(a) Notice of violation. TSA, at the agency's discretion, may initiate a civil penalty action through issuance of a Notice of Violation for violations described in the section and as otherwise provided by the Administrator. TSA may serve a Notice of Violation on an individual who violates a TSA requirement by presenting a weapon, explosive, or incendiary for screening at an airport or in checked baggage, where the amount of the proposed civil penalty is less than $5,000.

(b) Contents. A Notice of Violation contains a statement of the charges, the amount of the proposed civil penalty, and an offer to settle the matter for a lesser specified penalty amount.

(c) Response. Not later than 30 days after receipt of the Notice of Violation, the individual charged with a violation must respond to TSA by taking one, and only one, of the following options.

(1) Submit a certified check or money order for the lesser specified penalty amount in the Notice of Violation, made payable to Transportation Security Administration and sent to the address specified in the Notice of Violation, or make such payment electronically through http://www.pay.gov.

(2) Submit to the office identified in the Notice of Violation one of the following:

(i) Written information and other evidence, including documents and witness statements, demonstrating that a violation of the regulations did not occur as alleged, or that the proposed penalty is not warranted by the circumstances.

(ii) A written request to reduce the proposed civil penalty, the amount of requested reduction, together with any documents supporting a reduction of the proposed civil penalty, which reflect a current financial inability to pay or records showing that payment of the proposed civil penalty would prevent the person from continuing in business.

(iii) A written request for an Informal Conference, at a date to be determined by an agency official, to discuss the matter with the agency official and to submit supporting evidence and information to the agency official before the date of the Informal Conference.

(3) Submit to the office identified in the Notice of Violation and to TSA's Enforcement Docket Clerk a written request for a formal hearing before an ALJ in accordance with subpart G. A request for a formal hearing before an ALJ must be submitted to the address provided in §1503.413(c)(3).

(d) Final Notice of Violation and Civil Penalty Assessment Order. TSA may issue a Final Notice of Violation and Civil Penalty Assessment Order (“Final Notice and Order”) to the recipient of a Notice of Violation in the following circumstances:

(1) The individual has failed to respond to a Notice of Violation within 30 days after receipt of that notice.

(2) The individual requested an Informal Conference under §1503.421(c)(2)(iii) but failed to attend the conference or continuation of the conference or provide the agency official with a written request showing good cause for rescheduling the informal conference to a specified alternate date.

(3) The parties have participated in an Informal Conference or other informal proceedings as provided in §1503.421(c)(2) and the parties have not agreed to compromise the action or the agency official has not agreed to withdraw the Notice of Violation.

(e) Order Assessing Civil Penalty. A Final Notice and Order automatically converts to an Order Assessing Civil Penalty if—

(1) The individual charged with a violation submits a certified check or money order in the amount reflected in the Final Notice and Order to Transportation Security Administration at the address specified in the Final Notice and Order, or makes such payment electronically through http://www.pay.gov; or

(2) The individual fails to respond to the Final Notice and Order or request a formal hearing within 15 days after receipt of that notice.

(f) Delegation of authority. The authority of the Administrator, under 49 U.S.C. 46301, to initiate, negotiate, and settle civil penalty actions under this section is delegated to the Assistant Administrator for Security Operations. This authority may be further delegated.