---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 13531"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "13531"
heading: "General jurisdiction"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/13531"
units:
  - "Subtitle IV — Interstate Transportation"
  - "Part B — Motor Carriers, Water Carriers, Brokers, and Freight Forwarders"
  - "Chapter 135 — Jurisdiction"
  - "Subchapter III — Freight Forwarder Service"
---

# §13531. General jurisdiction

- (a) **In General.—** The [Secretary](/usc/49/13102.md?p=20) and the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) have jurisdiction, as specified in this part, over service that a [freight forwarder](/usc/49/13102.md?p=8) undertakes to provide, or is authorized or required under this part to provide, to the extent [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) is provided in the [United States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=10) and is between—
  - (1) a place in a [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) and a place in another [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8), even if part of the [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) is outside the [United States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=10);
  - (2) a place in a [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) and another place in the same [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8) through a place outside the [State](/usc/49/10102.md?p=8); or
  - (3) a place in the [United States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=10) and a place outside the [United States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=10).
- (b) **Exemption of Certain Air Carrier Service.—** Neither the [Secretary](/usc/49/13102.md?p=20) nor the [Board](/usc/49/10102.md?p=1) has jurisdiction under [subsection (a)](#a) of this section over service undertaken by a [freight forwarder](/usc/49/13102.md?p=8) using [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) of an air [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) subject to part A of subtitle VII of this title.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 103, Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 865.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 10561 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.