48 CFR § 31.205-15 - 31.205-15 Fines, penalties, and mischarging costs.
---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t48/s31.205-15"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "48 CFR § 31.205-15 - 31.205-15 Fines, penalties, and mischarging costs."
title_number: 48
title_name: "Federal Acquisition Regulations System"
section_number: "31.205-15"
section_name: "31.205-15 Fines, penalties, and mischarging costs."
chapter_number: 1
chapter_name: "FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION"
subchapter_number: "E"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS"
part_number: "31"
part_name: "CONTRACT COST PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "40 U.S.C. 121(c); 10 U.S.C. chapter 4 and 10 U.S.C. chapter 137 legacy provisions (see 10 U.S.C. 3016); and 51 U.S.C. 20113."
regulatory_source: "48 FR 42301, Sept. 19, 1983, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "31"
---
# 31.205-15 31.205-15 Fines, penalties, and mischarging costs.
(a) Costs of fines and penalties resulting from violations of, or failure of the contractor to comply with, Federal, State, local, or foreign laws and regulations, are unallowable except when incurred as a result of compliance with specific terms and conditions of the contract or written instructions from the contracting officer.
(b) Costs incurred in connection with, or related to, the mischarging of costs on Government contracts are unallowable when the costs are caused by, or result from, alteration or destruction of records, or other false or improper charging or recording of costs. Such costs include those incurred to measure or otherwise determine the magnitude of the improper charging, and costs incurred to remedy or correct the mischarging, such as costs to rescreen and reconstruct records.
[51 FR 12301, Apr. 9, 1986, as amended at 54 FR 13024, Mar. 29, 1989; 55 FR 52793, Dec. 21, 1990]