---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 229"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "229"
heading: "Prohibited activities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/229"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 11B — Chemical Weapons"
---

# §229. Prohibited activities

- (a) **Unlawful Conduct.—** Except as provided in [subsection (b)](#b), it shall be unlawful for any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) knowingly—
  - (1) to develop, produce, otherwise acquire, transfer directly or indirectly, receive, stockpile, retain, own, possess, or use, or threaten to use, any [chemical weapon](/usc/18/229F.md?p=1); or
  - (2) to assist or induce, in any way, any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) to violate [paragraph (1)](#a-1), or to attempt or conspire to violate [paragraph (1)](#a-1).
- (b) **Exempted Agencies and Persons.—**
  - (1) **In general.—** [Subsection (a)](#a) does not apply to the retention, ownership, possession, transfer, or receipt of a [chemical weapon](/usc/18/229F.md?p=1) by a department, agency, or other entity of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), or by a [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) described in [paragraph (2)](#b-2), pending destruction of the weapon.
  - (2) **Exempted persons.—** A [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) referred to in [paragraph (1)](#b-1) is—
    - (A) any [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5), including a member of the Armed Forces of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), who is authorized by law or by an appropriate [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) to retain, own, possess, transfer, or receive the [chemical weapon](/usc/18/229F.md?p=1); or
    - (B) in an emergency situation, any otherwise nonculpable [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) if the [person](/usc/18/229F.md?p=5) is attempting to destroy or seize the weapon.
- (c) **Jurisdiction.—** Conduct prohibited by [subsection (a)](#a) is within the jurisdiction of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) if the prohibited conduct—
  - (1) takes place in the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9);
  - (2) takes place outside of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) and is committed by a [national of the United States](/usc/18/178.md?p=5);
  - (3) is committed against a [national of the United States](/usc/18/178.md?p=5) while the national is outside the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9); or
  - (4) is committed against any property that is owned, leased, or used by the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or by any department or agency of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), whether the property is within or outside the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9).

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 105–277, div. I, title II, § 201(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–866.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Revocations of Export Privileges

Pub. L. 105–277, div. I, title II, § 211, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–872, provided that: “If the President determines, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing in accordance with section 554 of title 5, United States Code, that any person within the United States, or any national of the United States located outside the United States, has committed any violation of section 229 of title 18, United States Code, the President may issue an order for the suspension or revocation of the authority of the person to export from the United States any goods or technology (as such terms are defined in [former] section 16 of the Export Administration Act of 1979 (50 U.S.C. App. 2415)) [former 50 U.S.C. 4618].”

[For authority of Secretary of Commerce to suspend or revoke export privileges pursuant to section 211 of Pub. L. 105–277, set out above, see section 4 of Ex. Ord. No. 13128, June 25, 1999, 64 F.R. 34703, set out as a note under section 6711 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.]

### Executive Documents

### Authority to Issue Regulations

For authority to issue regulations under this chapter, see section 3 of Ex. Ord. No. 13128, June 25, 1999, 64 F.R. 34703, set out as a note under section 6711 of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse.