Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73
§175b Possession by restricted persons
Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 10— - BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS › § 175b
Summary
It is illegal for a restricted person to ship, transport, possess, or receive certain dangerous biological agents or toxins when those moves affect interstate or foreign commerce. Those dangerous agents are the ones listed in federal health rules (and not excepted there). If someone knowingly breaks this rule, they can be fined, go to prison for up to 10 years, or both. Also, anyone who gives a regulated agent to a person they know or reasonably believe is not properly registered can be fined or jailed for up to 5 years. And knowingly possessing a regulated agent without the required federal registration can also bring fines or up to 5 years in prison. The rule does not apply to authorized U.S. government activities. Select agent — certain dangerous biological agents and toxins listed in federal public health rules and not exempted. Restricted person — includes nine categories such as people charged with or convicted of serious crimes, fugitives, illegal drug users, people unlawfully in the U.S., those judged mentally defective or committed, certain non‑permanent foreign nationals tied to countries that support terrorism or acting for them, those dishonorably discharged from the U.S. military, or members/agents of terrorist groups. Alien and lawfully admitted for permanent residence — have the same meanings as in U.S. immigration law.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §175b
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)(1)It shall be unlawful for a restricted person to—
(A)ship, transport, or possess in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce any biological agent or toxin described in paragraph (2); or
(B)receive any biological agent or toxin described in paragraph (2) that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
(2)A biological agent or toxin described in this paragraph is a biological agent or toxin that—
(A)is listed as a non-overlap or overlap select biological agent or toxin under part 73 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, pursuant to section 351A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 262a); and
(B)is not excluded or exempted under part 73 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations.
(3)Whoever knowingly violates this section shall be fined as provided in this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both, but the prohibition contained in this section shall not apply with respect to any duly authorized United States governmental activity.
(b)(1)Whoever transfers a select agent to a person who the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe is not registered as required by regulations under subsection (b) or (c) of section 351A of the Public Health Service Act shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(2)Whoever transfers a biological agent or toxin listed pursuant to section 212(a)(1) of the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 to a person who the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe is not registered as required by regulations under subsection (b) or (c) of section 212 of such Act shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(c)(1)Whoever knowingly possesses a biological agent or toxin where such agent or toxin is a select agent for which such person has not obtained a registration required by regulations under section 351A(c) of the Public Health Service Act shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(2)Whoever knowingly possesses a biological agent or toxin where such agent or toxin is a biological agent or toxin listed pursuant to section 212(a)(1) of the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002 for which such person has not obtained a registration required by regulations under section 212(c) of such Act shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both.
(d)In this section:
(1)The term “select agent” means a biological agent or toxin to which subsection (a) applies. Such term (including for purposes of subsection (a)) does not include any such biological agent or toxin that is in its naturally-occurring environment, if the biological agent or toxin has not been cultivated, collected, or otherwise extracted from its natural source.
(2)The term “restricted person” means an individual who—
(A)is under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 year;
(B)has been convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 year;
(C)is a fugitive from justice;
(D)is an unlawful user of any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802));
(E)is an alien illegally or unlawfully in the United States;
(F)has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution;
(G)(i)is an alien (other than an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence) who is a national of a country as to which the Secretary of State, pursuant to section 6(j) 11 See References in Text note below. of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2405(j)), section 620A of chapter 1 of part M of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2371), or section 40(d) of chapter 3 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2780(d)), has made a determination (that remains in effect) that such country has repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism, or (ii) acts for or on behalf of, or operates subject to the direction or control of, a government or official of a country described in this subparagraph;
(H)has been discharged from the Armed Services of the United States under dishonorable conditions; or
(I)is a member of, acts for or on behalf of, or operates subject to the direction or control of, a terrorist organization as defined in section 212(a)(3)(B)(vi) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(vi)).
(3)The term “alien” has the same meaning as in section 101(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(3)).
(4)The term “lawfully admitted for permanent residence” has the same meaning as in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20)).
