44 USC § 3512 - Public protection

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t44/s3512"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "44 USC § 3512 - Public protection"
title_number: 44
title_name: "PUBLIC PRINTING AND DOCUMENTS"
section_number: "3512"
section_name: "Public protection"
chapter_number: 35
chapter_name: "COORDINATION OF FEDERAL INFORMATION POLICY"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "FEDERAL INFORMATION POLICY"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2025-02-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 104–13, § 2, May 22, 1995, 109 Stat. 181; amended Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title X, § 1064(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–275.)"
---


# § 3512. Public protection

**(a)** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information that is subject to this subchapter if—

**(1)** the collection of information does not display a valid control number assigned by the Director in accordance with this subchapter; or

**(2)** the agency fails to inform the person who is to respond to the collection of information that such person is not required to respond to the collection of information unless it displays a valid control number.

**(b)** The protection provided by this section may be raised in the form of a complete defense, bar, or otherwise at any time during the agency administrative process or judicial action applicable thereto.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 104–13, § 2, May 22, 1995, 109 Stat. 181; amended Pub. L. 106–398, § 1 [[div. A], title X, § 1064(b)], Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1654, 1654A–275.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 3512, added , , , related to protection of persons failing to maintain or provide information if information collection request did not display current control number prior to the general amendment of this chapter by .

Another prior section 3512, added , , , related to information for independent regulatory agencies, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by .

### Amendments

2000—Subsec. (a).  substituted “subchapter” for “chapter” in introductory provisions and par. (1).

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2000 Amendment

Amendment by  effective 30 days after , see section 1 [[div. A], title X, § 1065] of , , , formerly set out as an Effective Date note under former .

### Effective Date

Section effective , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as a note under .