---
kind: "section"
citation: "40 U.S.C. § 609"
title: "40"
title_heading: "Public Buildings, Property, and Works"
number: "609"
heading: "Identification of vehicles"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/40/609"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — Federal Property and Administrative Services"
  - "Chapter 5 — Property Management"
  - "Subchapter VI — Motor Vehicle Pools and Transportation Systems"
---

# §609. Identification of vehicles

- (a) **In General.—** Under regulations prescribed by the Administrator of General Services, every [motor vehicle](/usc/40/102.md?p=7) acquired and used for official purposes within the United States, or the territories or possessions of the United States, by any [federal agency](/usc/40/102.md?p=5) or by the District of Columbia shall be conspicuously identified by showing, on the vehicle—
  - (1)
    - (A) the full name of the department, establishment, corporation, or agency that uses the vehicle and the service for which the vehicle is used; or
    - (B) a title that readily identifies the department, establishment, corporation, or agency that uses the vehicle and that is descriptive of the service for which the vehicle is used; and
  - (2) the legend “For official use only”.
- (b) **Exceptions.—** The regulations prescribed pursuant to this section may provide for exemptions when conspicuous identification would interfere with the purpose for which a vehicle is acquired and used.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1124.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 609 | 40:491(k). | June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title II, § 211(k), as added Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 5(c), 64 Stat. 583; Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1211, § 2, 68 Stat. 1128. |