Title 44, Public Printing and DocumentsRelease 119-102
§2117 Limitation on Liability
Title 44 › CHAPTER 21 — NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION › § 2117
Summary
When the Archivist gets letters or other works, except patents and published or registered unpublished works, the U.S. and agents aren't liable for copyrights or similar rights in use.
Full Legal Text
Title 44, §2117
Public Printing and Documents, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
When letters and other intellectual productions (exclusive of patented material, published works under copyright protection, and unpublished works for which copyright registration has been made) come into the custody or possession of the Archivist, the United States or its agents are not liable for infringement of copyright or analogous rights arising out of use of the materials for display, inspection, research, reproduction, or other purposes.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., § 400 (June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title V, § 510, as added Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 6(d), 64 Stat. 583).
Editorial Notes
Amendments
1984—Pub. L. 98–497, § 107(a)(7), substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator of General Services”. 1976—Pub. L. 94–553 substituted “productions (exclusive of patented material, published works under copyright protection, and unpublished works for which copyright registration has been made) come into the custody or possession of the Administrator of General Services, the United States or its agents are not liable for infringement of copyright or analogous rights” for “productions, exclusive of material copyrighted or patented, come into the custody or possession of the Administrator of General Services, the United States or its agents are not liable for infringement of literary property rights or analogous rights”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 1984 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 98–497 effective Apr. 1, 1985, see section 301 of Pub. L. 98–497, set out as a note under section 2102 of this title.
Effective Date
of 1976 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 94–553 effective Jan. 1, 1978, see section 102 of Pub. L. 94–553, set out as an
Effective Date
note preceding section 101 of Title 17, Copyrights.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
44 U.S.C. § 2117
Title 44, Public Printing and Documents
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102