DOJ Civil Penalties Remain Unchanged for 2026

You might care about this because the Department of Justice announced that civil monetary penalties will not increase for the 2026 calendar year. This means the dollar amounts for fines and penalties collected by the DOJ will stay at their 2025 levels. By law, the Department of Justice usually has to update its regulations each year to adjust civil monetary penalties for inflation. This is done to make sure the penalty amounts keep their value over time. The Federal Civil Monetary Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 set out these requirements. These laws tell agencies to adjust penalties every January 15 based on inflation from the previous year. The Department has followed this process in prior years, such as adjusting for 2025 based on 2024 inflation. However, for 2026, the situation is different, and no such increases will occur. What is particularly interesting about this announcement is the specific reason why there will be no adjustment. The annual inflation update for civil penalties depends on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data is specifically gathered in October of the prior year. However, because of a lapse in government funding between October and November 2025, the Bureau of Labor Statistics could not produce the necessary October 2025 data. The law that guides these adjustments does not offer an alternative way to calculate new penalty amounts if this specific data is missing. As a result, the Office of Management and Budget informed all agencies that the penalty inflation adjustment for 2026 was canceled. They instructed agencies, including the Department of Justice, to keep using the 2025 civil monetary penalty levels. This highlights how a disruption in data collection can affect routine government processes that impact many people. Anyone who could potentially face civil monetary penalties from the Department of Justice would be most interested in this document. This includes various businesses and individuals who operate in areas where federal fines might apply. For example, companies needing to stay compliant with federal regulations should know that penalty amounts are stable for 2026. Legal professionals, like lawyers and compliance officers, will also find this information important for advising their clients. Additionally, those who monitor government activities and regulatory enforcement may be interested in understanding the operational reasons behind this decision. Essentially, if you or your organization are subject to federal civil penalties, knowing that these amounts will not change this year is relevant.