18 USC § 3297 - Cases involving DNA evidence

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s3297"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 3297 - Cases involving DNA evidence"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "3297"
section_name: "Cases involving DNA evidence"
chapter_number: 213
chapter_name: "LIMITATIONS"
part_number: "II"
part_name: "CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 108–405, title II, § 204(a), Oct. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2271; amended Pub. L. 109–162, title X, § 1005, Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3086.)"
---


# § 3297. Cases involving DNA evidence

In a case in which DNA testing implicates an identified person in the commission of a felony, no statute of limitations that would otherwise preclude prosecution of the offense shall preclude such prosecution until a period of time following the implication of the person by DNA testing has elapsed that is equal to the otherwise applicable limitation period.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 108–405, title II, § 204(a), Oct. 30, 2004, 118 Stat. 2271; amended Pub. L. 109–162, title X, § 1005, Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat. 3086.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2006— struck out “except for a felony offense under chapter 109A,” before “no statute of limitations”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

> “The amendments made by this section [enacting this section] shall apply to the prosecution of any offense committed before, on, or after the date of the enactment of this section [
> 
> ] if the applicable limitation period has not yet expired.”

, , , provided that: