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50 U.S.C. 1862 FISA · Chapter 36: FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE

50 U.S.C. 1862 FISA: Access to certain business records for foreign intelligence and international terrorism investigations

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

Official text

Application for authorization
The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation or a designee of the Director (whose rank shall be no lower than Assistant Special Agent in Charge) may make an application for an order authorizing a common carrier, public accommodation facility, physical storage facility, or vehicle rental facility to release records in its possession for an investigation to gather foreign intelligence information or an investigation concerning international terrorism which investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation under such guidelines as the Attorney General approves pursuant to Executive Order No. 12333, or a successor order.
Recipient and contents of application
Each application under this section⁠—
shall be made to⁠—
a judge of the court established by section 1803(a) of this title; or
a United States Magistrate Judge under chapter 43 of title 28 who is publicly designated by the Chief Justice of the United States to have the power to hear applications and grant orders for the release of records under this section on behalf of a judge of that court; and
shall specify that⁠—
the records concerned are sought for an investigation described in subsection (a);
there are specific and articulable facts giving reason to believe that the person to whom the records pertain is a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power;
1 a statement by the applicant that, to the best knowledge of the applicant, the application fairly reflects all information that might reasonably⁠—
call into question the accuracy of the application or the reasonableness of any assessment in the application conducted by the department or agency on whose behalf the application is made; or
otherwise raise doubts with respect to the findings required under subsection (c); and
non-cumulative information known to the applicant that is potentially exculpatory regarding the requested legal findings or any assessment in the application.
Ex parte judicial order of approval
Upon application made pursuant to this section, the judge shall enter an ex parte order as requested, or as modified, approving the release of records if the judge finds that the application satisfies the requirements of this section.
An order under this subsection shall not disclose that it is issued for purposes of an investigation described in subsection (a).
Compliance; nondisclosure
Any common carrier, public accommodation facility, physical storage facility, or vehicle rental facility shall comply with an order under subsection (c).
No common carrier, public accommodation facility, physical storage facility, or vehicle rental facility, or officer, employee, or agent thereof, shall disclose to any person (other than those officers, agents, or employees of such common carrier, public accommodation facility, physical storage facility, or vehicle rental facility necessary to fulfill the requirement to disclose information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation under this section) that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has sought or obtained records pursuant to an order under this section.

Notes in the official text

  1. (1) So in original. No subpar. (C) or (D) has been enacted.

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 V, § 502 , as added Pub. L. 107-56, title II, § 215 , Oct. 26, 2001 , 115 Stat. 288 ; amended Pub. L. 107-108, title III, § 314(a)(7) , Dec. 28, 2001 , 115 Stat. 1402 ; Pub. L. 109-177, title I , §§ 102(b)(1), 106(h), Mar. 9, 2006 , 120 Stat. 195 , 199; Pub. L. 111-118, div. B, § 1004(a) , Dec. 19, 2009 , 123 Stat. 3470 ; Pub. L. 111-141, § 1(a) , Feb. 27, 2010 , 124 Stat. 37 ; Pub. L. 111-259, title VIII, § 801(6) , Oct. 7, 2010 , 124 Stat. 2746 ; Pub. L. 112-3, § 2(a) , Feb. 25, 2011 , 125 Stat. 5 ; Pub. L. 112-14, § 2(a) , May 26, 2011 , 125 Stat. 216 ; Pub. L. 114-23, title VI , §§ 601, 605(d), title VII, § 705(a), (c), June 2, 2015 , 129 Stat. 291 , 298, 300; Pub. L. 116-69, div. B, title VII, § 1703(a) , Nov. 21, 2019 , 133 Stat. 1143 ; Pub. L. 118-49, § 10(a)(4) , (b)(4), Apr. 20, 2024 , 138 Stat. 876 , 877.)

50 U.S.C. 1862 on the Office of the Law Revision Counsel

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

This is reference material, not legal advice.