Title 2, The CongressRelease 119-110
§179q Seal of National Film Registry
Title 2 › CHAPTER 5 — LIBRARY OF CONGRESS › § 179q
Summary
You must not knowingly show, distribute, or advertise any copy of a film that displays the National Film Registry seal unless the film is actually in the Registry and that specific copy was approved by the Librarian. The seal can be used for a film only after the Librarian lists that film in the Federal Register.
Full Legal Text
Title 2, §179q
The Congress, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Use of seal
(1)Prohibition on distribution and exhibition
No person shall knowingly distribute or exhibit to the public a version of a film or any copy in any format of a film which bears the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title if such film—
(A)is not included in the National Film Registry; or
(B)is included in the National Film Registry, but such film or film copy has not been approved for use of the seal by the Librarian pursuant to section 179m(a)(1)(D) of this title.
(2)Prohibition on promotion
No person shall knowingly use the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title to promote any version of a film in any format other than a Registry version.
(b)Effective date of seal
The use of the seal described in section 179m(a)(3) of this title shall be effective for each film after the Librarian publishes in the Federal Register, in accordance with section 179m(a)(2) of this title, the name of that film as selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2005—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 109–9, § 302(d)(1), inserted “in any format” after “or any copy” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 109–9, § 302(d)(2), substituted “in any format” for “or film copy”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
2 U.S.C. § 179q
Title 2, The Congress
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110