# Penalty for the misuse of words, symbols, or emblems in communications in a manner in which a person could falsely construe that such item is approved, endorsed, or authorized by HHS — Federal civil penalty maximums — current inflation-adjusted amounts across agencies

For Penalty for the misuse of words, symbols, or emblems in communications in a manner in which a person could falsely construe that such item is approved, endorsed, or authorized by HHS, agency is HHS; statutory authority is 1320b-10(b)(1); maximum penalty is 13,132, recorded from its source on 2026-08-10.

- **Agency:** HHS _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Violation:** Penalty for the misuse of words, symbols, or emblems in communications in a manner in which a person could falsely construe that such item is approved, endorsed, or authorized by HHS _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Statutory authority:** 1320b-10(b)(1) _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Maximum penalty:** 13,132 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> 1320b-10(b)(1) | <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-42/section-1003.610#p-1003.610(a)> 42 CFR 1003.610(a) | OIG | Penalty for the misuse of words, symbols, or emblems in communications in a manner in which a person could falsely construe that such item is approved, endorsed, or authorized by HHS | 2024 | 12,799 | 13,132

## Source

- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-102/section-102.3

Last verified: 2026-08-10. Review by: 2027-02-26.
Part of [Federal civil penalty maximums — current inflation-adjusted amounts across agencies](https://referencesource.org/federal-civil-penalty-maximums/).