Title 44Public Printing and DocumentsRelease 119-73

§1102 Printing to be authorized by law and necessary to the public business, not in excess of appropriation, and on special requisition filed with the Director of the Government Publishing Office

Title 44 › Chapter CHAPTER 11— - EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIARY PRINTING AND BINDING › § 1102

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Federal agency heads may not ask the Government Publishing Office (GPO) to print something unless a law allows it and it’s needed for public business; printing must fit the agency’s yearly budget and be done only on a signed special request filed with the GPO Director.

Full Legal Text

Title 44, §1102

Public Printing and Documents — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A head of an executive department, or of an independent agency or establishment of the Government may not cause to be printed, and the Director of the Government Publishing Office may not print, a document or matter unless it is authorized by law and necessary to the public business.
(b)Printing may not be done for an executive department, independent agency or establishment in a fiscal year in excess of the amount of the appropriation.
(c)Printing may not be done without a special requisition signed by the chief of the department, independent agency or establishment and filed with the Director of the Government Publishing Office.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., §§ 213, 219 (Jan. 12, 1895, ch. 23, § 89, 94, 28 Stat. 622). This section incorporates the first paragraph of former section 213 and the first clause of former section 219. The balance of former section 213 will be found in section 1116, 1302, 1308, 1309, 1310, 1336 of the revision; that of former section 219 in section 1113 of the revision.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2014—Pub. L. 113–235, § 1301(c)(2), substituted “Director of the Government Publishing Office” for “Public Printer” in section catchline. Subsecs. (a), (c). Pub. L. 113–235, § 1301(c)(1), substituted “Director of the Government Publishing Office” for “Public Printer”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

44 U.S.C. § 1102

Title 44Public Printing and Documents

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73