Citations and Penalties
OSHA may also assess penalties to employers for the following:
- Failure to Abate: OSHA may also propose an additional penalty of up to $16,550 for each day an employer fails to correct a previously cited violation beyond the required date.
- Falsifying Information: knowingly falsifying information in any application, record, report, plan, or other required document is a criminal offense. Upon conviction, the penalties can include a fine of up to $10,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.
- Violation of Posting: The employer has to post citations and abatement verification for three days or until the hazard is corrected. The posting has to be near the violation or at a central location. Failure to follow these instructions can result in a penalty of up to $16,550 for each violation.
Below are the penalty amounts for 2025:
| Type of Violation | Penalty Minimum | Penalty Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | $1,221** per violation | $16,550 per violation |
| Other-Than-Serious | $0 per violation | $16,550 per violation |
| Willful or Repeated | $11,823* per violation | $165,514 per violation |
| Posting Requirements | $0 per violation | $16,550 per violation |
| Failure to Abate | N/A | $16,550 per day unabated beyond the abatement date [generally limited to 30 days maximum] |
| *For a repeated other-than-serious violation that otherwise would have no initial penalty, a GBP penalty of $472 shall be proposed for the first repeated violation, $1,182 for the second repeated violation, and $2,364 for a third repetition. | ||
| **This amount reflects the actual minimum penalty with all penalty reductions which rectifies error in the previous years' serious minimum penalty posted. | ||
For more information on OSHA Penalties, see 2025 Annual Adjustments to OSHA Civil Penalties
For more information on memos and other important enforcement topics see the OSHA Enforcement Memos website.
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5-7. When may OSHA citations result in a fine or jail?
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