Federal

Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

1,399 sections, each with the official text and a plain-English explanation of what it means for you.

• § 541 — Entry of goods falsely classified
• § 542 — Entry of goods by means of false statements
• § 543 — Entry of goods for less than legal duty
• § 544 — Relanding of goods
• § 545 — Smuggling goods into the United States
• § 546 — Smuggling goods into foreign countries
• § 547 — Depositing goods in buildings on boundaries
• § 548 — Removing or repacking goods in warehouses
• § 549 — Removing goods from customs custody; breaking seals
• § 550 — False claim for refund of duties
• § 551 — Concealing or destroying invoices or other papers
• § 552 — Officers aiding importation of obscene or treasonous books and articles
• § 553 — Importation or exportation of stolen motor vehicles, off-highway mobile equipment, vessels, or aircraft
• § 554 — Smuggling goods from the United States
• § 555 — Border tunnels and passages
• § 591 — Repealed. Pub. L. 96–187, title II, § 201(a)(1) , Jan. 8, 1980 , 93 Stat. 1367 ]
• § 592 — Troops at polls
• § 593 — Interference by armed forces
• § 594 — Intimidation of voters
• § 595 — Interference by administrative employees of Federal, State, or Territorial Governments
• § 596 — Polling armed forces
• § 597 — Expenditures to influence voting
• § 598 — Coercion by means of relief appropriations
• § 599 — Promise of appointment by candidate
• § 6 — Department and agency defined
• § 600 — Promise of employment or other benefit for political activity
• § 6001 — Definitions
• § 6002 — Immunity generally
• § 6003 — Court and grand jury proceedings
• § 6004 — Certain administrative proceedings
• § 6005 — Congressional proceedings
• § 601 — Deprivation of employment or other benefit for political contribution
• § 602 — Solicitation of political contributions
• § 603 — Making political contributions
• § 604 — Solicitation from persons on relief
• § 605 — Disclosure of names of persons on relief
• § 606 — Intimidation to secure political contributions
• § 607 — Place of solicitation
• § 608 — Absent uniformed services voters and overseas voters
• § 609 — Use of military authority to influence vote of member of Armed Forces
• § 610 — Coercion of political activity
• § 611 — Voting by aliens
• § 612 to 617 — Repealed. Pub. L. 94–283, title II, § 201(a) , May 11, 1976 , 90 Stat. 496 ]
• § 641 — Public money, property or records
• § 642 — Tools and materials for counterfeiting purposes
• § 643 — Accounting generally for public money
• § 644 — Banker receiving unauthorized deposit of public money
• § 645 — Court officers generally
• § 646 — Court officers depositing registry moneys
• § 647 — Receiving loan from court officer
• § 648 — Custodians, generally, misusing public funds
• § 649 — Custodians failing to deposit moneys; persons affected
• § 650 — Depositaries failing to safeguard deposits
• § 651 — Disbursing officer falsely certifying full payment
• § 652 — Disbursing officer paying lesser in lieu of lawful amount
• § 653 — Disbursing officer misusing public funds
• § 654 — Officer or employee of United States converting property of another
• § 655 — Theft by bank examiner
• § 656 — Theft, embezzlement, or misapplication by bank officer or employee
• § 657 — Lending, credit and insurance institutions
• § 658 — Property mortgaged or pledged to farm credit agencies
• § 659 — Interstate or foreign shipments by carrier; State prosecutions
• § 660 — Carrier’s funds derived from commerce; State prosecutions
• § 661 — Within special maritime and territorial jurisdiction
• § 662 — Receiving stolen property within special maritime and territorial jurisdiction
• § 663 — Solicitation or use of gifts
• § 664 — Theft or embezzlement from employee benefit plan
• § 665 — Theft or embezzlement from employment and training funds; improper inducement; obstruction of investigations
• § 666 — Theft or bribery concerning programs receiving Federal funds
• § 667 — Theft of livestock
• § 668 — Theft of major artwork
• § 669 — Theft or embezzlement in connection with health care
• § 670 — Theft of medical products
• § 7 — Special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States defined
• § 700 — Desecration of the flag of the United States; penalties
• § 701 — Official badges, identification cards, other insignia
• § 702 — Uniform of armed forces and Public Health Service
• § 703 — Uniform of friendly nation
• § 704 — Military medals or decorations
• § 705 — Badge or medal of veterans’ organizations
• § 706 — Red Cross
• § 706a — Geneva distinctive emblems
• § 707 — Repealed. Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title X, § 1002(3) , Dec. 27, 2020 , 134 Stat. 2155 ]
• § 708 — Repealed. Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title X, § 1002(4) , Dec. 27, 2020 , 134 Stat. 2155 ]
• § 709 — False advertising or misuse of names to indicate Federal agency
• § 710 — Cremation urns for military use
• § 711 — Repealed. Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title X, § 1002(5) , Dec. 27, 2020 , 134 Stat. 2155 ]
• § 711a — Repealed. Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title X, § 1002(6) , Dec. 27, 2020 , 134 Stat. 2155 ]
• § 712 — Misuse of names, words, emblems, or insignia
• § 713 — Use of likenesses of the great seal of the United States, the seals of the President and Vice President, the seal of the United States Senate, the seal of the United States House of Representatives, and the seal of the United States Congress
• § 714 — Repealed. Pub. L. 97–258, § 2(d)(1)(B) , Sept. 13, 1982 , 96 Stat. 1058 ]
• § 715 — Repealed. Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title X, § 1002(7) , Dec. 27, 2020 , 134 Stat. 2155 ]
