---
title: "50 U.S.C. 1827 FISA: Penalties"
canonical: "https://dposchool.com/fisa/section/1827"
source: "https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-136/t50/s1827/"
source_note: "Source: United States Code, title 50, 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"
---

50 U.S.C. 1827 FISA · Chapter 36: FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE

# 50 U.S.C. 1827 FISA: Penalties

United States Code, current through Public Law 119-136 (October 22, 2026). Retrieved 30 October 2026.

## Official text

### 50 U.S.C. 1827(a)

**(a)** Prohibited activities

A person is guilty of an offense if he intentionally⁠—

#### 50 U.S.C. 1827(a)(1)

**(1)** under color of law for the purpose of obtaining foreign intelligence information, executes a physical search within the United States except as authorized by statute; or

#### 50 U.S.C. 1827(a)(2)

**(2)** discloses or uses information obtained under color of law by physical search within the United States, knowing or having reason to know that the information was obtained through physical search not authorized by statute, for the purpose of obtaining intelligence information.

### 50 U.S.C. 1827(b)

**(b)** Defense

It is a defense to a prosecution under subsection (a) that the defendant was a law enforcement or investigative officer engaged in the course of his official duties and the physical search was authorized by and conducted pursuant to a search warrant or court order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

### 50 U.S.C. 1827(c)

**(c)** Fine or imprisonment

An offense described in this section is punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than five years, or both.

### 50 U.S.C. 1827(d)

**(d)** Federal jurisdiction

There is Federal jurisdiction over an offense under this section if the person committing the offense was an officer or employee of the United States at the time the offense was committed.

## Source

Source: United States Code, title 50, 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: ( Pub. L. 95-511, title III, § 307 , as added Pub. L. 103-359, title VIII, § 807(a)(3) , Oct. 14, 1994 , 108 Stat. 3452 .)

[50 U.S.C. 1827 on the Office of the Law Revision Counsel](https://uscode.house.gov/us/usc/119-136/t50/s1827/)

United States Code, current through Public Law 119-136 (October 22, 2026). Retrieved 30 October 2026.

This is reference material, not legal advice.

## Navigation

[FISA Navigator](https://dposchool.com/fisa) / 50 U.S.C. 1827

Previous: [50 U.S.C. 1826 FISA: Congressional oversight](https://dposchool.com/fisa/section/1826)

Next: [50 U.S.C. 1828 FISA: Civil liability](https://dposchool.com/fisa/section/1828)

## For AI agents

- Machine-readable index: https://dposchool.com/fisa/llms.txt
- JSON API: https://dposchool.com/fisa/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