OSHA recordkeeping penalties: what $16,550 per violation really means

You'll see the number "$16,550 per violation" attached to OSHA recordkeeping. It's a real figure, and it's worth understanding plainly — without the scare tactics.

The number

For 2025, the maximum penalty for an other-than-serious OSHA violation — the category most recordkeeping failures fall into — is $16,550 per violation. OSHA adjusts these maximums for inflation every year, so the exact figure ticks up over time.

What counts as a "violation"

Recordkeeping has several distinct obligations, and they can be cited separately:

• Not keeping the 300 Log when you're required to.
• Not completing the 300A summary or not having it certified by a company executive.
• Not posting the 300A (February 1 – April 30).
• Not electronically submitting the 300A to the ITA when you're covered.

Because these are separate requirements, "per violation" can mean more than one penalty for the same year if multiple obligations were missed.

"Maximum" vs. typical

The $16,550 is a maximum, not an automatic amount. Actual penalties depend on factors like employer size, good faith, and history. The practical takeaway isn't the exact dollar figure — it's that the downside is real and avoidable, while the cost to comply is small.

The comparison that matters

One filing with a service like RegFile starts at $99. That's well under 1% of a single maximum recordkeeping penalty. Put differently: complying costs less than the rounding error on a citation.

How to avoid it entirely

• Keep your 300 Log current through the year.
• Certify and post the 300A on time.
• Electronically submit it by March 2 if you're covered — not sure? The filing checker tells you.

RegFile drafts the 300A from your log, files it once you authorize, and remembers the deadline every year — so the penalty question never comes up.

Start the filing checker →

This is informational, not legal advice — verify against your adopted rule.