(a)For an alleged violation that does not have a direct or substantial impact on safety, the Associate Administrator may issue a ticket.
(b)The Associate Administrator issues a ticket by mailing it by certified or registered mail to the person alleged to have committed the violation. The ticket includes:
(1)A statement of the facts on which the Associate Administrator bases the conclusion that the person has committed the alleged violation;
(2)The maximum penalty provided for by statute, the proposed full penalty determined according to PHMSA's civil penalty guidelines and the statutory criteria for penalty assessment, and the ticket penalty amount; and
(3)A statement that within 45 days of receipt of the ticket, the person must pay the penalty in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section, make an informal response under § 107.317, or request a formal administrative hearing under § 107.319.
(c)If the person makes an informal response or requests a formal administrative hearing, the Associate Administrator forwards the inspection report, ticket and response to the Office of the Chief Counsel for processing under §§ 107.307-107.339, except that the Office of the Chief Counsel will not issue a Notice of Probable Violation under § 107.311. The Office of the Chief Counsel may impose a civil penalty that does not exceed the proposed full penalty set forth in the ticket.
(d)Payment of the ticket penalty amount must be made in accordance with the instructions on the ticket.
(e)If within 45 days of receiving the ticket the person does not pay the ticket amount, make an informal response, or request a formal administrative hearing, the person has waived the right to make an informal response or request a hearing, has admitted the violation and owes the ticket penalty amount to PHMSA.