---
type: "LegalText"
title: "33 U.S.C. § 2609"
description: "Penalties"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 33
title_name: "NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS"
chapter_number: "39"
chapter_name: "SHORE PROTECTION FROM MUNICIPAL OR COMMERCIAL WASTE"
section: "2609"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 2609"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc33@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t33/s2609"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-33/usc33.xml"
source_hash: "29f4faed89fbc9dca4faf285ead49a4cca64d0fb4b43d95b875b73ed0f516f26"
raw_snapshot_hash: "de3d130b31eae77f8c0fc593f61b7287899297718d678d500eea123559828523"
text_hash: "37fd539e71ae82219ebaa1a2993ad61b3fcf96511cf776e4a04adc9506230309"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 33 U.S.C. § 2609 - Penalties

## Text

(a) General penalty Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a person violating this chapter is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $25,000. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation. A vessel involved in the violation also is liable in rem for the penalty.

(b) Operating without a permit A person violating section 2602 of this title is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $10,000. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation. A vessel involved in the violation also is liable in rem for the penalty.

(c) Criminal penalty Any person that knowingly violates, or that knowingly aids, abets, authorizes, or instigates a violation of this chapter, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 3 years, or both.

(d) Payments for information The court, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Administrator, as the case may be, may pay up to one-half of a fine or penalty to any person giving information leading to the assessment of the fine or penalty.

(Pub. L. 100–688, title IV, § 4109, Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4158.)