---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 211"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "211"
heading: "Acceptance or solicitation to obtain appointive public office"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/211"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 11 — Bribery, Graft, and Conflicts of Interest"
---

# §211. Acceptance or solicitation to obtain appointive public office


[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) solicits or receives, either as a political contribution, or for personal emolument, any money or thing of value, in consideration of the promise of support or use of influence in obtaining for any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) any appointive office or place under the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1) solicits or receives any thing of value in consideration of aiding a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) to obtain employment under the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) either by referring his name to an executive department or agency of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or by requiring the payment of a fee because such [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) has secured such employment shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than one year, or both. This section shall not apply to such services rendered by an employment agency pursuant to the written request of an executive department or agency of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9).


## Source credit

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 694, § 211, formerly § 215; Sept. 13, 1951, ch. 380, 65 Stat. 320; renumbered § 211, Pub. L. 87–849, § 1(b), Oct. 23, 1962, 76 Stat. 1125; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §§ 150 and 151 (Dec. 11, 1926, ch. 3, §§ 2, 3, 44 Stat. 918).

Same changes of style and substance were made in this section as in section 214 of this title.

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 211, act June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 693, related to an offer of a gratuity to a revenue officer, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 87–849 and is substantially covered in revised section 201.

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000” in two places.

1951—Act Sept. 13, 1951, inserted second paragraph.