---
type: "LegalText"
title: "39 U.S.C. § 605"
description: "Searching vessels for letters"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 39
title_name: "POSTAL SERVICE"
chapter_number: "6"
chapter_name: "PRIVATE CARRIAGE OF LETTERS"
section: "605"
citation: "39 U.S.C. § 605"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc39@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t39/s605"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-39/usc39.xml"
source_hash: "6d3f827351b82056419567f6721cf44f0d8f681332b0da0f79957ea3da627b70"
raw_snapshot_hash: "ccea35969be78d053165f1170bf2aa826a68e5b4dea1fe3356d8a09e86e19a65"
text_hash: "991d24e32ca68b651fc4d4173ad8f1ee35f731e0929a9fec899801f38539739d"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 39 U.S.C. § 605 - Searching vessels for letters

## Text

An officer or employee of the Postal Service performing duties related to the inspection of postal matters, when instructed by the Postal Service to make examinations and seizures, and any customs officer without special instructions shall search vessels for letters which may be on board, or which may have been conveyed contrary to law.

(Pub. L. 91–375, Aug. 12, 1970, 84 Stat. 728.)

## Notes

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective DateSection effective July 1, 1971, pursuant to Resolution No. 71–9 of the Board of Governors. See section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91–375, set out as a note preceding section 101 of this title.