On behalf of the Government, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung has signed Decree No. 401/2026/ND-CP, which stipulates the penalties for administrative violations in the digital technology industry.
The Decree specifies the acts that constitute violations, the forms of penalties, the corresponding fine amounts, and the remedial measures to be taken. It also defines the entities subject to penalties, as well as the authorities empowered to impose such penalties and prepare records of administrative violations.
The maximum fine for an individual committing an administrative violation in the digital technology industry is 100,000,000 VND, while the maximum fine for an organization is 200,000,000 VND.
Specifically, the Decree stipulates that violations related to the provision or updating of information, or the connection and sharing of data within the digital technology industry database, are subject to fines ranging from 10,000,000 VND to 60,000,000 VND.
Supporting illegal activities within the digital technology industry carries a fine of up to 140 million VND.
Regarding violations of prohibitions within the digital technology industry, fines ranging from 90 million to 140 million VND apply to organizations that engage in unlawful obstruction or provide support for illegal activities.
Punishable acts include the intentional and unlawful obstruction of research, development, design, manufacturing, assembly, testing, verification, and production activities concerning hardware products.
Similarly, the intentional obstruction of research, development, design, programming, testing, or production activities concerning software products and digital content is also subject to penalties. Furthermore, organizations that intentionally and unlawfully obstruct activities such as consulting, design, installation, integration, management, operation, training, digitization, data processing, warranty, maintenance, repair, or distribution of digital technology products may also be subject to penalties.
These penalties also apply to the act of intentionally assisting organizations or individuals in carrying out prohibited activities by providing, transferring, distributing, leasing, or authorizing the use of digital technology products or services.
Use of digital technology products for prohibited activities: Fines of up to 200 million VND
The Decree specifies that the use of digital technology products or services to carry out acts prohibited by laws on the digital technology industry—provided that such acts are not already subject to penalties under other specialized laws—shall be punishable by a fine ranging from 140,000,000 VND to 170,000,000 VND.
A fine ranging from 170,000,000 VND to 200,000,000 VND shall be imposed for exploiting digital technology industry activities to infringe upon: national or ethnic interests, national defense, national security, social order and safety, or public interests; human rights, civil rights, the legitimate rights and interests of organizations or individuals, social morality, or human health and life.
Fraudulent documentation to obtain incentives for digital technology projects: Fines of up to 200 million VND
Violations of regulations concerning the receipt of incentives or support policies for the production of digital technology products or the provision of digital technology services are subject to fines of up to 200,000,000 VND. Specifically, the Decree stipulates a fine ranging from VND 150,000,000 to VND 200,000,000 for providing dishonest information, using invalid documents, or engaging in fraudulent practices within an application to obtain preferential policies or support.
This provision applies to large-scale projects for the production of key digital technology products, as well as large-scale projects for the construction of artificial intelligence data centers, in accordance with the law. These fines apply to violations that do not reach the threshold for criminal prosecution.
The Decree also establishes a fine ranging from VND 90,000,000 to VND 140,000,000 for providing dishonest information, using invalid documents, or engaging in fraud within the application for an innovative startup project in the digital technology industry.
This fine applies to violations that do not reach the threshold for criminal prosecution, where such actions are taken to secure preferential policies or support under the law, or to obtain direct financial assistance from local government budgets or the Digital Technology Industry Development Program.
The fines specified above apply to organizations; for the same administrative violation, the fine for an individual shall be one-half of the amount imposed on an organization.
This Decree takes effect on November 22, 2026.