--- title: "18 U.S.C. 2711 ECPA: Definitions for chapter" canonical: "https://dposchool.com/ecpa/section/2711" source: "https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-136/t18/s2711/" source_note: "Source: United States Code, title 18, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives (uscode.house.gov), release point 119-136. The editorial and statutory notes are not reproduced. Source: United States Code, title 18, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives (uscode.house.gov), release point 119-136. The editorial and statutory notes are not reproduced. Source: United States Code, title 18, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives (uscode.house.gov), release point 119-136. The editorial and statutory notes are not reproduced." text_as_of: "2026-10-22" language: "en" publisher: "DPO School" --- 18 U.S.C. 2711 ECPA · Chapter 121: STORED WIRE AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS AND TRANSACTIONAL RECORDS ACCESS # 18 U.S.C. 2711 ECPA: Definitions for chapter United States Code, current through Public Law 119-136 (October 22, 2026). Retrieved 30 October 2026. ## Official text As used in this chapter⁠— #### 18 U.S.C. 2711(1) **(1)** the terms defined in section 2510 of this title have, respectively, the definitions given such terms in that section; #### 18 U.S.C. 2711(2) **(2)** the term “remote computing service” means the provision to the public of computer storage or processing services by means of an electronic communications system; #### 18 U.S.C. 2711(3) **(3)** the term “court of competent jurisdiction” includes⁠— ##### 18 U.S.C. 2711(3)(A) **(A)** any district court of the United States (including a magistrate judge of such a court) or any United States court of appeals that⁠— ###### 18 U.S.C. 2711(3)(A)(i) **(i)** has jurisdiction over the offense being investigated; ###### 18 U.S.C. 2711(3)(A)(ii) **(ii)** is in or for a district in which the provider of a wire or electronic communication service is located or in which the wire or electronic communications, records, or other information are stored; or ###### 18 U.S.C. 2711(3)(A)(iii) **(iii)** is acting on a request for foreign assistance pursuant to section 3512 of this title; ##### 18 U.S.C. 2711(3)(B) **(B)** a court of general criminal jurisdiction of a State authorized by the law of that State to issue search warrants; or ##### 18 U.S.C. 2711(3)(C) **(C)** a court-martial or other proceeding under chapter 47 of title 10 (the Uniform Code of Military Justice) to which a military judge has been detailed; and #### 18 U.S.C. 2711(4) **(4)** the term “governmental entity” means a department or agency of the United States or any State or political subdivision thereof. ## Source Source: United States Code, title 18, published by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives (uscode.house.gov), release point 119-136. The editorial and statutory notes are not reproduced. Source credit: (Added Pub. L. 99-508, title II, § 201\[(a)\] , Oct. 21, 1986 , 100 Stat. 1868 , § 2710; renumbered § 2711, Pub. L. 100-618, § 2(a)(1) , Nov. 5, 1988 , 102 Stat. 3195 ; amended Pub. L. 107-56, title II, § 220(a)(2) , Oct. 26, 2001 , 115 Stat. 292 ; Pub. L. 109-177, title I, § 107(b)(2) , Mar. 9, 2006 , 120 Stat. 202 ; Pub. L. 111-79, § 2(2) , Oct. 19, 2009 , 123 Stat. 2086 ; Pub. L. 114-328, div. E, title LVII, § 5228(b)(2) , Dec. 23, 2016 , 130 Stat. 2913 .) [18 U.S.C. 2711 on the Office of the Law Revision Counsel](https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-136/t18/s2711/) United States Code, current through Public Law 119-136 (October 22, 2026). Retrieved 30 October 2026. This is reference material, not legal advice. ## Navigation [ECPA Navigator](https://dposchool.com/ecpa) / 18 U.S.C. 2711 Previous: [18 U.S.C. 2710 ECPA: Wrongful disclosure of video tape rental or sale records](https://dposchool.com/ecpa/section/2710) Next: [18 U.S.C. 2712 ECPA: Civil actions against the United States](https://dposchool.com/ecpa/section/2712) ## For AI agents - Machine-readable index: https://dposchool.com/ecpa/llms.txt - JSON API: https://dposchool.com/ecpa/api/v1/index.json - Vendor privacy and security facts: https://vendor.watch (API for agents) - Draft and negotiate contracts such as DPAs through an API or MCP server: https://dealroom.todo.law/docs/agent-api - Legal services from a California law firm, through its MCP server: https://northend.law/agents