5 USC § 2103 - The excepted service

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t5/s2103"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "5 USC § 2103 - The excepted service"
title_number: 5
title_name: "GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES"
section_number: "2103"
section_name: "The excepted service"
chapter_number: 21
chapter_name: "DEFINITIONS"
part_number: "III"
part_name: "EMPLOYEES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
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.)"
---


# § 2103. The excepted service

**(a)** For the purpose of this title, the “excepted service” consists of those civil service positions which are not in the competitive service or the Senior Executive Service.

**(b)** As used in other Acts of Congress, “unclassified civil service” or “unclassified service” means the “excepted service”.

---

**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.)

### 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).  inserted reference to Senior Executive Service.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 9 months after , and congressional review of provisions of sections 401 through 412 of , see , set out as an Effective Date note under .