Answers to common questions about paying and dealing with your infringement fines.

If your fine was issued by a court and you have received a court fine collection statement from Fines Victoria, see Court fine FAQs.

My question is about:

• nominating the person driving
• company fines
• disputing a fine
• demerit points
• help available to deal with a fine
• a fine wrongly sent to me
• lost fine or not receiving notices
• on-the-spot fines with no obligation number
• a fine issued to a person who has died
• if fines expire
• driver and vehicle sanctions
• distracted driver offences
• how road safety cameras work
• camera test certificates
• suggesting a road safety camera location
• a Failure to Vote fine
• Fines Victoria’s privacy obligations
• bankruptcy

Nominating the person driving



• What should I do if I am the vehicle owner, but I wasn't driving at the time of the offence?

  You need to nominate the person that was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence, by completing a nomination form. You should act quickly - for some fines, you must nominate within 28 days to avoid cancellation or suspension of your driver licence.

  If the nomination is accepted, the fine issued to you will be withdrawn and a new fine, with a new due date, will be issued to the nominated driver.

  See the Nominate the responsible driver page for more information.

• What can I do if I wasn't driving at the time of the offence and it's now too late to nominate?

  Once the fine progresses to Notice of Final Demand stage, it is too late to nominate, except in limited circumstances (for example, if a Magistrate grants an extension).

  See the Nominate the responsible driver page for more information.

• What do I do if I have paid my fine, but I wasn't driving and want to nominate the responsible driver?

  If you want to nominate a fine which you have paid, you can download and complete an Infringement Nomination form (PDF) (for fines with a Victoria Police logo) or Nomination form (PDF) (for fines with a Safe Transport Victoria logo) and submit the completed form to Fines Victoria.

  Fines Victoria
  GPO Box 1916
  MELBOURNE VIC 3001

  If the nomination is accepted, you will be refunded the amount you have paid, and a new fine will be issued to the nominated driver.

• Can I nominate anyone as the driver?

  No, you can only nominate the person who was driving the vehicle when the offence happened.

  It is against the law to say someone was driving if they weren’t. If you give false information when nominating, you can be fined more than $10,000 and have your driver licence suspended. The penalties are even higher for a company that gives false information.





Company fines



• Why has my company vehicle received a traffic fine for more than $3,000?

  For some offences, company vehicles are issued with a body corporate infringement notice which is for a much larger amount than the fine given to an individual. This is to encourage companies to nominate the responsible driver, so that demerit points can be applied to their licence.

  An authorised officer of the company must nominate the person who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence, see Nominate the responsible driver for more information.

  If the nomination is accepted, the fine issued to the company will be withdrawn and a new fine will be issued to the nominated driver.

  If the responsible driver is not nominated, the company is liable to pay the larger amount. Companies that fail to nominate a driver three or more times within a 12-month period may be fined more than $22,000.





Disputing a fine



• What are my options if I don’t think the fine is fair?

  If you believe there is a valid reason why you should not have to pay the fine, you can request a review. To check your eligibility and for more information on the application process, visit the Request a review page of this website.

  If your fine has not yet progressed to a Notice of Final Demand, you may also choose to take your fine to court.

• What can I do if I have a good driving record and have received a fine?

  In some instances, Victoria Police may decide to withdraw a traffic infringement and issue an official warning. For information on the eligibility requirements, visit the official warning page of the Victoria Police website.





Demerit points



• Can you tell me how many demerit points I have on my licence?

  To see how many demerit points are recorded on your licence, visit Check demerit points and driver history on the VicRoads website.





Help available to deal with a fine



• What options are available to me if I can't afford to pay my fine?

  There are options available to help deal with your fine. These include:

  • paying your fine by instalments. This can include having payments deducted directly from your Centrelink payment and if you have multiple fines you can combine them all in one payment arrangement
  • requesting an extension of time to pay.

  If eligible, you can apply to the Work and Development Permit scheme and reduce your fine debt by participating in certain activities and treatment under the supervision of an accredited sponsor.

• What support is available to help me deal with my fine?

  There are Special Circumstances review grounds and the Work and Development Permit and Prison Program schemes available to those who are eligible. The Family Violence Scheme helps victim survivors deal with fines if there is a link between their experience of family violence and their fines.

  You can also authorise another person to help you deal with your fines. Translated information about the fines system is available in 15 languages.

  If you need legal or financial assistance, this page provides information on organisations that may be able to assist you.

  If you have outstanding toll fines and are experiencing hardship, the tolling companies might have other options available to support you. For more information visit the EastLink and Transurban websites.

