Abstract: The author considers such a category as "administrative offense". This issue is important from the point of view of the application of administrative responsibility, since it is this illegal act that can be the basis of the corresponding type of legal liability. The paper draws attention to the signs of an administrative offense, special attention is paid to such a sign of an administrative offense as "public danger" and "public harmfulness". After analyzing various points of view, the author came to the conclusion that an administrative offense may have varying degrees of public danger. The importance of such a category as "administrative offense" will be determined by its functionality in countering administrative delicacy. Disclosure of the signs of an administrative offense, and elements of its composition, can make it possible to improve the quality of the process of qualification of administrative offenses. The author also considers such categories as "administrative punishment" and "administrative responsibility" this issue is important from the point of view of the application of administrative coercion in general. Administrative punishment is the most serious measure of influence of an administrative and legal nature, it is administrative penalties that most measures of administrative coercion are subject to. The author noted that the importance of such a category as "administrative punishment" is predetermined by its functionality in countering the commission of administrative offenses. Disclosure of the essence of administrative punishment may make it possible to balance private and public interests in the application of various measures of administrative responsibility, as well as to avoid violations of the requirements of legality and the rights of citizens. The author reveals in great detail the essence of administrative responsibility, namely administrative responsibility is a procedural form for the implementation of administrative penalties.

Keywords: coercion, form, harm, danger, composition, sanction, punishment, responsibility, offense, restriction