Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1731 Vehicles Falsely Labeled as Carriers
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 83 — POSTAL SERVICE › § 1731
Summary
It is illegal to mark any boat, car, stagecoach, or other vehicle with "United States Mail" or similar words, or to say a vehicle carries mail when it does not. Anyone who does this, and any owner, receiver, lessee, or manager who allows it, may be fined, jailed up to six months, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1731
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
It shall be unlawful to paint, print, or in any manner to place upon or attach to any steamboat or other vessel, or any car, stagecoach, vehicle, or other conveyance, not actually used in carrying the mail, the words “United States Mail”, or any words, letters, or characters of like import; or to give notice, by publishing in any newspaper or otherwise, that any steamboat or other vessel, or any car, stagecoach, vehicle, or other conveyance, is used in carrying the mail, when the same is not actually so used. Whoever violates, and every owner, receiver, lessee, or managing operator who suffers, or permits the violation of, any provision of this section, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 311 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 188, 35 Stat. 1124). Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary in view of definition of “principal” in section 2 of this title. The punishment provision was rewritten to conform more closely with comparable offenses in other sections. (See section 1729 and 1730 of this title.) Minor verbal changes were made.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500” in second par.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1731
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102