What is the Small Business Enforcement Policy?
16 C.F.R. § 1020.5
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01(a) When appropriate, the Commission will, subject to all applicable statutes and regulations and paragraph (b) of this section:
(1) Waive or reduce civil penalties for violations of a statutory or regulatory requirement by a small business and/or
(2) Consider a small business's ability to pay in determining a penalty assessment against that small business,
(b) The Commission may decline to waive civil penalties or consider a small business's ability to pay, under paragraph (a) of this section, when one or more of the following circumstances applies:
(1) The small business's violations posed serious health or safety threats.
(2) The small business was subject to multiple enforcement actions by the Commission.
(3) The small business's violations involved willful or criminal conduct.
(4) The small business failed to correct violations within a reasonable time.
(5) The small business failed to make a good faith effort to comply with the law.
(6) The small business acted in any other way that would make it unfair or inappropriate for the Commission to provide a benefit under paragraph (a) of this section.
Source: eCFRURL: https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2024-07-01/title-16.xmlFetched: 7/26/2026