I RECEIVED A NOTICE WHAT DO I DO NOW?

•

Please review all the documents in your Preliminary Assessment Package. In

your package you will find a guide labeled U.S. Coast Guard Civil Penalty 

Preliminary Assessment Letter Response Options. There are 4 Options. Pay the 

Penalty, Request a Payment Plan, Submit Evidence in Lieu of a Hearing, or 

Request an Informal Hearing. Please follow the instructions in the guide for the 

option you chose. Should you have lost your guide or did not receive one please 

go to www.uscg.mil/legal/cgho you will find the online version of the guide. 

CAN I DISCUSS MY CASE WITH A HEARING OFFICER?

• NO. Hearing Officers are to remain independent and unbiased therefore will not

accept any phone calls regarding case activities from charged parties or charging

units.

• Questions, requests for extensions, requests for hearings, must be put in writing

and addressed to the Hearing Officer for your case. Any documents, statements,

or other evidence you want the Hearing Officer to consider in your case must be

presented in writing and mailed to the Hearing Officer or presented to the Hearing

Officer the day of your hearing.

WILL THIS VIOLATION APPEAR ON MY DRIVING RECORD?

• NO. Coast Guard violations will not appear on your driving record or any other

federal, state or local law enforcement records. The Coast Guard keeps a history

of prior Coast Guard civil penalty violations, which can be considered when

determining the amount of any future civil penalty.

CAN I RESPOND BY EMAIL?

• NO. If submitting evidence in lieu of a hearing you must mail or fax your

documents. We ask that you send a signed letter explaining what you are

submitting and what happened the day of the violation. Please include your

activity number on all documentation you submit. Photos MUST be sent by mail.

I DON’T LIKE THE HEARING OFFICER’S FINAL DECISION, 

WHAT CAN I DO NOW?

• You may appeal your final decision within 30 days of the final written notice.

You must submit your appeal in writing to the Coast Guard Hearing Office.

U.S. Coast Guard Hearing Office

2703 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE MS 7160

Washington, DC 20593
CAN I SET UP A PAYMENT PLAN?

• YES. If you are unable to pay the penalty in full you may contact our collection

office to set up a payment plan.

The phone number to our collection office is 510-437-3644. You may also write to... 

Commanding Officer 

U.S. Coast Guard 

Legal Service Command (LSC-5) 

Coast Guard Island, Bldg. 54-A 

Alameda, CA 94501 

I CORRECTED MY VIOLATIONS AFTER I WAS STOPPED,

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

• The Hearing Officer has determined that the violations occurred based on the

evidence in the case file in which you have received a Preliminary Assessment

Letter (PAL).

• If you have corrected the violations you should provide the Hearing Officer with a

signed letter explaining your situation and include copies of receipts, documents,

photographs and other evidence showing the violation has been corrected.

• If you wish you may also request a hearing by submitting a written letter

explaining your issues of dispute. Please see the U.S. Coast Guard Civil Penalty

Preliminary Assessment Letter Response Options to guide you on how to respond

to your letter or see the online version of the guide at www.uscg.mil/legal/cgho.

CAN I REQUEST MORE TIME TO MAKE MY DECISION

ON HOW TO HANDLE MY CASE?

• YES. You may request a 30day extension by sending a signed letter to the

Hearing Office by mail or fax.

CAN I FAX MY WRITTEN STATEMENTS, HEARING REQUEST, OR 

EXTENTION OF TIME TO YOUR OFFICE?

• YES. Fax statements are welcomed as long as they are followed by the original

document by mail or express mail. PLEASE NOTE PICTURES ARE NOT

ACCEPTED BY FAX. All pictures must be submitted by mail or express mail.

Our Fax Number is 202-372-8422

I WANT TO MAKE A PAYMENT WHO DO I MAKE THE PAYMENT OUT TO?

• Payments by check or Money Order can be made out to: U.S. Coast Guard

Please be sure to include Activity # on the Memo portion of the check. Follow

the instructions on the payment form when mailing the payment in.