---
kind: "section"
citation: "35 U.S.C. § 187"
title: "35"
title_heading: "Patents"
number: "187"
heading: "Nonapplicability to certain persons"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/35/187"
units:
  - "Part II — Patentability of Inventions and Grant of Patents"
  - "Chapter 17 — Secrecy of Certain Inventions and Filing Applications in Foreign Country"
---

# §187. Nonapplicability to certain persons


The prohibitions and penalties of this chapter shall not apply to any officer or agent of the [United States](/usc/35/100.md?p=c) acting within the scope of his authority, nor to any person acting upon his written instructions or permission.


## Source credit

(July 19, 1952, ch. 950, 66 Stat. 808.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on Title 35, U.S.C., 1946 ed., § 157 (Feb. 1, 1952, ch. 4, § 7, 66 Stat. 6).

Language is changed.