Civil Monetary Penalty Inflation Adjustment
Published Date: 1/15/2025
Rule
Summary
The Department of Defense is raising its civil penalty fines to keep up with inflation, making sure the penalties stay fair and effective. This change affects anyone who might face DoD fines and kicks in starting January 15, 2025. Penalties will be adjusted yearly based on the cost of living, so the fines won’t lose their punch over time.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
DoD civil penalties rise with CPI
If you could be fined by the Department of Defense, the maximum civil monetary penalties it can assess were increased using an OMB multiplier of 1.02598 and are effective January 15, 2025. DoD will adjust its penalties each year by the October-to-October Consumer Price Index (CPI) change and round to the nearest dollar, with the annual adjustment required by January 15 each year.
Higher penalties for health-care false claims
If you submit or are involved in false claims related to health-care programs that fall under 42 U.S.C. 1320a-7a, several maximum penalties increased effective January 15, 2025 — for example, some penalty maxima rose from $124,731 to $127,972 and several from $24,946 to $25,594. These adjusted maxima apply to CMPs assessed by the DoD after the effective date.
Unauthorized activities penalty increased
The maximum penalty for 'Unauthorized Activities Directed at or Possession of Sunken Military Craft' under the National Defense Authorization Act note increased from $161,168 to $165,355, effective January 15, 2025. That new maximum applies to DoD-assessed penalties after the effective date.
Higher fines for wrongful medical-record disclosures
Penalties for wrongful disclosure of medical records under 10 U.S.C. 1102(k) increased effective January 15, 2025 — first-offense maximum rose from $8,368 to $8,586 and subsequent-offense maximum rose from $55,788 to $57,237. The adjusted amounts apply to penalties assessed by DoD after the effective date.
Personalized for You
How does this regulation affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this federal register document means for your household, plus every other regulation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Key Dates
Related Federal Register Documents
2026-17116, Modifications to the Regulations Implementing the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as Amended
The U.S. Department of Labor publishes this final rule to revise its implementing regulations for the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, as amended (VEVRAA). These revisions will align the regulations with Executive Order 14173 and remove the VEVRAA regulations' cross-references to the Executive Order 11246 authority. Executive Order 11246 was revoked by Executive Order 14173 on January 21, 2025. This final rule also makes technical revisions to update the VEVRAA regulations' jurisdictional thresholds, which were adjusted for inflation by the Federal Acquisition Regulation Council on October 1, 2025.
2026-17115, Modifications to the Regulations Implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended
The U.S. Department of Labor is revising its implementing regulations for Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 503). The revisions align the regulations with applicable law and recent executive orders, including Executive Order 14173, "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity," and Executive Order 14219, "Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President's `Department of Government Efficiency' Deregulatory Initiative."
2026-17114, Rescission of Executive Order 11246 Implementing Regulations
On January 21, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14173, "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity," which revoked Executive Order 11246. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Labor publishes this final rule to rescind the implementing regulations for Executive Order 11246.
2026-17088, Carboxin; Pesticide Tolerances
This regulation establishes tolerances for residues of carboxin in or on multiple crops that are discussed later in this document. Under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), UPL Delaware Inc. submitted a petition to EPA requesting that EPA establish a maximum permissible level for residues of this pesticide in or on the identified commodities.
2026-17120, Fisheries of the South Atlantic; 2026 Commercial Closure of Red Snapper in the South Atlantic
NMFS implements an accountability measure for red snapper in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS projects that commercial landings of red snapper will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2026 fishing year. Therefore, NMFS is closing the commercial sector for red snapper in the South Atlantic EEZ. This closure is necessary to protect the red snapper resource.
2026-17113, Fisheries of the South Atlantic; Commercial Closure for Blueline Tilefish in the South Atlantic
NMFS implements an accountability measure for the commercial harvest of blueline tilefish in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the South Atlantic. NMFS estimates that commercial landings of blueline tilefish will reach the commercial annual catch limit (ACL) for the 2026 fishing year. Accordingly, NMFS closes the commercial sector of blueline tilefish in the South Atlantic EEZ to protect the blueline tilefish resource from overfishing.
Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2025-00709, Federal Acknowledgment of American Indian Tribes
The Department of the Interior just updated the rules for recognizing American Indian Tribes. Now, tribes that were denied before get a special, limited chance to try again for federal acknowledgment starting February 14, 2025. This change affects tribes seeking official recognition and could open doors to new opportunities and funding.
Next: 2025-00724, Income-Contingent Repayment Plan Options
If you have federal student loans, good news! The deadline to join Income-Contingent Repayment plans like ICR, PAYE, REPAYE, or SAVE just got pushed from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2027. This gives you more time to pick a plan that fits your income while the Department of Education updates the rules, with changes kicking in July 1, 2026.