OSHA Penalty Amounts 2026: Maximum Fines, Calculation Methods, and What Employers Pay

OSHA Penalty Amounts for 2026

OSHA adjusts its civil penalty amounts every January to account for inflation. For violations occurring after January 15, 2026, the maximum penalty amounts are the highest in the agency’s history.

How OSHA Calculates Actual Penalties

The maximum penalty amounts are just that—maximums. The actual penalty depends on several adjustment factors.

• Employer size: Reductions of 10–60% for small employers (under 250 employees)
• Good faith: Up to 25% reduction for employers with effective safety programs
• History: No reduction—or increase—based on prior inspection history
• Ability to pay: Potential reduction if the penalty would cause financial hardship

Willful Violations: Where Penalties Become Severe

Willful violations carry penalties up to $161,323 per violation with no reduction for size or good faith. Multiple willful violations from a single inspection can easily reach seven figures.

Based on our data, over 53,000 willful violations have been recorded across all OSHA inspections. Willful violations also carry criminal implications: if a willful violation results in a worker death, the employer can face criminal prosecution.

Repeat Violations: The Multiplier Effect

Repeat violations occur when an employer is cited for the same violation within five years. Our analysis of 5.1 million OSHA inspections shows over 276,000 repeat citations.

This is where cross-agency data becomes critical. An employer with repeat OSHA violations is also significantly more likely to have DOL Wage and Hour violations and NLRB charges.

How to Look Up OSHA Penalties for Any Employer

OSHA penalty records are public. LaborAudit’s employer lookup provides a unified view across all federal enforcement agencies.

For the complete list of most-cited standards, see: OSHA Top 10 Most Cited Violations 2025–2026.