---
kind: "section"
citation: "49 U.S.C. § 14903"
title: "49"
title_heading: "Transportation"
number: "14903"
heading: "Tariff violations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/49/14903"
units:
  - "Subtitle IV — Interstate Transportation"
  - "Part B — Motor Carriers, Water Carriers, Brokers, and Freight Forwarders"
  - "Chapter 149 — Civil and Criminal Penalties"
---

# §14903. Tariff violations

- (a) **Civil Penalty for Undercharging and Overcharging.—** A [person](/usc/49/13102.md?p=18) that offers, grants, gives, solicits, accepts, or receives by any means [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) or service provided for property by a [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) subject to jurisdiction under [chapter 135](/usc/49/chstIV/ptB/ch135.md) at a [rate](/usc/49/10102.md?p=7) different than the [rate](/usc/49/10102.md?p=7) in effect under [section 13702](/usc/49/13702.md) is liable to the [United States](/usc/49/10102.md?p=10) for a civil penalty of not more than $100,000 for each violation.
- (b) **General Criminal Penalty.—** A [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) providing [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) or service subject to jurisdiction under [chapter 135](/usc/49/chstIV/ptB/ch135.md) or an officer, director, receiver, trustee, lessee, agent, or employee of a corporation that is subject to jurisdiction under that chapter, that willfully does not observe its tariffs as required under [section 13702](/usc/49/13702.md), shall be fined under [title 18](/usc/18.md) or imprisoned not more than 2 years, or both.
- (c) **Actions of Agents and Employees.—** When acting in the scope of their employment, the actions and omissions of [persons](/usc/49/13102.md?p=18) acting for or employed by a [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) or shipper that is subject to this section are considered to be the actions and omissions of that [carrier](/usc/49/13102.md?p=3) or shipper as well as that [person](/usc/49/13102.md?p=18).
- (d) **Venue.—** Trial in a criminal action under this section is in the judicial district in which any part of the violation is committed or through which the [transportation](/usc/49/10102.md?p=9) is conducted.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 104–88, title I, § 103, Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 915; amended Pub. L. 105–102, § 2(12), Nov. 20, 1997, 111 Stat. 2205.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

### Pub. L. 105–102

This amends 49:14903(a) to correct a grammatical error.

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 11903 of this title prior to the general amendment of this subtitle by Pub. L. 104–88, § 102(a).

### Amendments

1997—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–102 inserted “a” before “civil penalty of not more than”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective Jan. 1, 1996, except as otherwise provided in Pub. L. 104–88, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as a note under section 1301 of this title.