Federal · Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

18 U.S.C. § 1717: Letters and writings as nonmailable

Felony

What this law says, in plain English

Certain materials violating specified federal statutes or advocating treason, insurrection, or forcible resistance to law are prohibited from the mail. Using the mail to transmit such materials is punishable by fine and/or imprisonment up to ten years.

Read the full statutory text

Every letter, writing, circular, postal card, picture, print, engraving, photograph, newspaper, pamphlet, book, or other publication, matter or thing, in violation of sections 499, 506, 793, 794, 915, 954, 956, 957, 960, 964, 1017, 1542, 1543, 1544 or 2388 of this title or which contains any matter advocating or urging treason, insurrection, or forcible resistance to any law of the United States is nonmailable and shall not be conveyed in the mails or delivered from any post office or by any letter carrier. Whoever uses or attempts to use the mails or Postal Service for the transmission of any matter declared by this section to be nonmailable, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years or both.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.