# § 309. Special pay: enlistment bonus
**(a)** **Bonus Authorized; Bonus Amount.—** A person who enlists in an armed force for a period of at least 2 years may be paid a bonus in an amount not to exceed $40,000. The bonus may be paid in a single lump sum or in periodic installments.
**(b)** **Repayment.—** A member who does not complete the term of enlistment for which a bonus was paid to the member under this section, or a member who is not technically qualified in the skill for which a bonus was paid to the member under this section, shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.
**(c)** **Relation to Prohibition on Bounties.—** The enlistment bonus authorized by this section is not a bounty for purposes of section 514(a) of title 10.
**(d)** **Regulations.—** This section shall be administered under regulations prescribed by the Secretary of Defense for the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense and by the Secretary of Homeland Security for the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Navy.
**(e)** **Duration of Authority.—** No bonus shall be paid under this section with respect to any enlistment in the armed forces made after December 31, 2018.
---
**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title VI, § 624(a)(1)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–152; amended Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title VI, § 614(c), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1136; Pub. L. 107–296, title XVII, § 1704(c), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2314; Pub. L. 107–314, div. A, title VI, § 614(c), Dec. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 2568; Pub. L. 108–136, div. A, title VI, § 614(c), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1501; Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title VI, § 614(d), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 1948; Pub. L. 109–163, div. A, title VI, §§ 624(d), 635, 687(b)(20), Jan. 6, 2006, 119 Stat. 3295, 3300, 3330; Pub. L. 109–364, div. A, title VI, § 614(d), Oct. 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 2248; Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title VI, § 614(c), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 149; Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title VI, § 614(d), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4485; Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2354; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4237; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1450; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1777; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 781; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3401; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 839; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2159; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, § 615(4), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1423.)
## Editorial Notes
### Prior Provisions
A prior section 309, , , , related to authority of Secretary concerned to provide for additional pay for performance of administrative functions by officers of the National Guard and reserve components, prior to repeal by , (b), , , 809, applicable only with respect to administrative functions performed after .
### Amendments
2017—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
2016—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
2015—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
2014—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
2013—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
substituted “” for “”.
2011—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
substituted “” for “”.
2009—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
2008—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
substituted “” for “”.
2006—Subsec. (a). , substituted “$40,000” for “$20,000”.
Subsec. (b). , amended heading and text of subsec. (b) generally, substituting provisions referring to repayment provisions of section 303a(e) for specific provisions relating to refunds required when member is not technically qualified in skill for which bonus was paid or fails to complete term of enlistment for which bonus was paid.
Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
, substituted “” for “”.
2004—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
2003—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
2002—Subsec. (d). substituted “of Homeland Security” for “of Transportation”.
Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
2001—Subsec. (e). substituted “” for “”.
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2008 Amendment
Amendment by effective as of , and subject to various special provisions, see , set out as a Correction of Lapsed Authorities for Payment of Bonuses, Special Pays, and Similar Benefits for Members of the Uniformed Services note under , Armed Forces.
### Effective Date of 2002 Amendment
Amendment by effective on the date of transfer of the Coast Guard to the Department of Homeland Security, see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.
### Effective Date
> “The amendments made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall take effect on
>
> , and apply with respect to enlistments in the Armed Forces made on or after that date.”
, title VI, § 624(c)(1)], , , 1654A–153, provided that:
### Savings Provision
For savings provision relating to payment or repayment of any bonus, incentive pay, special pay, or similar pay obligated to be paid before , under a provision of this section amended by , see , set out as a note under , Armed Forces.