(a) Sales

(1) In general

The stamps required under section 718a of this title shall be sold by the Postal Service and may be sold by the Department of the Interior, pursuant to regulations promulgated jointly by the Postal Service and the Secretary, at—

(A) any post office; and

(B) such other establishments, facilities, or locations as the Postal Service or the Secretary (or a designee) may direct or authorize.

(2) Proceeds

The funds received from the sale of stamps under this subchapter by the Department of the Interior shall be deposited in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund in accordance with section 718d of this title.

(3) Minimum and maximum values

Except as provided in subsection (b), the Postal Service shall collect the full face value of each stamp sold under this section for the applicable hunting year.

(4) Validity

No stamp sold under this subchapter shall be valid under any circumstances to authorize the taking of migratory waterfowl except—

(A) in compliance with Federal and State laws (including regulations);

(B) on the condition that the individual so taking the waterfowl wrote the signature of the individual in ink across the face of the stamp prior to the taking; and

(C) during the hunting year for which the stamp was issued.

(5) Unused stamps

(A) Definition of retail dealer

In this paragraph, the term “retail dealer” means—

(i) any individual or entity that is regularly engaged in the business of retailing hunting or fishing equipment; and

(ii) any individual or entity duly authorized to act as an agent of a State or political subdivision of a State for the sale of State or county hunting or fishing licenses.

(B) Redemption of unused stamps

The Department of the Interior, pursuant to regulations promulgated by the Secretary, shall provide for the redemption, on or before the 30th day of June of each year, of unused stamps issued for the year under this subchapter that—

(i) were sold on consignment to any person authorized by the Secretary to sell stamps on consignment (including retail dealers for resale to customers); and

(ii) have not been resold by any such person.

(6) Prohibition on certain stamp sales

The Postal Service shall not—

(A) sell on consignment any stamps issued under this subchapter to any individual, business, or organization; or

(B) redeem stamps issued under this subchapter that are sold on consignment by the Secretary (or any agent of the Secretary).

(b) Cost of stamps

The Postal Service shall collect $10.00 for each stamp sold under the provisions of this section for hunting years 1987 and 1988, $12.50 for hunting years 1989 and 1990, $15.00 for hunting years 1991 through 2013, and $25 for each hunting year thereafter, if the Secretary determines, at any time before February 1 of the calendar year in which such hunting year begins, that all sums in the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund available for obligation and attributable to—

(1) amounts appropriated pursuant to this subchapter for the fiscal year ending in the immediately preceding calendar year; and

(2) the sale of stamps under this section during such fiscal year


have been obligated for expenditure.

(c) Reduction in price of stamp

Terms Used In 16 USC 718b

  • county: includes a parish, or any other equivalent subdivision of a State or Territory of the United States. See 1 USC 2
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7

The Secretary may reduce the price of each stamp sold under the provisions of this section for a hunting year if the Secretary determines that the increase in the price of the stamp after hunting year 2013 resulted in a reduction in revenues deposited into the fund.