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Title 31, Money and FinanceRelease 119-102

§3808 Limitations

Title 31 › SUBTITLE III — FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT › CHAPTER 38 — ADMINISTRATIVE REMEDIES FOR FALSE CLAIMS AND STATEMENTS › § 3808

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

A notice to someone accused of a false claim must be mailed or delivered as required under section 3803(d)(1) no later than the later of: 6 years after the violation or 3 years after the agency head knew or should have known the important facts, but never more than 10 years after the violation. A civil suit to collect a penalty under section 3806 must start within 3 years after the liability decision becomes final. If, during these proceedings, the agency head learns of bribery, gifts, conflicts of interest, or other corruption tied to the false claim or statement, they must immediately report it to the Attorney General and, if the agency has a legally created Office of Inspector General, to that Inspector General.

Full Legal Text

Title 31, §3808

Money and Finance, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A notice to the person alleged to be liable with respect to a claim or statement shall be mailed or delivered in accordance with section 3803(d)(1) not later than the later of—
(1)6 years after the date on which the violation of section 3802 is committed; or
(2)3 years after the date on which facts material to the action are known or reasonably should have been known by the authority head, but in no event more than 10 years after the date on which the violation is committed.
(b)A civil action to recover a penalty or assessment under section 3806 of this title shall be commenced within 3 years after the date on which the determination of liability for such penalty or assessment becomes final.
(c)If at any time during the course of proceedings brought pursuant to this chapter the authority head receives or discovers any specific information regarding bribery, gratuities, conflict of interest, or other corruption or similar activity in relation to a false claim or statement, the authority head shall immediately report such information to the Attorney General, and in the case of an authority in which an Office of Inspector General is established by chapter 4 of title 5 or by any other Federal law, to the Inspector General of that authority.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 118–159 added subsec. (a) and struck out former subsec. (a) which read as follows: “A hearing under section 3803(d)(2) of this title with respect to a claim or statement shall be commenced within 6 years after the date on which such claim or statement is made, presented, or submitted.” 2022—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “chapter 4 of title 5” for “the Inspector General Act of 1978”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

31 U.S.C. § 3808

Title 31, Money and Finance

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102