Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-110

§1036 Entry by False Pretenses to Any Real Property, Vessel, or Aircraft of the United States or Secure Area of Any Airport or Seaport

Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 47 — FRAUD AND FALSE STATEMENTS › § 1036

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Makes it a crime to use fraud or false claims to get into certain U.S. places. That covers land owned or leased by the United States, U.S. ships or aircraft, secure parts of seaports set by an approved security plan, and secure areas of airports. If the person meant to commit a felony, they can be fined and face up to 10 years in prison. In other cases, they can be fined and face up to 6 months in jail. "Secure area" means places with access limits set by the airport, seaport captain, or a public agency. "Airport" is defined in 49 U.S.C. 47102.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §1036

Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whoever, by any fraud or false pretense, enters or attempts to enter—
(1)any real property belonging in whole or in part to, or leased by, the United States;
(2)any vessel or aircraft belonging in whole or in part to, or leased by, the United States;
(3)any secure or restricted area of any seaport, designated as secure in an approved security plan, as required under section 70103 of title 46, United States Code, and the rules and regulations promulgated under that section; or
(4)any secure area of any airport,
shall be punished as provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(b)The punishment for an offense under subsection (a) of this section is—
(1)a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both, if the offense is committed with the intent to commit a felony; or
(2)a fine under this title or imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both, in any other case.
(c)As used in this section—
(1)the term “secure area” means an area access to which is restricted by the airport authority, captain of the seaport, or a public agency; and
(2)the term “airport” has the meaning given such term in section 47102 of title 49.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2006—Pub. L. 109–177, § 302(a)(4), substituted “any airport or seaport” for “any airport” in section catchline. Subsec. (a)(3), (4). Pub. L. 109–177, § 302(a)(1), added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4). Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 109–177, § 302(a)(2), substituted “10 years” for “5 years”. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 109–177, § 302(a)(3), inserted “, captain of the seaport,” after “airport authority”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 1036

Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110