49 U.S.C. § 32507 — Penalties and enforcement

(a) Civil penalty. (1) Anyone who violates section 32506(a) owes the U.S. government a civil penalty of up to $1,000 per violation. Each vehicle or piece of equipment involved in a violation of section 32506(a)(1) or (4) — meaning it doesn't meet the standard, or its certificate is missing, false, or misleading — counts as its own separate violation. (2) The total penalty for a related series of violations cannot exceed $800,000. (3) The Secretary of Transportation sets the civil penalty. The Attorney General, or the Secretary with the Attorney General's agreement, must sue in U.S. district court to collect it. (b) Criminal penalty. Anyone who knowingly and willfully violates section 32506(a)(1) after the Secretary has warned them of noncompliance can be fined under title 18 and imprisoned for up to one year, or both. If the violator is a corporation, the same penalties apply to any director, officer, or agent who — knowing about the Secretary's notice — knowingly and willfully authorizes, orders, or carries out any part of the violation. (c) Civil actions to enforce. (1) The Secretary or the Attorney General may sue in U.S. district court to stop a violation of this chapter, or to stop the sale, shipment, or import of a vehicle or equipment found — before its first good-faith purchase for reasons other than resale — not to meet a standard under section 32502. (2) Whenever practical, before suing, the Secretary should (A) notify the person the government plans to sue, (B) let them present their views, and (C) — except for a knowing and willful violation — give them a fair chance to comply. (3) But if the Secretary skips these steps, a court can still grant relief anyway. (d) Jury trial demand. If someone is tried for criminal contempt of an injunction issued under subsection (c), and that violation also breaks this chapter, the defendant can demand a jury trial. The trial follows Rule 42(b) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. (e) Venue. A lawsuit under subsection (a) or (c) can be filed where the violation happened or where the defendant is found, lives, or does business. Court papers and any witness subpoena can be served in any judicial district.