---
type: "LegalText"
title: "49 U.S.C. § 20903"
description: "Reports not evidence in civil actions for damages"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 49
title_name: "TRANSPORTATION"
chapter_number: "209"
chapter_name: "ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS"
section: "20903"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 20903"
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_usc49@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t49/s20903"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-49/usc49.xml"
source_hash: "719d0524b66697f2699fb52485fd95b1637deee92e601239588329d7877c7f9b"
raw_snapshot_hash: "0786acdd244d8f42c5a8e8ed1ec2a8dcb47dd0e02a286752710a20745702a4fb"
text_hash: "0356570f2ec3e2d41d61b6a7aad4bacc2e33ac57e7b34bbdeea30f96dc02c053"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 49 U.S.C. § 20903 - Reports not evidence in civil actions for damages

## Text

No part of an accident or incident report filed by a railroad carrier under section 20901 of this title or made by the Secretary of Transportation under section 20902 of this title may be used in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report.

(Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 887.)

## Notes

Historical and Revision Notes RevisedSectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 2090345:41.May 6, 1910, ch. 208, § 4, 36 Stat. 351. The words “civil action” are substituted for “suit or action” for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code.