Convicted sex offender as grounds for denial

chapter 109A of title 18, except for subsection (b) of section 2244 of title 18; section 920 or 920b of title 10 (article 120 and 120b of the Uniform Code of Military Justice); or a substantially similar offense under Federal, State, local, or Tribal law. A license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner’s document authorized to be issued under this part may be denied to an individual who within 5 years before applying for the license, certificate, or document, has been convicted of a sexual offense prohibited under subsection (b) of section 2244 of title 18, or a substantially similar offense under State, local, or Tribal law. A license, certificate of registry, or merchant mariner’s document authorized to be issued under this part shall be denied to an individual who has been convicted of a sexual offense prohibited under— (Source: (Added Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXVI, § 11602(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4147; amended Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, § 7301(g)(3), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1756.))