• How can I add a new fine to my existing payment arrangement?

  To add a new fine to an existing payment arrangement, complete the online pay by instalment form, using the details for your new fine to log in and apply.

  The online form will display the fines on your existing payment arrangement – leave them there if you still want them to be included in the new payment arrangement.

  Once accepted, the old payment arrangement will be cancelled, and a new payment arrangement will be created that includes your new and earlier fines. Details of the new payment plan will be sent to you by post.





A fine wrongly sent to me



• What do I do if I sold my vehicle, but I later received a fine for it?

  If you receive a traffic fine for a vehicle you have sold, you need to submit a Nomination form stating that you were not the owner or driver of the vehicle at the time of the offence. You should include details of the buyer and proof that you transferred the vehicle registration to the buyer before the date of the offence.

  If you have sold your car, both you and the buyer are required to provide information to VicRoads for the transfer of the registration. You may be liable for any traffic offences that the buyer incurs if the vehicle registration is not transferred.

  For further information about the transferring of registration, visit the VicRoads website.

• What do I do if I sold my vehicle in another state, and have now received a fine?

  If you receive a traffic fine for a vehicle in your name, you need to submit a nomination statement stating that you were not the owner or driver of the vehicle at the time of the offence. You will need to include details of the buyer and proof that you transferred the vehicle registration to the buyer prior to the date of the offence.

  If your car was registered in Victoria and you sold it in another state, you should notify VicRoads of the transfer of the vehicle.

  Visit the Transfer a vehicle to/from interstate page on the VicRoads website for more information and to download a transfer form.

• What should I do if I received a fine for a time when my vehicle was stolen, or my number plates were stolen or cloned?

  You need to complete a nomination statement, select the appropriate option and explain what has happened. You should also provide copies of any supporting documentation such as a police report and photos of your vehicle with the genuine number plates.

• What should I do if I have been getting fines at my address, but the person doesn't live here?

  If you receive a fine that doesn’t belong to you or anyone living at your address, you do not need to pay the fine and you will not be held liable for it.

  You should return the fine by post, marked 'Return to Sender'.





Lost fine or not receiving notices



• What should I do if I have lost my fine?

  If you have another open fine in your name, you can go to Your fines and use the obligation number, infringement number or court case number on your notice to log in. Once logged in, you will be able to view a full list of your current fines.

  You should note the fine’s obligation number and offence date, as you’ll need these to deal with the fine.

  If you don’t have any other fines and need help regarding a lost fine, contact us.

• What can I do if I have received a Notice of Final Demand, but I did not receive the previous notices?

  If your fine is for a traffic camera-detected, some fines issued by the Environment Protection Agency or tolling offence and you were unaware of the fine because you did not receive the earlier notices, you can apply for an extension of time to deal with the fine through the Magistrates’ Court. You must apply within 14 days of becoming aware of the fine. If granted, the extension will give you more time to deal with your fine.

  If your registered VicRoads address is up to date but you still did not receive the earlier notices, you can request a review and ask Fines Victoria to waive the additional fees added to your fine.





On-the-spot fines with no obligation number



• How can I pay an on-the-spot fine that does not have an obligation number?

  If you have received a handwritten fine or your fine does not have an obligation number and you would like to pay it on this website, by BPAY or phone, please call Fines Victoria on 03 9200 8111.





A fine issued to a person who has died



• How can I get information on fines issued to person who has died?

  Information on a deceased person's fines can only be provided to the person listed as the next of kin on the death certificate or to the executor of the estate.

  The next of kin or executor of the estate can contact us to get information on any outstanding fines with Fines Victoria.

• What should I do if a fine has been issued to a person for an offence that happened either before or after they died?

  Please provide a copy of the death certificate (or coroner's report if applicable) to us, along with the details of the fine(s).

  If you don’t have a death certificate or coroner’s report, you can write to us with as much information as you have.

  Submit online

  Use our Online Enquiry form – select "Submit an enquiry about" then select "The person named on the notice has died".

  Submit by post

  Send to:

  Fines Victoria
  GPO Box 1916
  MELBOURNE VIC 3001

  Once we receive the death certificate or coroner's report, we will investigate the fines that are with Fines Victoria for the deceased person.

  If the date of the offence(s) happened on or before the date of their death, any fines issued to the deceased person will be closed.

  If the date of the offence(s) occurred after the date of death, a nomination statement needs to be completed by the next of kin or executor of the estate.

