Title 2 — The CongressRelease 119-73
§179q Seal of National Film Registry
Title 2 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - LIBRARY OF CONGRESS › § 179q
Summary
Do not knowingly show, sell, or share any movie copy that has the National Film Registry seal unless the movie is actually on the Registry and that particular copy is approved by the Librarian. Do not use the seal to promote any version that is not an approved Registry version. A film can use the seal only after the Librarian publishes the film’s name in the Federal Register as added to the National Film Registry.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §179q
The Congress — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)(1)No person shall knowingly distribute or exhibit to the public a version of a film or any copy in any format of a film which bears the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title if such film—
(A)is not included in the National Film Registry; or
(B)is included in the National Film Registry, but such film or film copy has not been approved for use of the seal by the Librarian pursuant to section 179m(a)(1)(D) of this title.
(2)No person shall knowingly use the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title to promote any version of a film in any format other than a Registry version.
(b)The use of the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title shall be effective for each film after the Librarian publishes in the Federal Register, in accordance with section 179m(a)(2) of this title, the name of that film as selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2005—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–9, § 302(d)(1), inserted “in any format” after “or any copy” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 109–9, § 302(d)(2), substituted “in any format” for “or film copy”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 179q
Title 2 — The Congress
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73