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Title 31, Money and FinanceRelease 119-102

§1534 Adjustments Between Appropriations

Title 31 › SUBTITLE II — THE BUDGET PROCESS › CHAPTER 15 — APPROPRIATION ACCOUNTING › SUBCHAPTER III — TRANSFERS AND REIMBURSEMENTS › § 1534

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

An agency can use one of its appropriations to pay costs that benefit another of its appropriations at any time during a fiscal year. That can only happen if both appropriations actually have money available and any rules or limits that apply to them are followed. Money paid this way is finally recorded as a charge to the appropriation that benefited, either during the fiscal year or at its end. The appropriation that was charged must be given a proper credit for that payment.

Full Legal Text

Title 31, §1534

Money and Finance, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)An appropriation available to an agency may be charged at any time during a fiscal year for the benefit of another appropriation available to the agency to pay costs—
(1)when amounts are available in both the appropriation to be charged and the appropriation to be benefited; and
(2)subject to limitations applicable to the appropriations.
(b)Amounts paid under this section are charged on a final basis during, or as of the close of, the fiscal year to the appropriation benefited. The appropriation charged under subsection (a) of this section shall be appropriately credited.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 1534(a)31:628a(1st sentence).June 29, 1966, Pub. L. 89–473, § 1, 80 Stat. 221. 1534(b)31:628a(last sentence). In subsection (a), the words “Subject to limitations applicable with respect to each appropriation concerned” are omitted as surplus. The words “or any bureau or office thereof” are omitted as being included in “agency”. The words “to pay costs” are substituted for “for the purpose of financing the procurement of materials and services, or financing other costs” to eliminate unnecessary words. In subsection (b), the words “amounts paid under this section” are substituted for “such expenses so financed”, and the words “appropriations charged under subsection (a) of this section” are substituted for “financing appropriation”, for clarity.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

31 U.S.C. § 1534

Title 31, Money and Finance

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102