A legal charge for failure to comply with laws or regulations is a(an):

• A. Statute.
• B. Violation.
• C. Complaint.
• D. Ordinance.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is understanding how these terms are used in enforcement. A breach of a law or regulation is called a violation—the specific charge or offense you face for not complying with the statute, regulation, or code. A statute is the law itself, created by the legislature. An ordinance is local law enacted by a city or county. A complaint is a formal accusation that may start a case, not the charge you actually receive. In practice, if a fire code isn’t followed, the result is a violation noted by the enforcing authority, often followed by a citation or notice of violation detailing the noncompliance and penalties.