Violations of federal regulations (rules) are usually handled as administrative or civil matters. Prosecution is very rare and only possible for a limited set o

Violations of federal regulations (rules) are usually handled as administrative or civil matters. Prosecution is very rare and only possible for a limited set of rule violations. If you're contemplating doing something in a regulatory gray area then you can ask the competent agency for a formal opinion letter stating whether that thing would or wouldn't be a violation. They are required to issue those letters although it can be a slow process. Once you get an official approval letter that generally shields you against any sort of enforcement action.