Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§1734 Editorials and Other Matter as “advertisements”
Title 18 › PART I — CRIMES › CHAPTER 83 — POSTAL SERVICE › § 1734
Summary
If an editor or publisher runs editorial or other reading material in a publication sent as second‑class mail and has been paid or promised payment or something of value for it, they must clearly label that material as an "advertisement." If they do not mark it plainly, they must be fined under federal law.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §1734
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, being an editor or publisher, prints in a publication entered as second class mail, editorial or other reading matter for which he has been paid or promised a valuable consideration, without plainly marking the same “advertisement” shall be fined under this title.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Sept. 1, 1960, see section 11 of Pub. L. 86–682, Sept. 2, 1960, 74 Stat. 708.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 1734
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102