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

18 U.S.C. § 1717

Letters and writings as nonmailable

(a)
Every letter, writing, circular, postal card, picture, print, engraving, photograph, newspaper, pamphlet, book, or other publication, matter or thing, in violation of sections 499, 506, 793, 794, 915, 954, 956, 957, 960, 964, 1017, 1542, 1543, 1544 or 2388 of this title or which contains any matter advocating or urging treason, insurrection, or forcible resistance to any law of the United States is nonmailable and shall not be conveyed in the mails or delivered from any post office or by any letter carrier.
(b)
Whoever uses or attempts to use the mails or Postal Service for the transmission of any matter declared by this section to be nonmailable, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years or both.

June 25, 1948, ch. 64562 Stat. 782Pub. L. 86–682, § 12(b)74 Stat. 708Pub. L. 91–375, § 6(j)(27)84 Stat. 780Pub. L. 101–647, title XXXV, § 3552(a)104 Stat. 4926Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K)108 Stat. 2147(, ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Historical and Revision Notes

June 15, 1917, ch. 3040 Stat. 230Mar. 28, 1940, ch. 72, § 954 Stat. 80Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 343, 344, 345, 346 (, title XII, §§ 1–3, title XIII, § 1, , 231; , ).

Section consolidates said sections 343–345 of title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed. The provision as to opening letters was incorporated in paragraph (c).

section 345 of title 18section 3237 of this titleVenue provisions in said , U.S.C., 1940 ed., were omitted as covered by .

Section 346 of title 18section 5 of this title, U.S.C., 1940 ed., defining “United States” was omitted. It is incorporated, however, in .

References in text to other sections do not include definitive sections. Only those susceptible of violation are cited.

Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.

Minor changes were made in arrangement, translation, and phraseology.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 103–3221994—Subsec. (b). substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.

Pub. L. 101–6471990— struck out “; opening letters” after “nonmailable” in section catchline.

Pub. L. 91–3751970—Subsec. (b). struck out “of the United States” after “Postal Service”.

Pub. L. 86–6821960—Subsec. (c). struck out subsec. (c) which related to the opening of letters.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1970 Amendment

Pub. L. 91–375section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91–375section 101 of Title 39Amendment by effective within 1 year after , on date established therefor by Board of Governors of United States Postal Service and published by it in Federal Register, see , set out as an Effective Date note preceding , Postal Service.

Effective Date of 1960 Amendment

Pub. L. 86–682section 11 of Pub. L. 86–68274 Stat. 708Amendment by effective , see , , .