Title 29, LaborRelease 119-102
§1131 Criminal Penalties
Title 29 › CHAPTER 18 — EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY PROGRAM › SUBCHAPTER I — PROTECTION OF EMPLOYEE BENEFIT RIGHTS › Subtitle B — Regulatory Provisions › part 5 — administration and enforcement › § 1131
Summary
Breaking part 1 rules or orders intentionally can mean a fine up to $100,000 (or $500,000 for non‑individuals) and/or up to 10 years; breaking section 1149 can mean up to 10 years, a Title 18 fine, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 29, §1131
Labor, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Any person who willfully violates any provision of part 1 of this subtitle, or any regulation or order issued under any such provision, shall upon conviction be fined not more than $100,000 or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both; except that in the case of such violation by a person not an individual, the fine imposed upon such person shall be a fine not exceeding $500,000.
(b)Any person that violates section 1149 of this title shall upon conviction be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined under title 18, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2010—Pub. L. 111–148 designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and added subsec. (b). 2002—Pub. L. 107–204 substituted “$100,000” for “$5,000”, “10 years” for “one year”, and “$500,000” for “$100,000”.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Regulations
Secretary authorized, effective Sept. 2, 1974, to promulgate
Regulations
wherever provisions of this subchapter call for the promulgation of
Regulations
, see section 1031 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
29 U.S.C. § 1131
Title 29, Labor
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102