---
kind: "section"
citation: "40 U.S.C. § 6137"
title: "40"
title_heading: "Public Buildings, Property, and Works"
number: "6137"
heading: "Penalties"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/40/6137"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — Public Buildings and Works"
  - "Part C — Federal Building Complexes"
  - "Chapter 61 — United States Supreme Court Building and Grounds"
  - "Subchapter IV — Prohibitions and Penalties"
---

# §6137. Penalties

- (a) **In General.—** An individual who violates this subchapter, or a regulation prescribed under [section 6102 of this title](/usc/40/6102.md), shall be fined under [title 18](/usc/18.md), imprisoned not more than 60 days, or both.
- (b) **Venue and Procedure.—** Prosecution for a violation described in [subsection (a)](#a) shall be in the [United States](/usc/40/3301.md?p=a-6) District Court for the District of Columbia or in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, on information by the [United States](/usc/40/3301.md?p=a-6) Attorney or an Assistant [United States](/usc/40/3301.md?p=a-6) Attorney.
- (c) **Offenses Involving Property Damage Over $100.—** If during the [commission](/usc/40/15101.md?p=1) of a violation described in [subsection (a)](#a), public [property](/usc/40/102.md?p=9) is damaged in an amount exceeding $100, the period of imprisonment for the offense may be not more than five years.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–217, Aug. 21, 2002, 116 Stat. 1183; Pub. L. 108–356, § 2, Oct. 21, 2004, 118 Stat. 1416.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 6137 | 40:13m. | Aug. 18, 1949, ch. 479, § 8, 63 Stat. 617. |

In subsection (a), the words “fined under title 18” are substituted for “fined not more than $100” for consistency with chapter 227 of title 18.

In subsection (b), the words “Superior Court of the District of Columbia” are substituted for “Municipal Court for the District of Columbia” [subsequently changed to “District of Columbia Court of General Sessions” because of sections 1 and 7 of the Act of July 8, 1963 (Public Law 88–60, 77 Stat. 77, 78)] because of section 155(a) of the District of Columbia Court Reorganization Act of 1970 (Public Law 91–358, 85 Stat. 570).

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2004—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–356 added subsec. (b) and struck out heading and text of former subsec. (b). Text read as follows: “Prosecution for a violation described in subsection (a) shall be in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, on information by the United States Attorney or an Assistant United States Attorney.”