§  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 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 § 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, § 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]