Cal. Civ. Code § 5:17-2.6
Civil penalties
Operative Text
(a) No person shall, either knowingly or purposely: 1. Obstruct, hinder, delay or interfere by force or otherwise with the Department in the exercise of any power or the discharge of any function or duty pursuant to the provisions of sections 14 through 24 of P.L. 1993, c.288; 2. Prepare, utter or render any false statement, report, document, plan or specification permitted or required pursuant to sections 14 through 24 of P.L. 1993, c.288; or 3. Refuse or fail to comply with a ruling, action, order or notice of the Commissioner pursuant to sections 14 through 24 of P.L. 1993, c.288. (b) Any person who shall violate any provision of (a) above shall be subject to a civil penalty not exceeding $ 1,000 for the first offense and not exceeding $ 5,000 for each subsequent offense. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day that it continues shall constitute an additional and separate violation. (c) A person shall be deemed to have violated or caused to be violated the provisions of sections 14 through 24 of P.L. 1993, c.288 if an officer, agent or employee under his or her control has violated or caused to be violated any such provision. If any such person is a corporation, all officers, directors and shareholders having at least a 10 percent interest shall be jointly and individually liable for any violation by the corporation. (d) Pursuant to Section 24 of P.L. 1993, c.288, the Department of Community Affairs will delegate to the Department of Labor, through a Memorandum of Understanding to be entered into between the Departments, enforcement authority over business firms performing lead hazard abatement in buildings or structures that do not contain dwelling units. Interfering with the Department of Labor in the exercise of its enforcement authority under this agreement shall be deemed to be a violation of (a) above and shall carry the same penalties as described in (b) and (c) above.
N.J.A.C. § 5:17-2.6 establishes civil penalties for anyone who knowingly or purposely obstructs the Department of Community Affairs, submits false documents, or fails to comply with a Commissioner's order under the lead hazard abatement provisions of P.L. 1993, c.288. A first offense can result in a civil penalty of up to $1,000, while each subsequent offense can carry a penalty of up to $5,000; if a violation is ongoing, every day it continues counts as a separate offense. Corporate entities face shared liability across officers, directors, and shareholders holding at least a 10% interest, and the rule extends to interference with the Department of Labor when it exercises delegated enforcement authority over non-residential lead abatement work.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under the lead hazard abatement framework of N.J.A.C. § 5:17-2.6 are generally expected to cooperate fully with Department of Community Affairs inspections and directives, submit only accurate reports and documentation, and promptly comply with any Commissioner orders or notices. Because corporate officers, directors, and qualifying shareholders can be held jointly and individually liable for violations committed by the entity, compliant operators typically maintain clear internal oversight of all lead abatement activities and the personnel conducting them. Operators whose work extends to non-residential buildings should also be aware that the Department of Labor may exercise delegated enforcement authority in those settings, and interference with that agency carries the same penalty exposure.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in buildings subject to lead hazard abatement requirements under N.J.A.C. § 5:17-2.6 benefit from provisions that penalize landlords or other parties who obstruct regulators, falsify records, or ignore official orders. If a tenant believes a landlord is interfering with Department of Community Affairs oversight or failing to comply with abatement-related directives, they may consider filing a complaint with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs or consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with lead hazard regulations. Because continuing violations accrue as separate daily offenses under this section, documented patterns of non-compliance may carry significant cumulative penalties for the responsible party.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 3, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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