• What do I do if I want to nominate a fine issued to a person who has died?

  A nomination statement should be completed, nominating the person who was driving the vehicle at the time of the offence. The nomination statement must be completed by the next of kin or the executor of the estate.

  A certified copy of your authority to represent the deceased person (for example, a death certificate listing you as next of kin, or evidence that you are the executor of the deceased's estate) should be provided with the nomination statement.

  • If you have an Infringement Notice or Penalty Reminder Notice with a Victoria Police logo, download the  Nomination Statement (PDF), follow the steps to complete it.
  • If you have an Infringement Notice or Penalty Reminder Notice with a Safe Transport Victoria logo, download the STV Nomination Statement (PDF), follow the steps to complete it.

  You can submit the nomination statement and supporting documents though our Online Enquiry form or by post to:

  Fines Victoria
  GPO Box 1916
  MELBOURNE VIC 3001

• What should I do if a vehicle is registered in the name of the deceased person?

  You should contact VicRoads as soon as possible to update the vehicle registration records.





If fines expire



• Do fines expire?

  No. Once a fine is registered with Fines Victoria it does not expire and can be enforced at any time.

  When a fine is issued against you, you must do something about it. If you do nothing, the cost of the fine will continue to go up, and an Enforcement Warrant may be issued. Once an Enforcement Warrant is issued, a sheriff's officer has the power to search for and seize property or your vehicle to sell, wheel clamp or detain your vehicle, or arrest you so that you are brought before a magistrate.





Driver and vehicle sanctions



• What do I do if my driver licence or vehicle registration has been suspended?

  The Director, Fines Victoria has directed VicRoads to suspend your driver licence and/or vehicle registration because you have outstanding fines.

  You must deal with your fine(s) for the suspension to be lifted. Your options include:

  • pay the outstanding amount in full
  • apply to pay by instalments
  • apply for an reviewenforcement review
  • apply for the Work and Development Permit
  • apply for the Family Violence Scheme

  If you need assistance with your options, contact Fines Victoria.

  For more information visit the Driver and Vehicle Sanctions webpage or download the Driver and Vehicle Sanctions Information Sheet (PDF).

• What do I do if I have received a ‘Suspension of Driver Licence and/or Vehicle Registration Pending' letter?

  You have received this letter from the Director, Fines Victoria, because you have outstanding fines.

  You must take immediate action to deal with your fines to prevent the suspension of your driver licence and/or vehicle registration.

  Your options include:

  • pay the outstanding amount in full
  • apply to pay by instalments
  • apply for an reviewenforcement review
  • apply for the Work and Development Permit
  • apply for the Family Violence Scheme

  If you need assistance with your options, contact Fines Victoria.

  For more information visit the Driver and Vehicle Sanctions webpage or download the Driver and Vehicle Sanctions Information Sheet (PDF).





Distracted driver offences



• How do mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras work?

  The mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras capture offences related to the use of portable devices like mobile phones while driving, not wearing a seatbelt, or not wearing a seatbelt correctly. For information on how the cameras work, visit the Victorian Government’s website at Mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras.

  You can find information on road rules, demerit points and penalties, on the Transport Victoria website at Device rules for drivers with a full licence.

• Where are the cameras located?

  The mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras operate from approved locations across Victoria. For a list of locations visit the Victorian Government’s website at Mobile phone and seatbelt detection camera locations.

• How can I claim a seatbelt exemption?

  You can claim a seatbelt exemption for a camera-detected offence. For information on how to claim an exemption visit the seatbelt exemption page on this website.

  If you were stopped by a member of Victoria Police and received a fine incorrectly wearing a seatbelt or failing to ensure a passenger is wearing a seatbelt, you can’t claim a seatbelt exemption. You may be able to apply for an internal review.





How road safety cameras work



• How do road safety cameras work?

  Victoria's road safety camera system includes:

  • fixed speed and red light cameras (permanently positioned at approved locations)
  • mobile cameras (devices that are rotated across approved mobile camera locations)
  • mobile cameras
  • mobile phone and seatbelt detection cameras

  You can find more about how these cameras work on the Cameras Save Lives page of the Victorian Government's website.

• How often are road safety cameras tested?

  All Victorian road safety cameras are tested annually by an independent testing officer in accordance with the Road Safety (General) Regulations 2019.

  You can find out more about the testing of cameras at Cameras Save Lives - Road safety camera testing, certification and maintenance page of the Victorian Government’s website.

• How are red light offences detected?

