This page provides help with the most common questions about your fines

• Court fines

  What is a court fine?

  A court fine is a monetary penalty that is ordered by a court following a hearing for an offence. In Victoria, our courts include the Victorian Magistrates’ Court and the County Court of Victoria. A magistrate or judge may choose to refer the court fine to Fines Victoria for collection and enforcement.

  Why have I been contacted by Fines Victoria and not the court that ordered my fine?

  Since January 2018, the Magistrates’ Court and the County Court have referred eligible court fines to Fines Victoria for collection and management. Fines Victoria provides a single point for customers to manage their fines, for example by enabling the consolidation of court fines with infringements from different agencies into a single payment arrangement.

  Can I view my court fine online?

  If your matter has been referred to Fines Victoria and you have received a Court Fine Collection Statement, you should be able to view information about your court fine(s) online in the Your Fines section of the website. To view any information about your fine you are required to authenticate. You will be asked to provide your obligation or court case number, hearing date and one of licence number, vehicle registration or date of birth.

  What information is available about my court fine from Fines Online?

  After authenticating, you can view:

  • obligation number/court case number
  • stage
  • amount due
  • due date
  • venue of hearing.

  Who can be issued with a court fine?

  A court can order a fine to be paid by an individual or a company.

  Last time I had a court fine it was managed by the issuing court. What has changed?

  Under the Fines Reform Act 2014 (the Act), most fines and costs ordered by the court are now referred to Fines Victoria for collection and management. This is designed to reduce the administrative burden on the courts and centralise payment arrangements from multiple bodies.

• Paying court fines

  I had a court hearing and received a fine, how do I pay my court fine?

  If you have recently been to court and received a fine you can pay your fine:

  Online

  Court fines can be paid online on the fines website homepage.

  Sending a cheque or money order (with your name and court case number on the back of the cheque or money order) to:

  Fines Victoria
  GPO Box 2041
  Melbourne VIC 3001

  By phone

  Some court fines can be paid over the phone if they are in our system. If you want to pay by phone, please call (03) 9200 8111 to see if your particular fine is in the system so you can pay by phone.

  I have previously had infringements with Fines Victoria that I was able to pay with Australia Post, is this an option?

  If your Court Fine Collection Statement includes a barcode, payment can be made at Australia Post.

• Court Fines Collection Statement

  What is a Court Fine Collection Statement?

  A Court Fine Collection Statement is a notice issued by Fines Victoria where a court has ordered a fine and/or cost to be referred to Fines Victoria for collection and management.

  Fines Victoria sends the statement to the address of the customer provided to us by the court. The Court Fine Collection Statement has details about the court order (excluding ancillary orders) and major charge, tells the customer how much to pay and when payment is due, and provides information about the customer’s options and consequences of not addressing the fine.

  Why have I received a Court Fine Collection Statement?

  You have received a court fine collection statement because a court has ordered you to pay a fine. The court has referred the fine to Fines Victoria for collection and management or legislation amendments have resulted in your fine being deemed referred to Fines Victoria.

  Why am I receiving a Court Fine Collection Statement now?

  You have received a Court Fine Collection Statement because you have not yet paid a fine ordered by a court.

  From January 2019, eligible court fines issued by the Magistrates’ Court and the County Court have been referred to Fines Victoria for management and enforcement. After the transition, a gap in system functionality delayed collection statements from being issued. Now this functionality is available, and collection statements are being processed again.

  I have not received a Court Fine Collection Statement yet - why not?

  Fines Victoria is undertaking a phased rollout of Court Fine Collection Statements. Your collection statement may not have been printed and mailed at this stage, however you will receive this statement in due course.

  What are Statutory Costs, Costs and Toll Costs?

  Depending on the type of court hearing, a court may also order certain costs to be paid as well as the fine that was imposed.

  Your Court Fine Collection Statement will have details about any statutory costs, costs and toll costs that were imposed, as well as details about the court order (excluding ancillary orders) and the major charge.

  My court fine was issued by the County Court, why is the due date in the past?

  Your Court Fine Collection Statement reflects the original due date ordered by the County Court. After the transition to the new system for court fines, a gap in system functionality delayed delivery of Court Fines Collection Statements. No enforcement action has been taken against you in relation to any outstanding payments. However, you must now take steps to comply with the court order, including making any outstanding payments, to avoid enforcement action in the future. You may also contact the County Court to discuss the terms of the court order.

