---
kind: "section"
citation: "50 U.S.C. § 3911"
title: "50"
title_heading: "War and National Defense"
number: "3911"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/50/3911"
units:
  - "Chapter 50 — Servicemembers Civil Relief"
  - "Subchapter I — General Provisions"
---

# §3911. Definitions


For the purposes of this chapter:

- (1) **Servicemember—** The term “servicemember” means a member of the uniformed services, as that term is defined in [section 101(a)(5) of title 10](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-5).
- (2) **Military service—** The term “military service” means—
  - (A) in the case of a [servicemember](#1) who is a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or Coast Guard—
    - (i) active duty, as defined in [section 101(d)(1) of title 10](/usc/10/101.md?p=d-1), and
    - (ii) in the case of a member of the National Guard, includes service under a call to active service authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense for a period of more than 30 consecutive days under [section 502(f) of title 32](/usc/32/502.md?p=f) for purposes of responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by Federal funds;
  - (B) in the case of a [servicemember](#1) who is a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, active service; and
  - (C) any period during which a [servicemember](#1) is absent from duty on account of sickness, wounds, leave, or other lawful cause.
- (3) **Period of military service—** The term “period of military service” means the period beginning on the date on which a [servicemember](#1) enters [military service](#2) and ending on the date on which the [servicemember](#1) is released from [military service](#2) or dies while in [military service](#2).
- (4) **Dependent—** The term “dependent”, with respect to a [servicemember](#1), means—
  - (A) the [servicemember](#1)’s spouse;
  - (B) the [servicemember](#1)’s child (as defined in [section 101(4) of title 38](/usc/38/101.md?p=4)); or
  - (C) an individual for whom the [servicemember](#1) provided more than one-half of the individual’s support for 180 days immediately preceding an application for relief under this chapter.
- (5) **Court—** The term “court” means a court or an administrative agency of the United States or of any [State](#6) (including any political subdivision of a [State](#6)), whether or not a court or administrative agency of record.
- (6) **State—** The term “State” includes—
  - (A) a commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States; and
  - (B) the District of Columbia.
- (7) **Secretary concerned—** The term “Secretary concerned”—
  - (A) with respect to a member of the armed forces, has the meaning given that term in [section 101(a)(9) of title 10](/usc/10/101.md?p=a-9);
  - (B) with respect to a commissioned officer of the Public Health Service, means the Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
  - (C) with respect to a commissioned officer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, means the Secretary of Commerce.
- (8) **Motor vehicle—** The term “motor vehicle” has the meaning given that term in [section 30102(a)(6) of title 49](/usc/49/30102.md?p=a-6).[^1]
- (9) **Judgment—** The term “judgment” means any judgment, decree, order, or ruling, final or temporary.

## Footnotes

[^1]: See References in Text note below.

## Source credit

(Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, title I, § 101, as added Pub. L. 108–189, § 1, Dec. 19, 2003, 117 Stat. 2836; amended Pub. L. 108–454, title VII, § 701, Dec. 10, 2004, 118 Stat. 3624; Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVII, § 1742(c)(1), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 681.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 30102(a)(6) of title 49, referred to in par. (8), was redesignated section 30102(a)(7) of title 49 by Pub. L. 114–94, div. B, title XXIV, § 24109(b)(2), Dec. 4, 2015, 129 Stat. 1706.

### Codification

Section was formerly classified to section 511 of the former Appendix to this title prior to editorial reclassification and renumbering as this section.

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 101 of act Oct. 17, 1940, ch. 888, art. I, 54 Stat. 1179; Pub. L. 92–540, title V, § 504(1), Oct. 24, 1972, 86 Stat. 1098; Pub. L. 102–12, § 9(1), Mar. 18, 1991, 105 Stat. 38; Pub. L. 107–330, title III, § 305, Dec. 6, 2002, 116 Stat. 2826, related to definitions, prior to the general amendment of this Act by Pub. L. 108–189.

### Amendments

2023—Par. (2)(A). Pub. L. 118–31 inserted “Space Force,” after “Marine Corps,” in introductory provisions.

2004—Par. (9). Pub. L. 108–454 added par. (9).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section applicable to any case not final before Dec. 19, 2003, see section 3 of Pub. L. 108–189, set out as a note under section 3901 of this title.