  Detailed information about red light cameras and how they operate can be found on the Cameras Save Lives - Red light cameras page of the Victorian Government’s website.

• Why are the time stamps the same on my red light offence photo?

  Red light offence photos can have the same time stamps if the photos are taken less than one second apart.

  Red light cameras take the first photo when a vehicle enters an intersection after the light has turned red. The second photo is taken when a vehicle continues through the intersection against the red light. If the second photo is triggered less than one second after the first, the two images can show the same time stamp.

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

• Will I get fined if I saw a camera flash, but I was not speeding?

  If you see a road safety camera flash and you believe you were not speeding or driving against a red light or red arrow, don’t 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 more information on the fixed speed and red light cameras pages of the Cameras Save Lives page of the Victorian Government’s website.

• How do you know I was the person speeding if there are two vehicles in the offence photo?

  Road safety cameras can monitor multiple lanes for speeding offences. The cameras differentiate between lanes and only the offending vehicle will be fined.

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

• Why is there more than one time stamp on my offence photo for a speeding fine on the Hume Freeway or Peninsula Link?

  Both the Hume Freeway 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 timestamp on your offence photo, it is likely you have received a fine because your average speed between the two cameras was higher than the speed limit.

  More information on point-to-point cameras on the Cameras Save Lives page of the Victorian Government’s website.





Camera test certificates



• Can I see a copy of the camera test certificate for the camera which captured my offence?

  You can find copies of camera test certificates on the Cameras Save Lives - Road safety camera testing, certification and maintenance page of the Victorian Government’s website.





Suggesting a road safety camera location



• How can I suggest a road safety camera location?

  You can submit your suggestion via the Suggest a Camera Location online form on the Cameras Save Lives website.





A Failure to Vote fine



• Why have I received a Failure to Vote fine from Fines Victoria?

  If you receive a fine for failing to vote in State and council elections, and do not resolve it with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC), the matter can be registered with Fines Victoria and a Notice of Final Demand may be issued.

  Once the Notice of Final Demand has been issued, you must deal directly with Fines Victoria about your fine. Your options may include:

  • paying the outstanding amount in full
  • applying to pay by instalments
  • applying for an enforcement review
  • applying for the Work and Development Permit
  • applying for the Family Violence Scheme

  For more information, see the Notice of Final Demand page of this website.

  For more information regarding what steps were taken by the VEC to inform you of your fine, please visit the Victorian Electoral Commissions website – Didn’t vote?





Fines Victoria’s privacy obligations



• How does Fines Victoria handle my personal information?

  Fines Victoria collects personal and health information necessary to perform its functions of the administration and enforcement of fines.

  Information on our privacy responsibilities is available on the Department of Justice and Community Safety’s website at www.justice.vic.gov.au/your-rights/privacy/information-privacy-policy.

  Information on how personal information submitted via this website, please refer to the Fines Victoria website privacy policy which is available on this website at fines.vic.gov.au/Privacy.

• How can I make a complaint about a breach of privacy?

  You can submit a complaint about a suspected breach of privacy on this website via our feedback form.

• Why is Fines Victoria contacting me by phone when I have not provided my consent to be contacted?

  If you have a fine that has not been resolved by the due date, Fines Victoria may contact you through a phone call or SMS. We do this to help you resolve your fine before it progresses, more fees are added, and it becomes more serious.





Bankruptcy



• What is bankruptcy?

  Bankruptcy is a legal process where a person is declared unable to pay their debts, as governed by the Bankruptcy Act 1966 (Cth). A person is normally bankrupt for three years and one day.

• What happens to my fines if I have been declared bankrupt?

  If an infringement fine(s) has been registered with Fines Victoria, enforcement action on applicable fine(s) will be suspended once the person’s bankruptcy status has been verified. No enforcement action will be taken during the term of a person’s bankruptcy.

  For more information on the impact of bankruptcy on fines registered with Fines Victoria contact us.

• What information needs to be provided when notifying Fines Victoria of bankruptcy?

  You should notify Fines Victoria of your bankruptcy status, as soon as possible. Notification can be provided by you, the Australian Financial Security Authority or a trustee that has been appointed to manage the bankruptcy.

  To process a bankruptcy notification, Fines Victoria requires:

  • the name, address and date of birth of the person who has been declared bankrupt
  • the assigned bankruptcy number
  • the date bankruptcy commenced
  • the name and contact details of the trustee in bankruptcy
  • documentation from the Australian Financial Security Authority.

  For more information on the impact of bankruptcy on fines registered with Fines Victoria contact us.