--- title: "18 U.S.C. 3124 ECPA: Assistance in installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device" canonical: "https://dposchool.com/ecpa/section/3124" source: "https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-136/t18/s3124/" 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. 3124 ECPA · Chapter 206: PEN REGISTERS AND TRAP AND TRACE DEVICES # 18 U.S.C. 3124 ECPA: Assistance in installation and use of a pen register or a trap and trace device United States Code, current through Public Law 119-136 (October 22, 2026). Retrieved 30 October 2026. ## Official text ### 18 U.S.C. 3124(a) **(a)** Pen Registers.⁠—Upon the request of an attorney for the Government or an officer of a law enforcement agency authorized to install and use a pen register under this chapter, a provider of wire or electronic communication service, landlord, custodian, or other person shall furnish such investigative or law enforcement officer forthwith all information, facilities, and technical assistance necessary to accomplish the installation of the pen register unobtrusively and with a minimum of interference with the services that the person so ordered by the court accords the party with respect to whom the installation and use is to take place, if such assistance is directed by a court order as provided in section 3123(b)(2) of this title. ### 18 U.S.C. 3124(b) **(b)** Trap and Trace Device.⁠—Upon the request of an attorney for the Government or an officer of a law enforcement agency authorized to receive the results of a trap and trace device under this chapter, a provider of a wire or electronic communication service, landlord, custodian, or other person shall install such device forthwith on the appropriate line or other facility and shall furnish such investigative or law enforcement officer all additional information, facilities and technical assistance including installation and operation of the device unobtrusively and with a minimum of interference with the services that the person so ordered by the court accords the party with respect to whom the installation and use is to take place, if such installation and assistance is directed by a court order as provided in section 3123(b)(2) of this title. Unless otherwise ordered by the court, the results of the trap and trace device shall be furnished, pursuant to section 3123(b) or section 3125 of this title, to the officer of a law enforcement agency, designated in the court order, at reasonable intervals during regular business hours for the duration of the order. ### 18 U.S.C. 3124(c) **(c)** Compensation.⁠—A provider of a wire or electronic communication service, landlord, custodian, or other person who furnishes facilities or technical assistance pursuant to this section shall be reasonably compensated for such reasonable expenses incurred in providing such facilities and assistance. ### 18 U.S.C. 3124(d) **(d)** No Cause of Action Against a Provider Disclosing Information Under This Chapter.⁠—No cause of action shall lie in any court against any provider of a wire or electronic communication service, its officers, employees, agents, or other specified persons for providing information, facilities, or assistance in accordance with a court order under this chapter, request pursuant to section 3125 of this title, or an order from a foreign government that is subject to an executive agreement that the Attorney General has determined and certified to Congress satisfies section 2523. ### 18 U.S.C. 3124(e) **(e)** Defense.⁠—A good faith reliance on a court order under this chapter, a request pursuant to section 3125 of this title, a legislative authorization, a statutory authorization, or a good faith determination that the conduct complained of was permitted by an order from a foreign government that is subject to executive agreement that the Attorney General has determined and certified to Congress satisfies section 2523, is a complete defense against any civil or criminal action brought under this chapter or any other law. ### 18 U.S.C. 3124(f) **(f)** Communications Assistance Enforcement Orders.⁠—Pursuant to section 2522, an order may be issued to enforce the assistance capability and capacity requirements under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act. ## 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 III, § 301(a) , Oct. 21, 1986 , 100 Stat. 1870 ; amended Pub. L. 100-690, title VII , §§ 7040, 7092(b), (d), Nov. 18, 1988 , 102 Stat. 4399 , 4411; Pub. L. 101-647, title XXXV, § 3575 , Nov. 29, 1990 , 104 Stat. 4929 ; Pub. L. 103-414, title II, § 201(b)(2) , Oct. 25, 1994 , 108 Stat. 4290 ; Pub. L. 107-56, title II, § 216(c)(5) , (6), Oct. 26, 2001 , 115 Stat. 290 ; Pub. L. 115-141, div. V, § 104(3)(B) , Mar. 23, 2018 , 132 Stat. 1217 .) [18 U.S.C. 3124 on the Office of the Law Revision Counsel](https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-136/t18/s3124/) 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. 3124 Previous: [18 U.S.C. 3123 ECPA: Issuance of an order for a pen register or a trap and trace device](https://dposchool.com/ecpa/section/3123) Next: [18 U.S.C. 3125 ECPA: Emergency pen register and trap and trace device installation](https://dposchool.com/ecpa/section/3125) ## 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