{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/space-industry-act-2018/section-53",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/space-industry-act-2018/section-53.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2018/5",
  "legislation_title": "Space Industry Act 2018",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/space-industry-act-2018",
  "path": "section/53",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "53",
  "heading": "Penalties for offences under this Act",
  "text": "(1) A person who commits an offence under a provision of this Act, other than section 24(8), section 32(9), section 33(8), section 40(2) or (3), section 41(5), section 42(5), section 66(5) or Schedule 4, is liable—\n(a) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to a fine;\n(b) on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;\n(c) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine (or both).\n(2) A person who commits an offence under section 32(9), section 33(8) or section 40(3) is liable—\n(a) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to a fine;\n(b) on summary conviction in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.\n(3) A person who commits an offence under section 40(2) is liable—\n(a) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 51 weeks or a fine (or both);\n(b) on summary conviction in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (or both);\n(c) on summary conviction in Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale (or both).\n(4) A person who commits an offence under section 41(5), section 66(5) or paragraph 5 or 6(2) of Schedule 4 is liable—\n(a) on summary conviction in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding the general limit in a magistrates’ court or a fine (or both);\n(b) on summary conviction in Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both);\n(c) on summary conviction in Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or both);\n(d) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine (or both).\n(5) A person who commits an offence under section 42(5) or paragraph 9(5) of Schedule 9 is liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale.\n(6) A person who commits an offence under paragraph 1, 2, 3 or 4 of Schedule 4 is liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for life.\n(7) In relation to an offence committed before section 281(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 comes into force, the reference in subsection (3)(a) to 51 weeks is to be read as a reference to six months.\n(8) In relation to an offence committed before 2 May 2022, the reference in subsection (4)(a) to the general limit in a magistrates’ court is to be read as a reference to six months.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 53(4)(a) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 53(8) substituted (28.4.2022) by The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Commencement No. 33) and Sentencing Act 2020 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/500), regs. 1(2), 5(1), Sch. Pt. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 53(8) substituted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 2(1), Sch. Pt. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 53 in force at 29.7.2021 by S.I. 2021/817, reg. 2, Sch. para. 92 (with reg. 3)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/5/section/53",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:05:03.510643+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}