---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 457"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "457"
heading: "Regulatory authority and preemption"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/457"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter VIII — Coordination with Non-Federal Entities; Inspector General; United States Secret Service; Coast Guard; General Provisions"
  - "Part H — Miscellaneous Provisions"
---

# §457. Regulatory authority and preemption

- (a) **Regulatory authority—** Except as otherwise provided in sections [186(c)](/usc/6/186.md?p=c) and [441(c)](/usc/6/441.md?p=c) of this title and [section 1315 of title 40](/usc/40/1315.md),[^1] this chapter vests no new regulatory authority in the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) or any other Federal official, and transfers to the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) or another Federal official only such regulatory authority as exists on November 25, 2002, within any [agency](/usc/6/311.md?p=2), program, or function transferred to the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) pursuant to this chapter, or that on November 25, 2002, is exercised by another official of the executive branch with respect to such [agency](/usc/6/311.md?p=2), program, or function. Any such transferred authority may not be exercised by an official from whom it is transferred upon transfer of such [agency](/usc/6/311.md?p=2), program, or function to the [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16) or another Federal official pursuant to this chapter. This chapter may not be construed as altering or diminishing the regulatory authority of any other [executive agency](/usc/6/101.md?p=8), except to the extent that this chapter transfers such authority from the [agency](/usc/6/311.md?p=2).
- (b) **Preemption of State or local law—** Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, this chapter preempts no [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) or local law, except that any authority to preempt [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17) or local law vested in any [Federal agency](/usc/6/677a.md?p=4) or official transferred to the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) pursuant to this chapter shall be transferred to the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) effective on the date of the transfer to the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) of that [Federal agency](/usc/6/677a.md?p=4) or official.

## Footnotes

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

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title VIII, § 877, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2244.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 1315 of title 40, referred to in subsec. (a), was in the original “1706(b)”, meaning section 1706(b) of Pub. L. 107–296, which amended generally section 1315 of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works, and enacted provisions set out as a note under section 1315 of Title 40. For complete classification of section 1706(b) to the Code, see Tables.

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 107–296, Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2135, known as the Homeland Security Act of 2002, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 101 of this title and Tables.