  I have paid my fine to the court that issued it. Why have I received a Court Fine Collection Statement?

  Fines Victoria relies on the latest information provided by the issuing court. Fines Victoria has not received any notification from the court that the fine has been paid. We will need you to provide proof of payment to the court so that we can confirm the balance of your Court Fine Collection Statement. Please be aware that your court fine is unable to be placed on hold, so ensure that proof is provided as soon as possible.

  I have part paid my fine. Why did I receive a Court Fine Collection Statement for the full amount?

  Your payment is not reflected in our system. We will need you to provide proof of payment so that we can confirm the balance of your Court Fine Collection Statement. Please be aware that your court fine is unable to be placed on hold, so ensure that proof is provided as soon as possible.

  I have received a Court Fine Collection Statement for $0.00, what action do I need to take?

  Fines Victoria is obligated to send out a Court Fine Collection Statement to you, however if the balance is $0.00, you are not required to take any further action.

  This fine was withdrawn or revised by the court. Why have I received a Court Fine Collection Statement?

  Fines Victoria relies on the information provided by the issuing court. Your Court Fine Collection Statement is based on the information provided to Fines Victoria.

  I previously had a payment arrangement with the court that issued my fine.

  Existing payment arrangements with the Magistrates’ and County Courts ceased when fines were transferred to Fines Victoria. Individuals with payment arrangements were advised by the Magistrates’ Court in December 2017 that they could no longer make payments to the Magistrates’ Court and that a Court Fine Collection Statement with details on options to pay would be sent out by Fines Victoria. Your Court Fine Collection Statement will provide further information on your payment terms and options.

  My court fine has been revised by the court since January 2018 – does this collection statement reflect those changes?

  Fines Victoria relies on the latest information provided by the issuing court. If your court fine has been revised since January 2018 your Court Fine Collection Statement should reflect this.

  My court fine collection statement says that I ‘may have other charges subject to the court order’ – what does this mean?

  The court fine collection statement issued to you will list the major charge details, however more than one charge may have been addressed in your court hearing.

  I have received a summary of my charges and some appear to be missing – what has happened?

  The charges that appear on your statement are those that have been referred to Fines Victoria for management. If you believe that there are additional charges, please contact the court of issue for further detail. Non-financial orders, compensation/restitution, adjournment undertakings and costs incurred by third parties will not be referred to Fines Victoria. Additionally, charges may not be included because they have been struck out or withdrawn. For information about these items, you will need to contact the issuing court.

  Does the Court Fine Collection Statement impact my driver licence or carry demerit points?

  The court may have made an order in relation to your licence. You will need to contact VicRoads to obtain information about the status of your licence.

  I have made payments using previous BPAY details from the courts, why isn’t this reflected in my Court Fine Collection Statement?

  Each court fine is allocated a new BPAY reference number when it is referred to Fines Victoria for collection. As a result, any payments using a previous reference number will not be connected to your current court fine in our system. If you are using BPAY details that were provided by the court that issued the fine, please stop. You will need to contact the court that issued the fine to locate these payments.

  I have multiple outstanding court fines, what are my payment options?

  Your payment options are outlined on your Court Fine Collection Statement. You may be eligible for a payment arrangement which is either an extension of time to pay or payment by instalments.

  If you wish to discuss your payment options, you can speak to Fines Victoria. Our staff are available Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm (except public holidays) on 03 9200 8111.

  
  

  For regional callers 1300 369 819
  For international callers +613 9200 8111

  
  

  Further information on how to contact Fines Victoria, including online enquiries, can be found on our website.

• Court fines community work, schemes and payment arrangements

  Can I convert my court fine to community work?

  Fines Victoria is unable to convert your court fine to community work, however the court that issued this fine may be able to. For information on this option you should consult the issuing courts website or seek legal advice, before contacting the court. Be aware that you will require up to date information from Fines Victoria on how much is outstanding on your fine to convert your court fine to community work.

  Can I combine all my fines (infringement and court fines) into a single payment arrangement?

  This depends on the terms set by the court for your court fine. Fines Victoria must collect payment instalments in line with the terms set by the court which means that in some cases, court fines are unable to be combined with other fines managed by Fines Victoria. Fines Victoria can check your court fine to confirm whether or not you can combine your court fine into a payment arrangement with other fines.

  Are the Work and Development Program, Prison Program or Family Violence Scheme available to me?

  The Work and Development Program (WDP) and Family Violence Scheme (FVS) are not available to court fines. The Prison Program is available once an enforcement warrant has been issued on a court fine.

