Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

1 U.S.C. § 204

Codes and Supplements as evidence of the laws of United States and District of Columbia; citation of Codes and Supplements

In all courts, tribunals, and public offices of the United States, at home or abroad, of the District of Columbia, and of each State, Territory, or insular possession of the United States—
(a)

United States Code.—

Provided, howeverThe matter set forth in the edition of the Code of Laws of the United States current at any time shall, together with the then current supplement, if any, establish prima facie the laws of the United States, general and permanent in their nature, in force on the day preceding the commencement of the session following the last session the legislation of which is included: , That whenever titles of such Code shall have been enacted into positive law the text thereof shall be legal evidence of the laws therein contained, in all the courts of the United States, the several States, and the Territories and insular possessions of the United States.
(b)

District of Columbia Code.—

The matter set forth in the edition of the Code of the District of Columbia current at any time shall, together with the then current supplement, if any, establish prima facie the laws, general and permanent in their nature, relating to or in force in the District of Columbia on the day preceding the commencement of the session following the last session the legislation of which is included, except such laws as are of application in the District of Columbia by reason of being laws of the United States general and permanent in their nature.
(c)

District of Columbia Code; citation.—

The Code of the District of Columbia may be cited as “D.C. Code”.
(d)

Supplements to Codes; citation.—

Supplements to the Code of Laws of the United States and to the Code of the District of Columbia may be cited, respectively, as “U.S.C., Sup.  ”, and “D.C. Code, Sup.  ”, the blank in each case being filled with Roman figures denoting the number of the supplement.
(e)

New edition of Codes; citation.—

New editions of each of such codes may be cited, respectively, as “U.S.C.,  ed.”, and “D.C. Code,     ed.”, the blank in each case being filled with figures denoting the last year the legislation of which is included in whole or in part.

July 30, 1947, ch. 38861 Stat. 638(, .)

Editorial Notes

United States Code Titles as Positive Law

The following titles of the United States Code were enacted into positive law by the acts enumerated below:

Act July 30, 1947, ch. 388, § 161 Stat. 633Title 1, General Provisions—, .

Act June 25, 1948, ch. 644, § 162 Stat. 672Title 3, The President—, .

Act July 30, 1947, ch. 389, § 161 Stat. 641Title 4, Flag and Seal, Seat of Government, and the States—, .

Pub. L. 89–554, § 180 Stat. 378Pub. L. 117–286, § 3136 Stat. 4197Title 5, Government Organization and Employees—, , ; , , .

Act July 30, 1947, ch. 392, § 161 Stat. 669Title 9, Arbitration—, .

Act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 170 Stat. 112670A Stat. 1Title 10, Armed Forces—, , set out beginning at .

Pub. L. 95–598, title I, § 10192 Stat. 2549Title 11, Bankruptcy—, , .

Act Aug. 31, 1954, ch. 115868 Stat. 1012Title 13, Census—, .

Act Aug. 4, 1949, ch. 393, § 163 Stat. 495Title 14, Coast Guard—, .

Act July 30, 1947, ch. 391, § 161 Stat. 652Pub. L. 94–553, title I, § 10190 Stat. 2541Title 17, Copyrights—, , as amended , , .

Act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, § 162 Stat. 683Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure—, .

Pub. L. 85–767, § 172 Stat. 885Title 23, Highways—, , .

Act June 25, 1948, ch. 646, § 162 Stat. 869Title 28, Judiciary and Judicial Procedure—, .

Pub. L. 97–258, § 196 Stat. 877Title 31, Money and Finance—, , .

Act Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, § 270A Stat. 596Title 32, National Guard—, .

Title 34, Navy—See Title 10, Armed Forces.

Act July 19, 1952, ch. 950, § 166 Stat. 792Title 35, Patents—, .

Pub. L. 105–225, § 1112 Stat. 1253Title 36, Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations—, , .

Pub. L. 87–649, § 176 Stat. 451Title 37, Pay and Allowances of the Uniformed Services—, . .

Pub. L. 85–857, § 172 Stat. 1105Title 38, Veterans’ Benefits—, , .

Pub. L. 86–682, § 174 Stat. 578Pub. L. 91–375, § 284 Stat. 719Title 39, Postal Service—, , , as revised , , .

Pub. L. 107–217, § 1116 Stat. 1062Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works—, , .

Pub. L. 111–350, § 3124 Stat. 3677Title 41, Public Contracts—, , .

Pub. L. 90–620, § 182 Stat. 1238Title 44, Public Printing and Documents—, , .

Pub. L. 98–89, § 197 Stat. 500Pub. L. 99–509, title V100 Stat. 1913Pub. L. 100–424, § 6102 Stat. 1591Pub. L. 100–710, title I, § 102102 Stat. 4738Pub. L. 109–304120 Stat. 1485Title 46, Shipping—, , ; , subtitle B, § 5101, , ; , , ; , , ; , , .

Pub. L. 95–473, § 192 Stat. 1337Pub. L. 97–449, § 196 Stat. 2413Pub. L. 103–272, § 1108 Stat. 745Title 49, Transportation—, , ; , , ; , , .

Pub. L. 111–314, § 3124 Stat. 3328Title 51, National and Commercial Space Programs—, , .

Pub. L. 113–287, § 3128 Stat. 3094Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs—, , .

Title 26, Internal Revenue Code

act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 73668A Stat. 1Pub. L. 99–514, § 2(a)100 Stat. 2095The Internal Revenue Code of 1954 was enacted in the form of a separate code by , . , , , provided that the Internal Revenue Title enacted , as heretofore, hereby, or hereafter amended, may be cited as the “Internal Revenue Code of 1986”. The sections of Title 26, United States Code, are identical to the sections of the Internal Revenue Code.