Title 17 — CopyrightsRelease 119-73not60

§1312 Oaths and Acknowledgments

Title 17 › Chapter 13— PROTECTION OF ORIGINAL DESIGNS › § 1312

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Oaths and acknowledgments required here must be given before someone who can legally administer oaths. In the United States, that means any person with that authority. Abroad, it can be a U.S. diplomat or consular officer, or a local official whose power is proven by a U.S. diplomatic or consular certificate. Such oaths are valid if they follow the laws where they are made. The Administrator can make rules letting a written declaration stand in for an oath on documents filed with the Office. The declaration must follow the form the Administrator sets and must warn that lying can lead to fines or jail and could jeopardize the application or registration.

Full Legal Text

Title 17, §1312

Copyrights — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Oaths and acknowledgments required by this chapter—

(1)may be made—

(A)before any person in the United States authorized by law to administer oaths; or

(B)when made in a foreign country, before any diplomatic or consular officer of the United States authorized to administer oaths, or before any official authorized to administer oaths in the foreign country concerned, whose authority shall be proved by a certificate of a diplomatic or consular officer of the United States; and

(2)shall be valid if they comply with the laws of the State or country where made.

(b)(1)The Administrator may by rule prescribe that any document which is to be filed under this chapter in the Office of the Administrator and which is required by any law, rule, or other regulation to be under oath, may be subscribed to by a written declaration in such form as the Administrator may prescribe, and such declaration shall be in lieu of the oath otherwise required.

(2)Whenever a written declaration under paragraph (1) is used, the document containing the declaration shall state that willful false statements are punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, pursuant to section 1001 of title 18, and may jeopardize the validity of the application or document or a registration resulting therefrom.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

17 U.S.C. § 1312

Title 17 — Copyrights

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60