  I would like to create/modify a payment arrangement and have not yet received a Court Fine Collection Statement.

  Fines Victoria can only create or modify a payment arrangement after a Court Fine Collection Statement is issued, and if it is permitted by the order of the court. Please call back once you have received your Court Fine Collection Statement.

  I previously had a payment arrangement with the court that issued my fine.

  Existing payment arrangements with the Magistrates’ and County Courts ceased when fines were transferred to Fines Victoria. Individuals with payment arrangements were advised by the Magistrates’ Court in December 2017 that they could no longer make payments to the Magistrates’ Court and that a Court Fine Collection Statement with details on options to pay would be sent out by Fines Victoria. Your Court Fine Collection Statement will provide further information on your payment terms and options.

• Court fines rehearing and appeal

  I want to dispute this fine, can I apply for a rehearing?

  Fines Victoria is not able to determine if you are eligible for a rehearing, but the court that issued your fine can. It is recommended that you seek legal advice and visit the relevant court website for further information about applying for a rehearing before contacting the court for further detail. Be aware that you will need to physically attend the court location where your matter was heard to lodge a rehearing application. Further information can be found on the Magistrates’ Court website and the County Court website

  I didn’t attend the Magistrates’ Court hearing and wasn’t aware of this fine?

  Even if you didn’t attend the hearing, the court may make a determination in your absence. Be aware that if you were not in court when the final order was made you may be eligible to apply for a rehearing. It is recommended that you seek legal advice or visit the Magistrates’ Court website for further information about applying for a rehearing before contacting the court. Please be aware that you will need to physically attend the court location where your matter was heard to lodge a rehearing application.

  Is there a conviction in my name?

  A Court fine is a monetary penalty and can be imposed with or without conviction. You may contact the court that imposed the order to confirm specific details of the order.

  I have missed the cut-off date to appeal, what are my options?

  You may be eligible to apply for leave to appeal. Fines Victoria is not able to determine this. It is recommended that you seek legal advice and visit the court website for further information about applying for leave to appeal before contacting the court for further detail. Information is available at the Magistrates’ Court and the County Court websites. Be aware that you will need to physically attend the court location where your matter was heard to lodge your appeal.

  Can I have my court fine converted to a Fine Conversion Order?

  In order to have your court fine converted into a Fine Conversion Order you will need to make an application to the court. For information on this option you should consult the issuing courts website or seek legal advice, before contacting the court for further detail. Information is available at the Magistrates’ Court and the County Court websites. You will require up to date information from Fines Victoria on how much is outstanding on your fine. Be aware that you will need to physically attend the court location where your matter was heard to lodge an application for a Fine Conversation Order.

• Nominating the responsible driver

  I wasn’t driving at the time of the offence. Why can I no longer nominate? What can I do?

  If you need to nominate the responsible driver for your fine, do it early.

  Once the fine progresses to Notice of Final Demand stage, nominating another driver is not an option. You will therefore be liable for the fine and demerit points may be applied to your licence.

  You can learn more on the nominations page.

  I already paid my fine and now it is closed, but I wanted to nominate the responsible driver. What can I do?

  Fines should not be paid if you intend to nominate the responsible driver. This is stated in all infringement notices. Once you nominate, a new notice will be issued to the nominated driver for them to pay.

  If you have paid but need to nominate, you need to contact Fines Victoria to reopen your fine, nominate the fine and get a refund. You can contact Fines Victoria on (03) 9200 8111

  For regional callers 1300 369 819
  For international callers +613 9200 8111
  Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
  (except public holidays)

• I didn't know about my fine

  I didn’t know about my fine. I now have a penalty reminder notice. What can I do?

  If you were not issued an on-the-spot fine, we recognise there are circumstances where a person is unaware that an infringement notice has been served.

  In these instances, a person may apply for an internal review on the grounds that you were not aware of the original fine (‘person unaware’). You must apply within 14 days of becoming aware of the fine. The application should be accompanied with supporting evidence.

  I didn’t know about my fine. It is now at enforcement stage with Fines Victoria. What can I do?

  If you just found out that you have a fine, but it has progressed to a Notice of Final Demand or Warrant, there are options available to you, but you need to act quickly as there are strict time limits.

  Tolling, red light and speeding fines (excluding excessive speeding (>25km/h over the limit)

  This answer only relates to tolling, red light and speeding fines (excluding excessive speeding fines) - If you did not receive your fine in person and have only just found out about it, you can make an application to the Magistrates’ Court for an extension of time to deal with it.

