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Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-102

§523 Unlawful Disclosure of Information

Title 49 › SUBTITLE I — DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION › CHAPTER 5 — SPECIAL AUTHORITY › SUBCHAPTER II — PENALTIES › § 523

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Motor carriers, their officers, receivers, trustees, lessees, employees, or anyone the carrier lets see shipment details must not on purpose tell other people (except the shipper or the person getting the goods) about what is being shipped — like what it is, how much, where it’s going, who will receive it, or the route — if that information could hurt the shipper or give a competitor an unfair business advantage. No one else may ask for or accept that information either. A Department of Transportation employee sent to inspect under section 504 who on purpose shares inspection information without permission from the Secretary, a court, or a judge can be fined up to $500, jailed up to 6 months, or both.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §523

Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A motor carrier, or an officer, receiver, trustee, lessee, or employee of that carrier, or another person authorized by that carrier to receive information from that carrier, may not knowingly disclose to another person (except the shipper or consignee), and another person may not solicit, or knowingly receive, information about the nature, kind, quantity, destination, consignee, or routing of property tendered or delivered to that carrier without the consent of the shipper or consignee if that information may be used to the detriment of the shipper or consignee or may disclose improperly to a competitor the business transactions of the shipper or consignee.
(b)This chapter does not prevent a motor carrier, motor carrier of migrant workers, or motor private carrier from giving information—
(1)in response to legal process issued under authority of a court of the United States or a State;
(2)to an officer, employee, or agent of the United States Government, a State, or a territory or possession of the United States; and
(3)to another motor carrier, motor carrier of migrant workers, or motor private carrier, or its agent, to adjust mutual traffic accounts in the ordinary course of business.
(c)An employee of the Secretary of Transportation delegated to make an inspection under section 504 of this title who knowingly discloses information acquired during that inspection, except as directed by the Secretary, a court, or a judge of that court, shall be fined not more than $500, imprisoned for not more than 6 months, or both.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 52349:1655(f)(2).Oct. 15, 1966, Pub. L. 89–670, § 6(f)(2), 80 Stat. 940. 523(b)49:304(a)(3) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 322(f)”).Feb. 4, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379, § 204(a)(3) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 222(d), (f)”); added Aug. 9, 1935, ch. 498, 49 Stat. 546. 49:304(a)(3a) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 322(f)”).Feb. 4, 1887, ch. 104, 24 Stat. 379, § 204(a)(3a) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 222(d), (f)”); added Aug. 3, 1956, ch. 905, § 2, 70 Stat. 958. 523(c)49:304(a)(3) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 322(d)”). 49:304(a)(3a) (last sentence) (related to “Sec. 322(d)”). The section is included because 49:1655(f)(2) gave the same administrative powers exercised by the Interstate Commerce Commission under certain sections of title 49 to the Secretary of Transportation to carry out duties transferred to the Secretary by 49:1655(e). See the revision notes for section 501 of the revised title for an explanation of the transfer under 49:1655(f)(2). The powers of the Commission have been codified in subtitle IV of the revised title. The comparable provisions of title 49 that are represented by the section may be found as follows: section 52349 U.S. CodeRevised Section (a)322(e).11910 (b)322(f).11910 (c)20(7)(f).11910 322(d).11910 See the revision notes for the revised section for an explanation of changes made in the text. Changes not accounted for in those revision notes are as follows: Subsection (a) does not apply to motor carriers of migrant workers and motor private carriers because 49:322(e) only applies to motor carriers and 49:304(a)(3) and (3a) do not apply 49:322(e) to motor carriers of migrant workers and motor private carriers. The words “engaged in interstate or foreign commerce” are omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement of the chapter. In subsections (b) and (c), the text of 49:304(a)(3) (last sentence 1st–7th words) and (3a) (last sentence 1st–5th words) is omitted as executed.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 523

Title 49, Transportation

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102