• § 716 — Public employee insignia and uniform
• § 751 — Prisoners in custody of institution or officer
• § 752 — Instigating or assisting escape
• § 753 — Rescue to prevent execution
• § 754 — Repealed. Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330004(5) , Sept. 13, 1994 , 108 Stat. 2141 ]
• § 755 — Officer permitting escape
• § 756 — Internee of belligerent nation
• § 757 — Prisoners of war or enemy aliens
• § 758 — High speed flight from immigration checkpoint
• § 791 — Repealed. Pub. L. 87–369, § 1 , Oct. 4, 1961 , 75 Stat. 795 ]
• § 792 — Harboring or concealing persons
• § 793 — Gathering, transmitting or losing defense information
• § 794 — Gathering or delivering defense information to aid foreign government
• § 795 — Photographing and sketching defense installations
• § 796 — Use of aircraft for photographing defense installations
• § 797 — Publication and sale of photographs of defense installations
• § 798 — Disclosure of classified information
• § 798A — Temporary extension of section 794
• § 798B — Unauthorized access to intelligence community property
• § 799 — Violation of regulations of National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• § 8 — Obligation or other security of the United States defined
• § 81 — Arson within special maritime and territorial jurisdiction
• § 831 — Prohibited transactions involving nuclear materials
• § 832 — Participation in nuclear and weapons of mass destruction threats to the United States
• § 833 to 835 — Repealed. Pub. L. 96–129, title II, § 216(b) , Nov. 30, 1979 , 93 Stat. 1015 ]
• § 836 — Transportation of fireworks into State prohibiting sale or use
• § 837 — Repealed. Pub. L. 91–452, title XI, § 1106(b)(1) , Oct. 15, 1970 , 84 Stat. 960 ]
• § 841 — Definitions
• § 842 — Unlawful acts
• § 843 — Licenses and user permits
• § 844 — Penalties
• § 845 — Exceptions; relief from disabilities
• § 846 — Additional powers of the Attorney General
• § 847 — Rules and regulations
• § 848 — Effect on State law
• § 871 — Threats against President and successors to the Presidency
• § 872 — Extortion by officers or employees of the United States
• § 873 — Blackmail
• § 874 — Kickbacks from public works employees
• § 875 — Interstate communications
• § 876 — Mailing threatening communications
• § 877 — Mailing threatening communications from foreign country
• § 878 — Threats and extortion against foreign officials, official guests, or internationally protected persons
• § 879 — Threats against former Presidents and certain other persons
• § 880 — Receiving the proceeds of extortion
• § 891 — Definitions and rules of construction
• § 892 — Making extortionate extensions of credit
• § 893 — Financing extortionate extensions of credit
• § 894 — Collection of extensions of credit by extortionate means
• § 895 — Repealed. Pub. L. 91–452, title II, § 223(a) , Oct. 15, 1970 , 84 Stat. 929 ]
• § 896 — Effect on State laws
• § 9 — Vessel of the United States defined
• § 911 — Citizen of the United States
• § 912 — Officer or employee of the United States
• § 913 — Impersonator making arrest or search
• § 914 — Creditors of the United States
• § 915 — Foreign diplomats, consuls or officers
• § 916 — 4–H Club members or agents
• § 917 — Red Cross members or agents
• § 921 — Definitions
• § 922 — Unlawful acts
• § 923 — Licensing
• § 924 — Penalties
• § 925 — Exceptions: Relief from disabilities
• § 925A — Remedy for erroneous denial of firearm
• § 925B — Reporting of background check denials to State authorities
• § 925C — Annual report to Congress
• § 925D — Special assistant U.S. attorneys and cross-deputized attorneys
• § 926 — Rules and regulations
• § 926A — Interstate transportation of firearms
• § 926B — Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified law enforcement officers
• § 926C — Carrying of concealed firearms by qualified retired law enforcement officers
• § 927 — Effect on State law
• § 928 — Separability
• § 929 — Use of restricted ammunition
• § 930 — Possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in Federal facilities
• § 931 — Prohibition on purchase, ownership, or possession of body armor by violent felons
• § 932 — Straw purchasing of firearms
• § 933 — Trafficking in firearms
• § 934 — Forfeiture and fines
• § 951 — Agents of foreign governments
• § 952 — Diplomatic codes and correspondence
• § 953 — Private correspondence with foreign governments
• § 954 — False statements influencing foreign government
• § 955 — Financial transactions with foreign governments
• § 956 — Conspiracy to kill, kidnap, maim, or injure persons or damage property in a foreign country
• § 957 — Possession of property in aid of foreign government
• § 958 — Commission to serve against friendly nation
• § 959 — Enlistment in foreign service
• § 960 — Expedition against friendly nation
• § 961 — Strengthening armed vessel of foreign nation
• § 962 — Arming vessel against friendly nation
• § 963 — Detention of armed vessel
• § 964 — Delivering armed vessel to belligerent nation
• § 965 — Verified statements as prerequisite to vessel’s departure
• § 966 — Departure of vessel forbidden for false statements
• § 967 — Departure of vessel forbidden in aid of neutrality
• § 968 — Repealed. Aug. 26, 1954, ch. 937 , title V, § 542(a)(14), 68 Stat. 861 ]
• § 969 — Repealed. Pub. L. 101–647, title XII, § 1207(a) , Nov. 29, 1990 , 104 Stat. 4832 ]
• § 970 — Protection of property occupied by foreign governments
• § 981 — Civil forfeiture
• § 982 — Criminal forfeiture
• § 983 — General rules for civil forfeiture proceedings
• § 984 — Civil forfeiture of fungible property
• § 985 — Civil forfeiture of real property
• § 986 — Subpoenas for bank records
• § 987 — Anti-terrorist forfeiture protection