---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 50912"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "50912"
heading: "Administrative hearings and judicial review"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/50912"
units:
  - "Subtitle V — Programs Targeting Commercial Opportunities"
  - "Chapter 509 — Commercial Space Launch Activities"
---

# §50912. Administrative hearings and judicial review

- (a) **Administrative Hearings.—** The [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) of Transportation shall provide an opportunity for a hearing on the record to—
  - (1) an applicant under this chapter, for a decision of the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) under section [50905(a)](/usc/51/50905.md?p=a) or [50906](/usc/51/50906.md) of this title to issue or transfer a license with terms or deny the issuance or transfer of a license;
  - (2) an owner or operator of a [payload](/usc/51/50101.md?p=2) under this chapter, for a decision of the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) under [section 50904(c) of this title](/usc/51/50904.md?p=c) to prevent the [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) or reentry of the [payload](/usc/51/50101.md?p=2); and
  - (3) a licensee under this chapter, for a decision of the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) under—
    - (A) [section 50908(b)](/usc/51/50908.md?p=b) or (c) of this title to modify, suspend, or revoke a license; or
    - (B) [section 50909(a) of this title](/usc/51/50909.md?p=a) to prohibit, suspend, or end a [launch](/usc/51/50501.md?p=5) or operation of a [launch site](/usc/51/50902.md?p=10) or [reentry site](/usc/51/50902.md?p=18), or reentry of a [reentry vehicle](/usc/51/50902.md?p=19), licensed by the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5).
- (b) **Judicial Review.—** A final action of the [Secretary](/usc/51/50301.md?p=5) under this chapter is subject to judicial review as provided in chapter 7 of title 5.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1335, § 70110 of title 49; Pub. L. 105–303, title I, § 102(a)(10), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2849; Pub. L. 108–492, § 2(c)(20), Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3981; renumbered § 70110 then § 50912 of title 51 and amended Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(L), (5)(M)–(P), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440–3442.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 70110(a)(1) | 49 App.:2611(a)(1) (1st sentence). | Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–575, § 12, 98 Stat. 3060. |
| 70110(a)(2) | 49 App.:2611(a)(1) (last sentence). |  |
| 70110(a)(3) | 49 App.:2611(a)(2). |  |
| 70110(b) | 49 App.:2611(b). |  |

In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words “The Secretary of Transportation shall provide an opportunity for a hearing on the record to” are substituted for “shall be entitled to a determination on the record after an opportunity for a hearing” for consistency in the revised title. The words “in accordance with section 554 of title 5” are omitted for consistency and because 5:554 applies to a hearing on the record unless otherwise stated. In clause (1), the words “and a proposed transferee of a license” are omitted as being included in “applicant”.

In subsection (b), the words “to issue, transfer, deny the issuance or transfer of, suspend, revoke, or modify a license or to terminate, prohibit, or suspend any launch or operation of a launch site licensed by the Secretary or to prevent the launch of a payload” are omitted as surplus.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2010—Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(2), (3)(L), successively renumbered section 70110 of title 49 and section 70110 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(M), substituted “section 50905(a) or 50906” for “section 70105(a) or 70105a”.

Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(N), substituted “section 50904(c)” for “section 70104(c)”.

Subsec. (a)(3)(A). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(O), substituted “section 50908(b) or (c)” for “section 70107(b) or (c)”.

Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 111–314, § 4(d)(5)(P), substituted “section 50909(a)” for “section 70108(a)”.

2004—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 108–492 inserted “or 70105a” after “70105(a)”.

1998—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(10)(A), inserted “or reentry” after “prevent the launch”.

Subsec. (a)(3)(B). Pub. L. 105–303, § 102(a)(10)(B), inserted “or reentry site, or reentry of a reentry vehicle,” after “operation of a launch site”