Ship Money Act 1640

{{Short description|Act of the Parliament of England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Use British English|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Ship Money Act 1640{{efn|The citation of this act by this short title was authorised by section 5 of, and schedule 2 to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1948. Due to the repeal of those provisions, it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978.}}

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of England

| long_title = An Act for declaring unlawfull and void the late proceedings touching Ship money and for vacating of all Records and Processe concerning the same.{{efn|These words are printed against this act in the second column of schedule 2 to the Statute Law Revision Act 1948, which is headed "Title".}}

| year = 1640

| citation = 16 Cha. 1. c. 14

| territorial_extent = England and Wales

| royal_assent = 7 August 1641

| commencement = 3 November 1640{{efn|Start of session.}}

| repeal_date = 1 January 1970

| amendments = Statute Law Revision Act 1888

| repealing_legislation = Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1969

| related_legislation =

| status = Repealed

| original_text = https://www.british-history.ac.uk/statutes-realm/vol5/pp116-117

}}

The Ship Money Act 1640 (16 Cha. 1. c. 14) was an act of the Parliament of England.{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=47225 |publisher=British History Online | title=Ship Money Act |date=1640

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104215356/http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=47225 |archive-date=2012-11-04 |url-status=dead}}

It outlawed the medieval tax called ship money, a tax the sovereign could levy (on coastal towns) without parliamentary approval. Ship money was intended for use in war, but by the 1630s was being used to fund everyday government expenses of King Charles I, thereby subverting Parliament.