---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 2131"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "2131"
heading: "License required"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/2131"
units:
  - "Chapter 23 — Development and Control of Atomic Energy"
  - "Division A — Atomic Energy"
  - "Subchapter IX — Atomic Energy Licenses"
---

# §2131. License required


It shall be unlawful, except as provided in [section 2121 of this title](/usc/42/2121.md), for any [person](/usc/42/2014.md?p=s) within the [United States](/usc/42/2014.md?p=bb) to transfer or receive in interstate commerce, manufacture, [produce](/usc/42/2014.md?p=u), transfer, acquire, possess, use, import, or export any utilization or [production facility](/usc/42/2014.md?p=v) except under and in accordance with a license issued by the [Commission](/usc/42/2014.md?p=f) pursuant to section [2133](/usc/42/2133.md) or [2134](/usc/42/2134.md) of this title.


## Source credit

(Aug. 1, 1946, ch. 724, title I, § 101, as added Aug. 30, 1954, ch. 1073, § 1, 68 Stat. 936; amended Aug. 6, 1956, ch. 1015, § 11, 70 Stat. 1071; renumbered title I, Pub. L. 102–486, title IX, § 902(a)(8), Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 2944.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to this section were contained in section 1807(a) of this title, prior to the general amendment and renumbering of act Aug. 1, 1946, by act Aug. 30, 1954.

### Amendments

1956—Act Aug. 6, 1956, inserted “use,” after “possess,”.