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49 CFR § 217.5 - Penalty.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t49/s217.5"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "49 CFR § 217.5 - Penalty."
title_number: 49
title_name: "Transportation"
section_number: "217.5"
section_name: "Penalty."
chapter_name: "FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
part_number: "217"
part_name: "RAILROAD OPERATING RULES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "49 U.S.C. 20103, 20107, 20168, 28 U.S.C. 2461, note; and 49 CFR 1.89."
regulatory_source: "39 FR 41176, Nov. 25, 1974, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "217"
---

# 217.5 Penalty.

(a) Any person (an entity of any type covered under 49 U.S.C. 21301, including but not limited to the following: a railroad; a manager, supervisor, official, or other employee or agent of a railroad; any owner, manufacturer, lessor, or lessee of railroad equipment, track, or facilities; any independent contractor providing goods or services to a railroad; and any employee of such owner, manufacturer, lessor, lessee, or independent contractor) who violates any requirement of this part or causes the violation of any such requirement is subject to a civil penalty of at least the minimum civil monetary penalty and not more than the ordinary maximum civil monetary penalty per violation, except that: Penalties may be assessed against individuals only for willful violations, and, a penalty not to exceed the aggravated maximum civil monetary penalty per violation may be assessed, where:

(1) A grossly negligent violation, or a pattern of repeated violations, has created an imminent hazard of death or injury to persons; or

(2) A death or injury has occurred. See 49 CFR part 209, appendix A.

(b) Each day a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. See FRA's website at *https://railroads.dot.gov/* for a statement of agency civil penalty policy.

[53 FR 28599, July 28, 1988]

For  citations affecting § 217.5, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at