---
kind: "section"
citation: "44 U.S.C. § 2903"
title: "44"
title_heading: "Public Printing and Documents"
number: "2903"
heading: "Custody and control of property"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/44/2903"
units:
  - "Chapter 29 — Records Management by the Archivist of the United States and by the Administrator of General Services"
---

# §2903. Custody and control of property

- (a) The [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) shall have immediate custody and control of the National Archives Building and its contents, and may design, construct, purchase, lease, maintain, operate, protect, and improve buildings used by him for the storage of [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) of [Federal agencies](/usc/44/2901.md?p=14) in the District of Columbia and elsewhere.
- (b) When the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) considers it to be in the public interest, the [Archivist](/usc/44/2901.md?p=12) may charge and collect reasonable fees from the public for the occasional, non-official use of rooms and spaces, and services related to such use, in the buildings subject to this section. Fees collected under this subsection shall be paid into an account in the National Archives Trust Fund and shall be held, administered, and expended for the benefit and in the interest of the national archival and [records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) activities administered by the National Archives and [Records](/usc/44/2901.md?p=1) Administration, including educational and public program purposes.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–620, Oct. 22, 1968, 82 Stat. 1296; Pub. L. 98–497, title I, § 107(b)(15)(A), Oct. 19, 1984, 98 Stat. 2288; Pub. L. 108–383, § 4(b), Oct. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2218.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on 44 U.S. Code, 1964 ed., § 392 (June 30, 1949, ch. 288, title V, § 502, as added Sept. 5, 1950, ch. 849, § 6(d), 64 Stat. 583).

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2004—Pub. L. 108–383 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b).

1984—Pub. L. 98–497 substituted “Archivist” for “Administrator”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 98–497 effective Apr. 1, 1985, see section 301 of Pub. L. 98–497, set out as a note under section 2102 of this title.