26 U.S.C. § 5844
Section 5844 · Importation
This is § 201 of the Gun Control Act of 1968
Amended 2 times on record
Applied in 7 court decisions — leading case Dugan v. United States (1965)
Most recently applied in United States v. Christopher Hay (August 2022)
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
No firearm shall be imported or brought into the United States or any territory under its control or jurisdiction unless the importer establishes, under regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary, that the firearm to be imported or brought in is—
(1) being imported or brought in for the use of the United States or any department, independent establishment, or agency thereof or any State or possession or any political subdivision thereof; or
(2) being imported or brought in for scientific or research purposes; or
(3) being imported or brought in solely for testing or use as a model by a registered manufacturer or solely for use as a sample by a registered importer or registered dealer;
except that, the Secretary may permit the conditional importation or bringing in of a firearm for examination and testing in connection with classifying the firearm.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Prior Provisions
A prior section 5844, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 725, related to exportation, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 90–618.
Provisions similar to those comprising this section were contained in prior section 5845, act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 725, prior to the general revision of this chapter by Pub. L. 90–618.
Amendments
1976—Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary” wherever appearing.