---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 2000cc"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "2000cc"
heading: "Protection of land use as religious exercise"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/2000cc"
units:
  - "Chapter 21C — Protection of Religious Exercise in Land Use and by Institutionalized Persons"
---

# §2000cc. Protection of land use as religious exercise

- (a) **Substantial burdens—**
  - (1) **General rule—** No [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) shall impose or implement a [land use regulation](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=5) in a manner that imposes a substantial burden on the [religious exercise](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=7-A) of a person, including a religious assembly or institution, unless the [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) [demonstrates](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=2) that imposition of the burden on that person, assembly, or institution—
    - (A) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and
    - (B) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.
  - (2) **Scope of application—** This subsection applies in any case in which—
    - (A) the substantial burden is imposed in a [program or activity](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=6) that receives Federal financial assistance, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability;
    - (B) the substantial burden affects, or removal of that substantial burden would affect, commerce with foreign nations, among the several [States](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), or with Indian tribes, even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability; or
    - (C) the substantial burden is imposed in the implementation of a [land use regulation](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=5) or system of [land use regulations](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=5), under which a [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) makes, or has in place formal or informal procedures or [practices](/usc/42/17061.md?p=19) that permit the [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) to make, individualized assessments of the proposed uses for the property involved.
- (b) **Discrimination and exclusion—**
  - (1) **Equal terms—** No [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) shall impose or implement a [land use regulation](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=5) in a manner that treats a religious assembly or institution on less than equal terms with a nonreligious assembly or institution.
  - (2) **Nondiscrimination—** No [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) shall impose or implement a [land use regulation](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=5) that discriminates against any assembly or institution on the basis of religion or religious denomination.
  - (3) **Exclusions and limits—** No [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) shall impose or implement a [land use regulation](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=5) that—
    - (A) totally excludes religious assemblies from a jurisdiction; or
    - (B) unreasonably limits religious assemblies, institutions, or structures within a jurisdiction.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–274, § 2, Sept. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 803.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Short Title

Pub. L. 106–274, § 1, Sept. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 803, provided that: “This Act [enacting this chapter and amending sections 1988, 2000bb–2 and 2000bb–3 of this title] may be cited as the ‘Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000’ ”.