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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>57775</law_id><section_number>9.1-216</section_number><catch_line>Enforcement; civil penalties</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="9.1">Commonwealth Public Safety</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="2.1">Reduced Cigarette Ignition Propensity</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> A <span class="dictionary">manufacturer</span> or other person who knowingly sells or offers for sale cigarettes other than by retail sale in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Testing and certification of cigarettes" href="/9.1-210/">9.1-210</a> shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> not exceeding $100 for each such pack of cigarettes sold or offered for sale, provided that in no case shall the civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> assessed against any such person exceed $100,000 for sales or offers for sale during any 30-day period. <a id="paragraph-211593" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-216/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A <span class="dictionary">retailer</span> who knowingly sells cigarettes in violation of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Testing and certification of cigarettes" href="/9.1-210/">9.1-210</a> shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> not exceeding $100 for each pack of such cigarettes sold or offered for sale, provided that in no case shall the civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> assessed against any <span class="dictionary">retailer</span> exceed $25,000 for sales or offers for sale during any 30-day period. <a id="paragraph-211594" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-216/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person who violates any other provision of this chapter shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of not more than $1,000 for the first violation. The civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> for each subsequent violation shall not exceed $5,000. <a id="paragraph-211595" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-216/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> A <span class="dictionary">manufacturer</span> who knowingly makes a false certification under &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Certification of cigarette testing" href="/9.1-211/">9.1-211</a> shall be subject to a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> of at least $75,000 and not exceeding $250,000 for each false certification. <a id="paragraph-211596" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-216/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> A civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> may be assessed by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> only after the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> has consulted with the State Fire Marshal and has given the <span class="dictionary">manufacturer</span> charged with making such a false certification an opportunity for a public <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>. Where such a public <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> has been held, the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> shall make <span class="dictionary">findings</span> of <span class="dictionary">fact</span> and <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a written decision as to the occurrence of the violation and the amount of the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> that is warranted, incorporating, when appropriate, an <span class="dictionary">order</span> therein requiring that the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> be paid. Any <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> under this section shall be a formal adjudicatory <span class="dictionary">hearing</span> in accordance with the Administrative Process Act (&#xA7; <a class="law" title="Short title; purpose" href="/2.2-4000/">2.2-4000</a> et seq.). When the person charged with such a violation fails to avail himself of the opportunity for a public <span class="dictionary">hearing</span>, a civil <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> shall be assessed by the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> after the <span class="dictionary">Director</span> determines that a violation has occurred and the amount of the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> is warranted and <span class="dictionary">issues</span> an <span class="dictionary">order</span> requiring that the <span class="dictionary">penalty</span> be paid. <a id="paragraph-211597" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-216/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Director</span> may collect civil penalties that are owed in the same manner as provided by <span class="dictionary">law</span> in respect to <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of record. Such civil penalties shall be paid into the Cigarette Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act Fund referenced in subsection F of &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Certification of cigarette testing" href="/9.1-211/">9.1-211</a> and used in carrying out the purposes of this chapter. <a id="paragraph-211598" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-216/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2014, cc. 370, 418.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
