Unpaid fines and Fines Victoria

If Fines Victoria agree that your fine should be enforced they will serve you with a notice of final demand. Fines Victoria will charge you extra costs. You normally have 21 days to pay after getting this notice. The notice will explain your options. If you pay the amount on the notice by the new due date there is no further action.

Asking for a payment arrangement

If you cannot afford to pay, ask Fines Victoria for a payment arrangement. You can apply in person or in writing. A payment arrangement is where you can:

• get more time to pay the fine
• pay the fine off bit by bit in instalments.

Asking for a review of your fine

You can also ask Fines Victoria to review the circumstances of your fine and cancel enforcement of your fine if you:

• disagree with the fine
• think you should pay the amount on the original fine and not the extra costs
• have special circumstances that apply to you
• had exceptional circumstances when you got the fine.

Fines Victoria will review your application and will either decide to enforce the fine or cancel enforcement of the fine and send it back to the agency. This process is called ‘enforcement review’.

Apply for a work and development permit

If you are getting support from an approved community agency, counsellor or doctor, they can apply to Fines Victoria on your behalf for a work and development permit. This scheme allows you to ‘pay’ for your fine by doing unpaid work, having counselling or participating in training or education.

Apply under the Family Violence Scheme

You can apply to Fines Victoria under the Family violence scheme if you are a victim of family violence and:

• you were fined in a situation where the family violence contributed to the offence, or
• someone else was driving your vehicle when the offence happened and you are unable to nominate that driver.

If Fines Victoria cancels enforcement

If the enforcement of your fine is cancelled, Fines Victoria will send your fine back to the agency that issued the fine. The agency may:

• withdraw the fine
• withdraw the fine and issue an official warning
• issue a charge-sheet and take you to court.

If Fines Victoria does not cancel enforcement

If you do nothing, Fines Victoria will act to enforce the fine. They may:

• direct you to produce information (usually about your income and assets)
• apply for a summons for oral examination (you will have to explain your financial circumstances)
• organise to have money regularly taken from your wages or bank account
• direct VicRoads to suspend your driver licence or vehicle registration, or
• put a charge over any land you own.

Fines Victoria will apply to court for an enforcement warrant. The warrant means the sheriff can come to your home to get the money. The court charges you extra costs again.

If you cannot pay, the sheriff gives you a written seven-day notice. You have seven days to take action.

Get legal advice immediately if the sheriff comes to your home.

Other support

Find out how you can get other support for fines and infringements.