What is the time limit for imposing an administrative penalty?

• A. Within 6 months of the violation
• B. Within 1 year of discovery
• C. Within 2 years of the assessor becoming aware of the violation
• D. Within 3 years of the violation

Answer: (C)

The time limit tested here is when the enforcement authority must act. For administrative penalties, the clock starts when the assessor first becomes aware of the violation. From that moment, there is a two-year window to impose the penalty. This prioritizes timely action and helps ensure evidence is still fresh and the process is fair. It isn’t tied to when the violation happened or when the violator first learns of it, but to when the regulator learns about it.

That’s why the two-year limit after the assessor’s awareness is the correct framework. The other options don’t fit because they propose different starting points or shorter/longer windows that don’t align with how enforcement actions are structured in this context.