---
kind: "section"
citation: "29 U.S.C. § 1811"
title: "29"
title_heading: "Labor"
number: "1811"
heading: "Certificate of registration required"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/29/1811"
units:
  - "Chapter 20 — Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection"
  - "Subchapter I — Farm Labor Contractors"
---

# §1811. Certificate of registration required

- (a) **Persons engaged in any farm labor contracting activity—** No [person](/usc/29/1802.md?p=9) shall engage in any [farm labor contracting activity](/usc/29/1802.md?p=6), unless such [person](/usc/29/1802.md?p=9) has a certificate of registration from the [Secretary](/usc/29/1802.md?p=11) specifying which [farm labor contracting activities](/usc/29/1802.md?p=6) such [person](/usc/29/1802.md?p=9) is authorized to perform.
- (b) **Hire, employ, or use of any individual to perform farm labor contracting activities by farm labor contractor; liability of farm labor contractor for violations—** A [farm labor contractor](/usc/29/1802.md?p=7) shall not hire, [employ](/usc/29/1802.md?p=5), or use any individual to perform [farm labor contracting activities](/usc/29/1802.md?p=6) unless such individual has a certificate of registration, or a certificate of registration as an employee of the [farm labor contractor](/usc/29/1802.md?p=7) employer, which authorizes the activity for which such individual is hired, employed, or used. The [farm labor contractor](/usc/29/1802.md?p=7) shall be held responsible for violations of this chapter or any regulation under this chapter by any employee regardless of whether the employee possesses a certificate of registration based on the contractor’s certificate of registration.
- (c) **Possession and exhibition of certificate—** Each registered [farm labor contractor](/usc/29/1802.md?p=7) and registered [farm labor contractor](/usc/29/1802.md?p=7) employee shall carry at all times while engaging in [farm labor contracting activities](/usc/29/1802.md?p=6) a certificate of registration and, upon request, shall exhibit that certificate to all [persons](/usc/29/1802.md?p=9) with whom they intend to deal as a [farm labor contractor](/usc/29/1802.md?p=7) or [farm labor contractor](/usc/29/1802.md?p=7) employee.
- (d) **Refusal or failure to produce certificate—** The facilities and the services authorized by the Act of June 6, 1933 ([29 U.S.C. 49](/usc/29/49.md) et seq.), known as the Wagner-Peyser Act, shall be denied to any [farm labor contractor](/usc/29/1802.md?p=7) upon refusal or failure to produce, when asked, a certificate of registration.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–470, title I, § 101, Jan. 14, 1983, 96 Stat. 2587.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Wagner-Peyser Act, referred to in subsec. (d), is act June 6, 1933, ch. 49, 48 Stat. 113, which is classified generally to chapter 4B (§ 49 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 49 of this title and Tables.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 90 days from Jan. 14, 1983, see section 524 of Pub. L. 97–470, set out as a note under section 1801 of this title.