§13531 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

§13531 General jurisdiction

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE IV— - INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION › Part PART B— - MOTOR CARRIERS, WATER CARRIERS, BROKERS, AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS › Chapter CHAPTER 135— - JURISDICTION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - FREIGHT FORWARDER SERVICE › § 13531

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary and the Board have authority over freight forwarders when the transportation happens in the United States: between states, within a state through another state, or between the United States and other countries. They do not have that authority if the forwarder uses an air carrier under part A of subtitle VII of this title.

Title 49, §13531

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary and the Board have jurisdiction, as specified in this part, over service that a freight forwarder undertakes to provide, or is authorized or required under this part to provide, to the extent transportation is provided in the United States and is between—

(1)a place in a State and a place in another State, even if part of the transportation is outside the United States;

(2)a place in a State and another place in the same State through a place outside the State; or

(3)a place in the United States and a place outside the United States.

(b)Neither the Secretary nor the Board has jurisdiction under subsection (a) of this section over service undertaken by a freight forwarder using transportation of an air carrier subject to part A of subtitle VII of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 10561 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.