29 USC § 1851 - Criminal sanctions

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t29/s1851"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "29 USC § 1851 - Criminal sanctions"
title_number: 29
title_name: "LABOR"
section_number: "1851"
section_name: "Criminal sanctions"
chapter_number: 20
chapter_name: "MIGRANT AND SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORKER PROTECTION"
subchapter_number: "V"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS"
part_number: "A"
part_name: "Enforcement Provisions"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 97–470, title V, § 501, Jan. 14, 1983, 96 Stat. 2596; Pub. L. 99–603, title I, § 101(b)(1)(D), Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3372.)"
---


# § 1851. Criminal sanctions

**(a)** **Violations of chapter or regulations** Any person who willfully and knowingly violates this chapter or any regulation under this chapter shall be fined not more than $1,000 or sentenced to prison for a term not to exceed one year, or both. Upon conviction for any subsequent violation of this chapter or any regulation under this chapter, the defendant shall be fined not more than $10,000 or sentenced to prison for a term not to exceed three years, or both.

**(b)** **Violations of section 1324a(a) of title 8** section 1324a(a) of title 8

If a farm labor contractor who commits a violation of paragraph (1) or (2) of  has been refused issuance or renewal of, or has failed to obtain, a certificate of registration or is a farm labor contractor whose certificate has been suspended or revoked, the contractor shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $10,000 or sentenced to prison for a term not to exceed three years, or both.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 97–470, title V, § 501, Jan. 14, 1983, 96 Stat. 2596; Pub. L. 99–603, title I, § 101(b)(1)(D), Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3372.)

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1986—Subsec. (b).  substituted “paragraph (1) or (2) of ” for “”.

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Amendment by  applicable to employment, recruitment, referral, or utilization of services of an individual occurring on or after first day of seventh month beginning after , see , as amended, set out as a note under .

### Effective Date

Section effective 90 days from , see , set out as a note under .