  If your extension of time application is granted by a magistrate, you will receive 28 days to deal with the fine as if you were aware of the original infringement notice. This includes reinstating your options (for 28 days) to nominate, elect to go to court, or submit a review.

  An application for extension of time must be made to the Magistrates’ Court within 14 days of you becoming aware of the fine and be accompanied by an affidavit or by a statutory declaration setting out your grounds for seeking an extension.

  Contact your local Magistrates’ Court for further information.

  If you are unsure what type of fine you have contact Fines Victoria before making an application.

  Parking and other fines (excluding excessive speeding (>25km/h over the limit)

  If you did not receive the fine in person and have only just found out about it, you can apply for Enforcement Review on the grounds that you were unaware of the original fine. If your application is granted you will have the opportunity to deal with the fine as if you were aware of the original infringement notice. This includes reinstating your options to nominate, elect to go to court or submit a review.

  We must receive this application within 14 days of the date that you became aware of your fine.

  I have lost my licence for excessive speeding (25km/h over the limit) fine, but I did not know about this fine. What can I do?

  Fines for excessive speed are different from other fines, they’re more serious. A conviction will be recorded 28 days from the Infringement Notice issue date.

  If you were not aware of the notice before the conviction took place, depending on the circumstances of the offence, you can make one of the following applications for an extension of time to the Magistrates’ Court:

  Dispute the fine (Object to the notice)

  If you want to dispute the fine, you can make an application to the Magistrates’ Court for an extension of time to object to the notice. If your extension of time application is granted by a magistrate, the infringement is cancelled, and you will be served with a charge and summons with a date to appear to in court.

  You were not the driver at the time

  If you were not the driver at the time of the offence, you can make an application to the Magistrates’ Court for an extension of time to submit a nomination statement. If your extension of time application is granted by a magistrate, you will be provided more time to submit a nomination statement to Victoria Police.

  You must apply to the Magistrates’ Court for an extension of time within 14 days of you becoming aware of the fine and be accompanied by an affidavit or a statutory declaration setting out why the extension is sought. The magistrate will not grant the application unless satisfied that you were not aware of the fine before the infringement notice took effect as a conviction.

• Company fines of more than $3,000

  Why has my company received a traffic fine of more than $3,000?

  Companies are issued traffic fines with a body corporate infringement notice amount.

  As companies do not have a driver licence on which to apply demerit points, an authorised officer of the company must nominate the driver responsible. Nominating the responsible driver ensures that demerit points are applied to the driver's licence and they are held accountable for the offence. Enforcing demerit points results in safer roads.

  Provided you nominate the responsible driver before the fine reaches Notice of Final Demand stage, the fine will be reissued to the nominated person with an adjusted penalty amount.

  You can learn more on the nominations page.

• My options

  What options are relevant to me to deal with my fine?

  The options available to you depend on what stage in the fines lifecycle your fine is at.

  The notice you have received will indicate the stage of the lifecycle your fine is at. You can also find out about the stage of your fine by logging in to the fines website to view your fine detail.

  See the fines lifecycle flowchart (PDF download) to find out what options are available to you.

• I need help with my fines

  What can I do if I need help to manage my fines?

  If you need support or legal assistance you can contact Victoria Legal Aid or find your local community legal centre.

• Do fines expire?

  Does my fine ever expire?

  Once a fine is registered with Fines Victoria it does not expire and can be enforced at any time.

• I’ve been getting fines at my address but they aren’t addressed to anyone who lives here.

  I’ve been getting fines at my address but they aren’t addressed to anyone who lives here.

  If you received a fine that does not belong to anyone residing at your address, you do not need to pay the fine and you will not be held liable for it.

  You can send the fine back marked with 'Return to Sender'. Where Fines Victoria is able to establish an updated address, records are amended accordingly.

  The law requires individuals to update their address with VicRoads within 14 days of a change of address.

• How can I be sure speed and red light cameras are accurate?

  I have received a fine for speeding. Can I have a copy of the camera test certificate?

  You can find a copy of the camera test certificate for fixed cameras on the Victorian Government's Cameras Save Lives website.

  How do fixed, mobile and point-to-point cameras work?

  Victoria's road safety camera system includes:

  1. fixed cameras (permanently positioned at approved locations)
  2. mobile cameras (devices that are rotated across approved mobile camera locations)
  3. point-to-point cameras

  You can find out more about these cameras on the Victorian Government's Cameras Save Lives website.

