---
type: "LegalText"
title: "50 U.S.C. § 1844"
description: "Authorization during time of war"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 50
title_name: "WAR AND NATIONAL DEFENSE"
chapter_number: "36"
chapter_name: "FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE"
section: "1844"
citation: "50 U.S.C. § 1844"
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_usc50@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t50/s1844"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-50/usc50.xml"
source_hash: "cfeaf4fac83752466c84c9c0ee8617d77549d7d3fa0501bb6e41d00469d33195"
raw_snapshot_hash: "708c288b5448617cab7b03b8011860274671c9aec56686858b910a06948cd7ac"
text_hash: "9ee9be3bff4894d66e3b23a73ce84d8877f00ba32e887de1e266194554558c15"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 50 U.S.C. § 1844 - Authorization during time of war

## Text

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President, through the Attorney General, may authorize the use of a pen register or trap and trace device without a court order under this subchapter to acquire foreign intelligence information for a period not to exceed 15 calendar days following a declaration of war by Congress.

(Pub. L. 95–511, title IV, § 404, as added Pub. L. 105–272, title VI, § 601(2), Oct. 20, 1998, 112 Stat. 2408.)