Title 44Public Printing and DocumentsRelease 119-73

§2117 Limitation on liability

Title 44 › Chapter CHAPTER 21— - NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION › § 2117

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

U.S. isn't liable for copyright when the Archivist holds letters or similar material (excluding patents, published works under copyright, or registered unpublished works) and uses them.

Full Legal Text

Title 44, §2117

Public Printing and Documents — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

When letters and other intellectual productions (exclusive of patented material, published works under copyright protection, and unpublished works for which copyright registration has been made) come into the custody or possession of the Archivist, the United States or its agents are not liable for infringement of copyright or analogous rights arising out of use of the materials for display, inspection, research, reproduction, or other purposes.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., § 400 (June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title V, § 510, as added Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 6(d), 64 Stat. 583).

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1984—Pub. L. 98–497, § 107(a)(7), substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator of General Services”. 1976—Pub. L. 94–553 substituted “productions (exclusive of patented material, published works under copyright protection, and unpublished works for which copyright registration has been made) come into the custody or possession of the Administrator of General Services, the United States or its agents are not liable for infringement of copyright or analogous rights” for “productions, exclusive of material copyrighted or patented, come into the custody or possession of the Administrator of General Services, the United States or its agents are not liable for infringement of literary property rights or analogous rights”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–497 effective Apr. 1, 1985, see section 301 of Pub. L. 98–497, set out as a note under section 2102 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 94–553 effective Jan. 1, 1978, see section 102 of Pub. L. 94–553, set out as an

Effective Date

note preceding section 101 of Title 17, Copyrights.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

44 U.S.C. § 2117

Title 44Public Printing and Documents

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73