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
section 351A of the Public Health Service Act, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1) and (c)(1), is classified to section 262a of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. section 212 of the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection Act of 2002, referred to in subsecs. (b)(2) and (c)(2), is classified to section 8401 of Title 7, Agriculture. section 6(j) of the Export Administration Act of 1979, referred to in subsec. (d)(2)(G)(i), was classified to section 2405(j) of the former Appendix to Title 50, War and National Defense, prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as section 4605(j) of Title 50, and was repealed by Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XVII, § 1766(a), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2232. For provisions similar to those of former section 4605(j) of Title 50, see section 4813(c) of Title 50, as enacted by Pub. L. 115–232.
Amendments
2019—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 116–31, § 2(1), inserted subsec. heading; added pars. (1) and (2); redesignated former par. (2) as (3), inserted par. heading and realigned margin; and struck out former par. (1) which prohibited the shipment, transportation, or possession of certain biological agents or toxins. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 116–31, § 2(2), inserted heading. 2004—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(d)(1), substituted “as a non-overlap or overlap select biological agent or toxin in section 73.4 and 73.5 of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
, pursuant to section 351A of the Public Health Service Act, and is not excluded under section 73.4 and 73.5 or exempted under section 73.6 of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
” for “as a select agent in Appendix A of part 72 of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
, pursuant to section 351A of the Public Health Service Act, and is not exempted under subsection (h) of section 72.6, or Appendix A of part 72, of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
”. Subsec. (d)(2)(G). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(c)(1), designated existing provisions as cl. (i), added cl. (ii), and struck out “or” at end. Subsec. (d)(2)(H). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(c)(2), substituted “; or” for period at end. Subsec. (d)(2)(I). Pub. L. 108–458, § 6802(c)(3), added subpar. (I). 2002—Pub. L. 107–273 substituted “Possession by restricted persons” for “Select agents; certain other agents” in section catchline. Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(b)(1)(B), substituted “Select agents; certain other agents” for “Possession by restricted persons” in section catchline. Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(a)(1), (c)(2)(A), designated existing provisions of subsec. (a) as par. (1) and substituted “shall ship or transport in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or possess in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, any biological agent or toxin, or receive any biological agent or toxin that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, if the biological agent or toxin is listed as a select agent in Appendix A of part 72 of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
, pursuant to section 351A of the Public Health Service Act, and is not exempted under subsection (h) of section 72.6, or Appendix A of part 72, of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
” for “described in subsection (b) shall ship or transport interstate or foreign commerce, or possess in or affecting commerce, any biological agent or toxin, or receive any biological agent or toxin that has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce, if the biological agent or toxin is listed as a select agent in subsection (j) of section 72.6 of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
, pursuant to section 511(d)(l) of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 (Public Law 104–132), and is not exempted under subsection (h) of such section 72.6, or appendix A of part 72 of the Code of
Regulations
”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(a)(2), (3), redesignated and transferred subsec. (c) as par. (2) of subsec. (a). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(a)(5), added subsec. (b). Former subsec. (b) redesignated (d). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(a)(5), added subsec. (c). Former subsec. (c) redesignated (a)(2). Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(a)(4), redesignated subsec. (b) as (d). Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(b)(1)(A), substituted “The term ‘select agent’ means a biological agent or toxin to which subsection (a) applies. Such term (including for purposes of subsection (a)) does not include” for “The term ‘select agent’ does not include”. Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 107–188, § 231(c)(2)(B), substituted “section 101(a)(3)” for “section 1010(a)(3)”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2004 Amendment Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, § 6802(d)(2), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3767, provided that: “The amendment made by paragraph (1) [amending this section] shall take effect at the same time that section 73.4, 73.5, and 73.6 of title 42, Code of Federal
Regulations
, become effective [probably means the
Effective Date
of the final rule revising section 73.4, 73.5, and 73.6 of title 42, C.F.R., which was Apr. 18, 2005, see 70 F.R. 13294].”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 175b
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73