---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 2103"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "2103"
heading: "The excepted service"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/2103"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart A — General Provisions"
  - "Chapter 21 — Definitions"
---

# §2103. The excepted service

- (a) For the purpose of this title, the “excepted [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26)” consists of those civil [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) which are not in the competitive [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) or the [Senior Executive](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-3) [Service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26).
- (b) As used in other Acts of Congress, “unclassified civil [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26)” or “unclassified [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26)” means the “excepted [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26)”.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 408; Pub. L. 95–454, title IV, § 401(c), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1154.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

The section is supplied for convenience. The “excepted service” has come to mean all employees not in the competitive service, for whatever reason.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1978—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–454 inserted reference to Senior Executive Service.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–454 effective 9 months after Oct. 13, 1978, and congressional review of provisions of sections 401 through 412 of Pub. L. 95–454, see section 415 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3131 of this title.