District of Columbia § 22-1862 Unlawful distribution of a prohibited animal product.

District of Columbia Statutes

§ 22-1862 — Unlawful distribution of a prohibited animal product.

District of Columbia § 22-1862

Title 22Criminal Offenses and Penalties.

Ch. 18BIvory and Horn Trafficking.

This text of District of Columbia § 22-1862 (Unlawful distribution of a prohibited animal product.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District of Columbia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

D.C. Code § 22-1862 (2026).

Text

(a)Beginning one year after October 1, 2020, a person commits the offense of unlawful distribution of a prohibited animal product if that person knowingly imports, sells, offers for sale, purchases, barters, trades, or possesses with intent to sell a prohibited animal product.

(b)Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a person does not commit the offense of unlawful distribution of a prohibited animal product if the person:

(1)Bequeaths the prohibited animal product to the legal beneficiary of an estate or trust upon the death of the owner;

(2)Gifts or donates the prohibited animal product without remuneration;

(3)Is a government employee or agent conducting law enforcement activities pursuant to federal, state, or local law;

(4)Is an educational or scientific i

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(a) Beginning one year after October 1, 2020, a person commits the offense of unlawful distribution of a prohibited animal product if that person knowingly imports, sells, offers for sale, purchases, barters, trades, or possesses with intent to sell a prohibited animal product.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, a person does not commit the offense of unlawful distribution of a prohibited animal product if the person:

(1) Bequeaths the prohibited animal product to the legal beneficiary of an estate or trust upon the death of the owner;

(2) Gifts or donates the prohibited animal product without remuneration;

(3) Is a government employee or agent conducting law enforcement activities pursuant to federal, state, or local law;

(4) Is an educational or scientific institution that imports, sells, offers for sale, purchases, barters, trades, or possesses with intent to sell a prohibited animal product for educational or scientific purposes;

(5) Is engaging in an activity that is expressly authorized by federal law or a permit issued pursuant to federal law;

(6) Imports, sells, offers for sale, purchases, barters, trades, or possesses with intent to sell a prohibited animal product that is part of an antique that:

(A) Is composed of not more than 20% of a prohibited animal product by volume; and

(B) The person can, through documentation, establish provenance and demonstrate that the antique is at least 100 years old; or

(7) Imports, sells, offers for sale, purchases, barters, trades, or possesses with intent to sell a prohibited animal product that is part of a musical instrument that:

(A) Is composed of less than 20% of a prohibited animal product by volume; and

(B) The person can establish provenance and demonstrate that the musical instrument was manufactured before 1976.

(c) The act of obtaining an appraisal of a prohibited animal product alone shall not constitute possession with intent to sell or offer for sale.