---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 213a"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "213a"
heading: "Authority to designate additional passport acceptance agents"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/213a"
units:
  - "Chapter 4 — Passports"
---

# §213a. Authority to designate additional passport acceptance agents

- (a) **Authority to designate—** The [Secretary](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=5) may designate any person described in [subsection (b)](#b) that meets such other requirements as the [Secretary](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=5) may prescribe pursuant to regulations to serve as a passport acceptance agent, unless the [Secretary](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=5) withdraws such authorization on a case-by-case basis with respect to a given person.
- (b) **Authorized persons—** A person described in this subsection is any of the following:
  - (1) An employee of the clerk of any Federal court.
  - (2) An employee of the clerk of any State court of record.
  - (3) A postal employee at a United States post office that has been selected to accept passport applications.
  - (4) An employee of the Department of Defense at a military installation that has been authorized to accept passport applications.
  - (5) An employee of a Federal department or agency that has been selected to accept passport applications.
  - (6) A United States citizen who, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=5), is employed by and provides services through a reputable, established company or institution and is commissioned or appointed as a notary or notary public or otherwise authorized to perform a notarization under the laws of a State, district, or territorial government.
  - (7) Any other person specifically designated by the [Secretary](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=5).
- (c) **Regulations—** The [Secretary](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=5) shall prescribe or revise such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this division.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 118–31, div. F, title LXI, § 6109, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 967; Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXV, § 7507(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2547.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This division, referred to in subsec. (c), is div. F of Pub. L. 118–31, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 963, known as the Department of State Authorization Act of 2023. For complete classification of div. F to the Code, see Tables.

### Amendments

2024—Subsec. (b)(6), (7). Pub. L. 118–159 added par. (6) and redesignated former par. (6) as (7).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Definition

For definition of “Secretary” as used in this section, see section 6002 of Pub. L. 118–31, set out as a note under section 2651 of this title.