government's right to exercise its legal authority over its persons,
vessels, and territories
jurisdictional triangle elements - ANS ✔✔vessel status/flag status, substantive law, location
substantive law - ANS ✔✔a law that prohibits certain action or requires affirmative conduct
14 USC 102 - ANS ✔✔The Coast Guard shall enforce or assist in the enforcement of all
applicable federal laws on, under, and over the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction
of the United States.
14 USC 522 - ANS ✔✔The Coast Guard may make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches,
seizures, and arrests upon the high seas and waters over which the United States has
jurisdiction, for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations of laws of the United
States, for such purposes, commissioned, warrant, and petty officers may at any time go on
board any vessel subject to the jurisdiction or to the operation of any law of the United States,
address inquiries to those onboard, examine the ship's documents and papers, and examine,
inspect, and search the vessel and use all necessary force to compel compliance.
4th Amendment - ANS ✔✔the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated and no warrants
shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation and particularly
describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
