16. a. Any person violating any provision of P.L.1981, c.311 (C. 45:14D-1 et seq.) shall, in addition to any other sanctions provided herein, be liable to a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 for the first offense and not more than $20,000 for the second and each subsequent offense, a portion of which shall be dedicated to cover the administrative costs of the municipality and Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Law and Public Safety, as determined by the director. Any person engaging in the unlicensed practice of activities regulated by P.L.1981, c.311 (C. 45:14D-1 et seq.) who violates a provision of P.L.1981, c.311 (C. 45:14D-1 et seq.) shall be ordered, after a first offense, to delete or block access to any Internet website maintained by the person that advertises the person’s unlicensed practice of activities regulated by P.L.1981, c.311 (C. 45:14D-1 et seq.). The person shall be liable for an additional penalty of up to $1,000 each day that the website remains viewable to the public. For the purpose of this section, each transaction or violation shall constitute a separate offense; except a second or subsequent offense shall not be deemed to exist unless an administrative or court order has been entered in a prior, separate and independent proceeding. In lieu of an administrative proceeding or an action in the Superior Court, the Attorney General may bring an action in the name of the director for the collection or enforcement civil penalties for the violation of any provision of that act. The action may be brought in a summary manner pursuant to the “Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999,” P.L.1999, c.274 (C. 2A:58-10 et seq.), and the rules of court governing actions for the collection of civil penalties in the municipal or Special Civil Part of the Law Division of the Superior Court where the offense occurred. Process in the action may be by summons or warrant and if the defendant in the action fails to answer the action, the court shall, upon finding an unlawful act or practice to have been committed by the defendant, issue a warrant for the defendant’s arrest in order to bring the person before the court to satisfy the civil penalties imposed. In an action commenced pursuant to this section, the court may order restored to any person in interest any moneys or property acquired by means of an unlawful act or practice. Any action alleging the unlicensed practice of the activities regulated by P.L.1981, c.311 (C. 45:14D-1 et seq.) shall be brought pursuant to this section or, where injunctive relief is sought, by an action commenced in the Superior Court. In an action brought pursuant to that act, the director or the court may order the payment of costs for the use of the State.

b. Any person found to have engaged in the unlicensed practice of activities regulated by P.L.1981, c.311 (C. 45:14D-1 et seq.) shall be ordered, after a first violation, to remove or cause to be removed from public view on any Internet website maintained by or on behalf of the person any information that a reasonable person would construe as an offer to perform in this State activities or services subject to regulation under P.L.1981, c.311 (C. 45:14D-1 et seq.) and any advertising that suggests that the person is licensed to perform such activities or services in this State. In addition to any other penalties, a person who violates an order entered in accordance with this subsection shall be liable for an additional penalty of up to $1,000 each day that information on the website is viewable to the public. Nothing in this section shall be construed to impose liability on news media that accept, publish, or accept and publish advertising provided by or on behalf of a third party unrelated to the news media entity that may fall within the scope of P.L.1981, c.311 (C. 45:14D-1 et seq.).

L.1981, c.311, s.16; amended 1984, c.140, s.6; 1993, c.365, s.10; 2010, c.87, s.34; 2019, c.216, s.2.