49 USC § 13531 - General jurisdiction

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t49/s13531"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "49 USC § 13531 - General jurisdiction"
title_number: 49
title_name: "TRANSPORTATION"
section_number: "13531"
section_name: "General jurisdiction"
chapter_number: 135
chapter_name: "JURISDICTION"
subchapter_number: "III"
subchapter_name: "FREIGHT FORWARDER SERVICE"
part_number: "B"
part_name: "MOTOR CARRIERS, WATER CARRIERS, BROKERS, AND FREIGHT FORWARDERS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Added Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 103, Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 865.)"
---


# § 13531. General jurisdiction

**(a)** **In General.—** The Secretary and the Board have jurisdiction, as specified in this part, over service that a freight forwarder undertakes to provide, or is authorized or required under this part to provide, to the extent transportation is provided in the United States and is between—

**(1)** a place in a State and a place in another State, even if part of the transportation is outside the United States;

**(2)** a place in a State and another place in the same State through a place outside the State; or

**(3)** a place in the United States and a place outside the United States.

**(b)** **Exemption of Certain Air Carrier Service.—** Neither the Secretary nor the Board has jurisdiction under subsection (a) of this section over service undertaken by a freight forwarder using transportation of an air carrier subject to part A of subtitle VII of this title.

---

**Source Credit**: (Added Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 103, Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 865.)

## Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in  prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

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