Except to the extent that Department facilities or activities of the types subject to licensing pursuant to section 202 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 are involved, any prime contractor of the Department is exempt from the requirements for a license set forth in section 53 of the Act and from the regulations in this part to the extent that such contractor, under his prime contract with the Department receives title to, owns, acquires, delivers, receives, possesses, uses, or transfers special nuclear material for:

(a) The performance of work for the Department at a United States Government-owned or controlled site, including the transportation of special nuclear material to or from such site and the performance of contract services during temporary interruptions of such transportation; (b) research in, or development, manufacture, storage, testing or transportation of, atomic weapons or components thereof; or (c) the use or operation of nuclear reactors or other nuclear devices in a United States Government-owned vehicle or vessel. In addition to the foregoing exemptions, and subject to the requirement for licensing of Department facilities and activities pursuant to section 202 of the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974, any prime contractor or subcontractor of the Department or the Commission is exempt from the requirements for a license set forth in section 53 of the Act and from the regulations in this part to the extent that such prime contractor or subcontractor receives title to, owns, acquires, delivers, receives, possesses, uses, or transfers special nuclear material under his prime contract or subcontract when the Commission determines that the exemption of the prime contractor or subcontractor is authorized by law; and that, under the terms of the contract or subcontract there is adequate assurance that the work thereunder can be accomplished without undue risk to the public health and safety.

Common and contract carriers, freight forwarders, warehousemen, and the U.S. Postal Service are exempt from the regulations in this part to the extent that they transport special nuclear material in the regular course of carriage for another or storage incident thereto. This exemption does not apply to the storage in transit or transport of material by persons covered by the general license issued under § 70.20a and § 70.20b.

The regulations in this part do not apply to the Department of Defense to the extent that the Department receives, possesses and uses special nuclear material in accordance with the direction of the President pursuant to section 91 of the Act.

The regulations in this part do not apply to persons who carry special nuclear material (other than plutonium) in aircraft of the armed forces of foreign nations subject to 49 U.S.C. 40103(d).

(a) The Commission may, upon application of any interested person or upon its own initiative, grant such exemptions from the requirements of the regulations in this part as it determines are authorized by law and will not endanger life or property or the common defense and security and are otherwise in the public interest.

(b) [Reserved]

(c) The DOE is exempt from the requirements of the regulations in this part to the extent that its activities are subject to the requirements of part 60 or part 63 of this chapter.

(d) Except as specifically provided in part 61 of this chapter, any licensee is exempt from the requirements of the regulations in this part to the extent that its activities are subject to the requirements of part 61 of this chapter.