  How often are fixed/mobile/point-to-point road safety cameras tested?

  All Victorian fixed digital, mobile, point-to-point road safety cameras are tested annually by an independent testing officer in accordance with the Road Safety (General) Regulations 2009.

  You can find out more about the testing of cameras on the Victorian Government's Cameras Save Lives website.

  Can you explain the detection of red-light offences?

  Some fixed road safety cameras enforce red light offences only, while others detect both red light and speed.

  If a vehicle crosses over the stop line against a red traffic light and enters the intersection, this triggers the camera to take an image.

  The camera is designed to take 2 images of an offending vehicle that combine to prove that it;

  1. entered the intersection after the light turned red; and,
  2. continued through the intersection against the red light.

  The camera also captures the time elapsed between a traffic light turning red and the vehicle entering the intersection.

  If a light changes to red while you are already in the intersection, you will not be issued a fine (the camera is only activated by a vehicle driving over the stop line after the light has turned red).

  You can find out more on the Victorian Government's Cameras Save Lives website.

   

• My fine photo

  There are two vehicles in my fine photo. How do you know the person speeding was me?

  Before a speeding fine is issued, each offence is scrutinised thoroughly.

  Fixed road safety cameras can monitor multiple lanes of traffic with the use of sensors embedded into the road surface or radar technology.

  In addition, offences are reviewed by two qualified independent officers, who must agree that an offence has occurred for the matter to proceed. Finally, the fine is only issued once Victoria Police has assessed the matter and is satisfied that an offence has occurred.

  You can find out more about the speed verification process on the Victorian Government's Cameras Save Lives website.

  I have a speeding fine on the Hume Freeway or Peninsula Link. Why is there more than one time-stamp on my offence photo?

  Both the Hume and Peninsula Link camera systems enforce point-to-point (calculated average speed) and instantaneous speed (the speed as detected at the location of a camera).

  If you have more than one time-stamp on your offence photo, it is likely you were fined because your average speed between two cameras on the freeway was higher than the speed limit.

  The point-to-point cameras on the Hume Freeway and Peninsula Link determine vehicle speed by taking time-stamped, digital photographs of all vehicles and calculating the time taken to travel between one camera site and the next. The average speed is calculated by time-over-distance. If the average speed exceeds the speed limit, a fine is issued.

  The distance between two road safety camera sites is measured with accuracy, using licensed surveyorís survey certificates.

  I have a fine for driving through a red light. Why are the time-stamps the same?

  Red light offence photographs of alleged offences can have the same time stamps if the photographs are taken less than one second apart.

  In this instance, the first photograph is taken when a vehicle enters an intersection after the light has turned red. The second is taken when a vehicle reaches a designated point in the intersection. If the second photograph is triggered less than one second after the first, the two images can display the same time.

  Vehicles travelling faster through a red light are more likely to have the same time on the fine photo.

• Suggest a camera location

  How can I request for a road safety camera to be installed?

  If you would like to suggest a location for a fixed road safety camera, you can submit a ‘Suggest a Camera Location online form' to the Fixed Camera Site Selection Committee (Committee).

  The Committee is chaired by Victoria Police and has representatives from VicRoads and the Department of Justice and Community Safety.

  When considering camera requests, the Committee also considers whether mobile cameras may be used in the place of fixed cameras.

• I saw a camera flash but I was not speeding

  I saw a camera flash but I was not speeding. Did I get fined?

  If you see a road safety camera flash and you are certain you were not speeding or driving against a red light or red arrow, do not panic.

  There are a couple of reasons why the camera may have flashed;

  • it may be in a testing phase
  • it may have been capturing an offence in another lane.

  You can find out more on the Victorian Government’s Cameras Save Lives website.

• Demerit points

  How can I check my demerit points?

  The VicRoads website provides information on how you can check your demerit points.

• I sold my car but I received a fine after the date I sold my car. What can I do?

  If you have sold your car, you and the buyer are required to provide information to VicRoads for the registration to be transferred successfully

  You may be liable for any traffic offences that the buyer incurs if the registration is not transferred. If you as the seller receive traffic infringements in your name, you will need to submit a Nomination Statement stating that you are no longer the owner of the vehicle, including details of the buyer and proof that you transferred the registration to the buyer.

  If you would like further information about the transferring of registration, you may like to contact VicRoads.