39 USC § 3206 - Reimbursement for penalty mail service

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t39/s3206"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "39 USC § 3206 - Reimbursement for penalty mail service"
title_number: 39
title_name: "POSTAL SERVICE"
section_number: "3206"
section_name: "Reimbursement for penalty mail service"
chapter_number: 32
chapter_name: "PENALTY AND FRANKED MAIL"
part_number: "IV"
part_name: "MAIL MATTER"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-03-26"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 91–375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 753; Pub. L. 93–191, § 9, Dec. 18, 1973, 87 Stat. 745; Pub. L. 94–553, § 105(e), Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2599.)"
---


# § 3206. Reimbursement for penalty mail service

**(a)** Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, executive departments and agencies, independent establishments of the Government of the United States, and Government corporations concerned, shall transfer to the Postal Service as postal revenue out of any appropriations or funds available to them, as a necessary expense of the appropriations or funds and of the activities concerned, the equivalent amount of postage due, as determined by the Postal Service, for matter sent in the mails by or to them as penalty mail under authority of section 3202 of this title.

**(b)** The Department of Agriculture shall transfer to the Postal Service as postal revenues out of any appropriations made to it for that purpose the equivalent amount of postage, as determined by the Postal Service, for penalty mailings under clauses (1)(F) and (4) of section 3202(a) of this title.

**(c)** The Department of State shall transfer to the Postal Service as postal revenues out of any appropriations made to it for that purpose the equivalent amount of postage, as determined by the Postal Service, for penalty mailings under clause (1)(C) and (D) of section 3202(a) of this title.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 91–375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 753; Pub. L. 93–191, § 9, Dec. 18, 1973, 87 Stat. 745; Pub. L. 94–553, § 105(e), Oct. 19, 1976, 90 Stat. 2599.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1976—Subsec. (a).  substituted “subsection (b)” for “subsections (b) and (c)”.

Subsecs. (c), (d).  redesignated subsec. (d) as (c). Former subsec. (c), directing the Library of Congress to transfer to the Postal Service as postal revenues out of any appropriations made to the Library for that purpose the equivalent amount of postage, as determined by the Postal Service, for penalty mailings under clause (5) of , was struck out.

1973—Subsec. (d).  added subsec. (d).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1976 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as an Effective Date note preceding , Copyrights.

### Effective Date of 1973 Amendment

Amendment by  effective , see , set out as a note under .

### Effective Date

Section effective , pursuant to Resolution No. 71–9 of the Board of Governors. See , set out as a note preceding .