---
type: "LegalText"
title: "16 U.S.C. § 4223"
description: "Prohibited acts"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 16
title_name: "CONSERVATION"
chapter_number: "62"
chapter_name: "AFRICAN ELEPHANT CONSERVATION"
section: "4223"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 4223"
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_usc16@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t16/s4223"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-16/usc16.xml"
source_hash: "b13de80cc464151644bf731370927a93993ea549122c7d547d4f0876f2a91f9a"
raw_snapshot_hash: "7be8950da5a93cac7c98e4576ce00340f2aba5e8e46d29915382c203c421d503"
text_hash: "4c9a97ac9f2f0eada43aae56f44718ee2a77402e6e9021a165981c68e7a2826a"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 16 U.S.C. § 4223 - Prohibited acts

## Text

Except as provided in section 4222(e) of this title, it is unlawful for any person—

(1) to import raw ivory from any country other than an ivory producing country;

(2) to export raw ivory from the United States;

(3) to import raw or worked ivory that was exported from an ivory producing country in violation of that country’s laws or of the CITES Ivory Control System;

(4) to import worked ivory, other than personal effects, from any country unless that country has certified that such ivory was derived from legal sources; or

(5) to import raw or worked ivory from a country for which a moratorium is in effect under section 4222 of this title.

(Pub. L. 100–478, title II, § 2203, Oct. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 2320.)