FEDERAL · 31 U.S.C. · Chapter SUBCHAPTER I—MONETARY SYSTEM

Legal tender

31 U.S.C. § 5103
Title31Money and Finance
ChapterSUBCHAPTER I—MONETARY SYSTEM

This text of 31 U.S.C. § 5103 (Legal tender) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
31 U.S.C. § 5103.

Text

United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. Foreign gold or silver coins are not legal tender for debts.

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Source Credit

History

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 980; Pub. L. 97–452, §1(19), Jan. 12, 1983, 96 Stat. 2477.)

Editorial Notes

The words "All . . . regardless of when coined or issued" are omitted as unnecessary because of the restatement. The word "debts" is substituted for "debts, public and private" to eliminate unnecessary words. The words "public charges, taxes, duties, and dues" are omitted as included in "debts".

1983 Act
This restores to 31:5103 the reference to public charges, taxes, and dues because they are not considered to be debts. See, Hagar v. Reclamation District No. 108, 111 U.S. 701, 706 (1884).

Editorial Notes

Amendments
1983—Pub. L. 97–452 inserted ", public charges, taxes, and dues" after "all debts".

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1983 Amendment
Amendment effective Sept. 13, 1982, see section 2(i) of Pub. L. 97–452, set out as a note under section 3331 of this title.

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
31 U.S.C. § 5103, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/usc/31/5103.