Title 18, Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-102
§3615 Criminal Default
Title 18 › PART II — CRIMINAL PROCEDURE › CHAPTER 229 — POSTSENTENCE ADMINISTRATION › SUBCHAPTER B — FINES › § 3615
Summary
If someone is ordered to pay a fine and on purpose does not pay it, they can be fined up to twice the unpaid amount or $10,000 (whichever is larger), jailed for up to one year, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §3615
Crimes and Criminal Procedure, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever, having been sentenced to pay a fine, willfully fails to pay the fine, shall be fined not more than twice the amount of the unpaid balance of the fine or $10,000, whichever is greater, imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Prior Provisions
For prior sections 3615 to 3620, applicable to offenses committed prior to Nov. 1, 1987, see note set out preceding section 3601 of this title.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section effective Nov. 1, 1987, and applicable only to offenses committed after the taking effect of this section, see section 235(a)(1) of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as a note under section 3551 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 3615
Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102