Title 5 — Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73not60
§503 Witness Fees and Allowances
Title 5 › Part I— THE AGENCIES GENERALLY › Chapter 5— ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE › Subchapter I— GENERAL PROVISIONS › § 503
Summary
A witness must get the same fees and travel payments that federal courts pay when the witness is formally ordered (subpoenaed) under section 304(a) of this title, or when the witness is subpoenaed to and shows up at a hearing before an agency that can hold hearings and issue subpoenas. For this rule, "agency" means what section 5721 of this title says.
Full Legal Text
Title 5, §503
Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)For the purpose of this section, “agency” has the meaning given it by section 5721 of this title.
(b)A witness is entitled to the fees and allowances allowed by statute for witnesses in the courts of the United States when—
(1)he is subpenaed under section 304(a) of this title; or
(2)he is subpenaed to and appears at a hearing before an agency authorized by law to hold hearings and subpena witnesses to attend the hearings.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large 5 U.S.C. 95.R.S. § 185. 5 U.S.C. 95a.Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 744, § 10, 60 Stat. 809. Former section 95 and 95a are combined and restated for clarity and brevity. The words “or expenses in the case of Government officers and employees” are omitted as covered by section 1823 of title 28. The word “agency” is substituted for “department” and defined to conform to the definition of “department” in section 18 of the Act of Aug. 2, 1946, ch. 744, 60 Stat. 811. This section was part of title IV of the Revised Statutes. The Act of July 26, 1947, ch. 343, § 201(d), as added Aug. 10, 1949, ch. 412, § 4, 63 Stat. 579 (former 5 U.S.C. 171–1), which provides “Except to the extent inconsistent with the provisions of this Act [National Security Act of 1947], the provisions of title IV of the Revised Statutes as now or hereafter amended shall be applicable to the Department of Defense” is omitted from this title but is not repealed. Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
5 U.S.C. § 503
Title 5 — Government Organization and Employees
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60