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Title 5 — Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73not60

§423 Pay of Inspectors General

Title 5 › Part I— THE AGENCIES GENERALLY › Chapter 4— INSPECTORS GENERAL › § 423

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

Even if other laws say otherwise, the pay for the Inspectors General of the Intelligence Community, the CIA, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction must equal the pay level set for an Inspector General under section 401. Section 403(f) also applies to those Inspectors General. Even if other laws say otherwise, an Inspector General at a designated federal agency must be placed at a grade, level, or rank that is at or above most of that agency’s top executives (for example, General Counsel, CIO, CFO, Chief Human Capital Officer, or Chief Acquisition Officer). Their pay must be at least the average total pay (including bonuses) of those senior executives. Most rules in section 3392 apply to career Senior Executive Service officials who become Inspectors General, except for the phrases “performance awards” and “awarding of ranks.” Career federal employees appointed to be Inspectors General under other laws cannot have their pay cut (not counting bonuses or awards) because of the appointment.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §423

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the annual rate of basic pay of the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community, the Inspector General of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction shall be that of an Inspector General as defined under section 401 of this title.
(2)section 403(f) of this title shall apply to the Inspectors General described under paragraph (1).
(b)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Inspector General of each designated Federal entity (as those terms are defined under section 415(a) of this title) shall, for pay and all other purposes, be classified at a grade, level, or rank designation, as the case may be, at or above those of a majority of the senior level executives of that designated Federal entity (such as a General Counsel, Chief Information Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Human Capital Officer, or Chief Acquisition Officer). The pay of an Inspector General of a designated Federal entity (as those terms are defined under section 415(a) of this title) shall be not less than the average total compensation (including bonuses) of the senior level executives of that designated Federal entity calculated on an annual basis.
(c)(1)The provisions of section 3392 of this title, other than the terms “performance awards” and “awarding of ranks” in subsection (c)(1) of that section, shall apply to career appointees of the Senior Executive Service who are appointed to the position of Inspector General.
(2)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, career Federal employees serving on an appointment made pursuant to statutory authority found other than in section 3392 of this title shall not suffer a reduction in pay, not including any bonus or performance award, as a result of being appointed to the position of Inspector General.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 423(a)5 U.S.C. App. (IGA § 3) note Pub. L. 110–409, § 4(a)(3), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4303; Pub. L. 111–259, title IV, § 405(b), Oct. 7, 2010, 124 Stat. 2719. 423(b)5 U.S.C. App. (IGA § 3) note Pub. L. 110–409, § 4(b)(1), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4303. 423(c)5 U.S.C. App. (IGA § 3) note Pub. L. 110–409, § 4(c), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4303. In subsection (a)(1), the words “the Special Inspector General for Iraq Re

Construction

” are omitted as obsolete. The Special Inspector General for Iraq Re

Construction

was established as a temporary oversight entity and ceased operations on September 30, 2013. In the document “Final Listing of Audit and Other Reports Issued by SIGIR on Re

Construction

Spending in Iraq” (78 FR 58596), see the statement by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Re

Construction

in the paragraph headed “Location of SIGIR Records After Closure”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Pay of Inspectors General Pub. L. 110–409, § 4(b)–(d), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4304, as amended by Pub. L. 117–286, §§ 4(b)(6), 7, Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4343, 4361, provided that: “[(b), (c). Repealed. Pub. L. 117–286, § 7, Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4361.] “(d)

Savings Provision

.—Nothing in this section [amending former section 3 of Pub. L. 95–452 (see 5 U.S.C. 403), section 5315 of this title, and section 12651e of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, and enacting provisions formerly set out as a note under section 3 of Pub. L. 95–452 (see 5 U.S.C. 423(a))] shall have the effect of reducing the rate of pay of any individual serving on the date of enactment of this section [Oct. 14, 2008] as an Inspector General of—“(1) an establishment as defined under section 401 of title 5, United States Code; “(2) a designated Federal entity as defined under section 415(a) of title 5, United States Code; “(3) a legislative agency for which the position of Inspector General is established by statute; or “(4) any other entity of the Government for which the position of Inspector General is established by statute.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 423

Title 5 — Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60