Attorney's Note

Under the N.C. Gen. Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class 1 misdemeanorup to 120 days
For details, see § 15A-1340.23

Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 74C-17

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3

(a) The Board may apply in its own name to any judge of the superior court of the General Court of Justice for an injunction in order to prevent any violation or threatened violation of the provisions of this Chapter.

(b) Any person, firm, association, or corporation or their agents and employees violating any of the provisions of this Chapter is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The Attorney General, or the Attorney General’s representative, has concurrent jurisdiction with the district attorneys of this State to prosecute violations of this Chapter.

(c) In lieu of revocation or suspension of a license or permit under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 74C-12, a civil penalty of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000) per violation may be assessed by the Board against any person or business who violates any provision of this Chapter or any rule of the Board adopted pursuant to this Chapter. In determining the amount of any penalty, the Board shall consider the degree and extent of harm caused by the violation. The clear proceeds of civil penalties provided for in this subsection shall be remitted to the Civil Penalty and Forfeiture Fund in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 115C-457.2

(d) Proceedings for the assessment of civil penalties under this section are governed by Chapter 150B of the N.C. Gen. Stat.. If the person assessed a civil penalty fails to pay the penalty to the Board, the Board may institute an action in the superior court of the county in which the person resides or has a principal place of business to recover the unpaid amount of the penalty. An action to recover a civil penalty under this section does not relieve any party from any other penalty prescribed by law. (1979, c. 818, s. 2; 1983, c. 794, s. 6; 1989, c. 759, s. 14; 1993, c. 539, s. 557; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 1998-215, s. 98; 2021-84, s. 3; 2022-66, s. 1.)