Civil Penalties From a Licensing Board
A Penalty Is Part of the Record
A civil penalty is a money sanction imposed by a licensing board or by the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs. It can come from a citation issued after an inspection, or as part of a board order or consent agreement that ends a disciplinary case. Either way, it is discipline, and paying it is not the same as making it go away.
When a citation or an order with a civil penalty arrives:
- Note the date the citation was issued: the response is due within 10 days
- Decide whether to admit and pay or deny and request a hearing
- Read the order for the amount, the costs and the payment terms
- Pay by the method and to the payee the citation or order directs
- Keep proof of every payment and every letter
- Never let a payment deadline pass without a plan
- Speak with a licensing lawyer before you plead or pay
Citations and the Penalty Schedule
The Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs has adopted a schedule of civil penalties for operating without a current license and for certain violations relating to the conduct or operation of a licensed business or facility. Bureau agents may issue citations under that schedule, and a scheduled penalty may not exceed $1,000 per violation. The schedule applies to a board’s disciplinary matters only if that board has approved it, so the penalties differ from board to board.
Within 10 days of the date a citation is issued, the licensee must either admit the violation and pay, or deny it and request a hearing. No response within 10 days will result in a default judgment for the full amount and may result in additional disciplinary action. Citation hearings are held before a hearing examiner, and if a violation is found the examiner must impose the full amount charged in the citation. Either party may then file an application for review with the board within 20 days of the mailing date of the order.
Board Penalties and Unpaid Amounts
Outside the citation schedule, a board may impose larger penalties in a formal disciplinary case, and the law gives the boards strong tools to collect them.
Up to $10,000 per Violation
A board may levy a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 per violation of its licensing act or regulations, and may impose discipline, including such a penalty, for violating one of its own disciplinary orders.
Costs of Investigation
A board may also assess the costs of the investigation underlying the case as part of the sanction, though not costs incurred after formal charges are filed.
If It Goes Unpaid
A board may deny, suspend or revoke a license for failure to pay any penalty, fee, interest or cost. The unpaid amount is also a judgment that can be entered in the county court and become a lien on real and personal property.
Questions Licensees Ask
What is the most a board can fine me?
Under the law that governs the licensing boards in the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, a board may levy a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 per violation of its licensing act or regulations. A penalty under the citation schedule may not exceed $1,000 per violation. Some practice acts contain their own penalty provisions as well.
How long do I have to respond to a citation?
Within 10 days of the date the citation is issued, the licensee must either admit the violation and pay the civil penalty, or deny the violation and request a hearing. Failing to respond within 10 days will result in a default judgment for the full amount and may result in additional disciplinary action.
Can the board make me pay for the investigation?
Yes. As part of the sanction, a board may assess the costs of the investigation underlying the disciplinary action against a licensee found in violation. Those costs do not include costs incurred after formal charges are filed.
What happens if I do not pay?
A board may deny, suspend or revoke a license for failure to pay any penalty, fee, interest or cost assessed in a disciplinary proceeding. The unpaid amount is also a judgment in favor of the Bureau that the Attorney General is responsible for enforcing.
Can an unpaid penalty become a lien on my property?
Yes. A civil penalty, with any associated fee, interest or cost, is a judgment upon the person and the person’s real and personal property, including after-acquired property. If $1,000 or more is unpaid, the board may, within 60 months of the final disposition, send the order to the prothonotary of the county court for entry as a judgment, even if the order allowed installments. The lien keeps its priority indefinitely.
Can a civil penalty be removed from my record?
Only in limited cases. Discipline for failing to complete continuing education, for practicing six months or less on a lapsed license, or for another violation listed in the schedule of civil penalties may be expunged on written application made no earlier than five years after the final disposition, if it is the licensee’s only disciplinary record, no investigation is active, any fees or fines are paid in full and no record was expunged before. Other discipline is not eligible.
Meet Your Attorney
Steven A. Mimm, Esq.
Founder, Mimm Law, LLC. Admitted in Pennsylvania (2008) and New Jersey (2022).
From 2014 to 2022, Attorney Steven A. Mimm served as a prosecuting attorney bringing disciplinary actions on behalf of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs before Pennsylvania's licensing boards. That experience informs how the firm evaluates evidence, negotiates with the Commonwealth and prepares cases for hearing. Where a licensee also faces criminal charges, the firm handles the licensing matter and coordinates with the licensee's criminal defense counsel.
Related: Licensing and FAQs · All Licensing Boards
Related situations: Got a Letter From the Board? · Consent Agreements · Answering an Order to Show Cause · Continuing Education Audits · Getting a License Back
Last reviewed October 2026. The information on this page is general in nature and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.