---
kind: "section"
citation: "36 U.S.C. § 21705"
title: "36"
title_heading: "Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations"
number: "21705"
heading: "Exclusive right to name, emblems, and badges"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/36/21705"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Patriotic and National Organizations"
  - "Part B — Organizations"
  - "Chapter 217 — The American Legion"
---

# §21705. Exclusive right to name, emblems, and badges


The [corporation](/usc/36/220501.md?p=b-7) and its State and local subdivisions have the exclusive right to use the name “The American Legion” or “American Legion”. The [corporation](/usc/36/220501.md?p=b-7) has the exclusive right to use, manufacture, and control the right to manufacture, emblems and badges the [corporation](/usc/36/220501.md?p=b-7) adopts.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 105–225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1298.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 21705 | 36:44 (words between 4th and 5th semicolons). | Sept. 16, 1919, ch. 59, §§ 4 (words between 4th and 5th semicolons), 8, 41 Stat. 285; June 26, 1953, ch. 153, 67 Stat. 82. |
|  | 36:48. |  |

The word “sole” is omitted as included in “exclusive”. The words “to have and”, “in carrying out its purposes”, and “in carrying out the purposes of the corporation” are omitted as unnecessary.