Traffic fines
On this page:
- Payment options
- Request more time to pay
- Submit an Infringement Notice Declaration
- Withdrawal of an Infringement notice
- Criteria used to assess an application for withdrawal
- Withdrawal on the basis of financial hardship or compassionate grounds
- Altering the penalty
- Matter referred to Court for determination
- Offences where an application for withdrawal will usually be refused
- Disputing an infringement notice (referred to ACT Magistrates Court)
- Complaints
Traffic Infringement Notices are issued for offences such as speeding, unregistered vehicles, negligent driving etc. They do not include parking infringements.
ACT Policing Traffic Representations can only examine requests in relation to traffic infringements that occurred within the ACT or Jervis Bay Territory.
Traffic fines in the ACT are set by the ACT Government. All traffic offences and the most up to date penalties are listed in the Road Transport (Offences) Regulation 2005.
Payment options
Online: Payments can be made online via Access Canberra
In person: Pay at any post office or Access Canberra shopfront using cash, cheque or debit cards (EFTPOS).
By post: Make cheques or money orders payable to ‘Road Transport Authority’. Attach the notice with your payment and send to: PO Box 582 Dickson ACT 2602.
Bpay: Bpay biller code 343533; customer number is the 10 digit infringement number. Contact your financial institution to make payment.
Over the phone: Phone 131 816 (Billpay code 0286).
All non-cash payments are subject to five working days clearance.
Request more time to pay
You may apply for an extension to pay the infringement notice penalty within 28 days from the date of service of either the infringement or reminder notice.
If you fail to pay the infringement notice penalty within 28 days from the date of service, a reminder notice will be served on you. An additional fee of $34.00 is charged by the ACT Government for the cost of serving the reminder notice.
Submit an Infringement Notice Declaration
To complete the following:
- Illegal User Infringement Notice Declaration
- Known User Infringement Notice Declaration
- Sold Vehicle Infringement Notice Declaration
- Unknown User Infringement Notice Declaration
Visit Access Canberra's Traffic and Parking Infringements page or Rego-Infringement Lookup.
Withdrawal of an Infringement notice
If you have been served with a Traffic Infringement Notice or a Reminder Notice, you may lodge an application for withdrawal of the notice or request extra time to apply for withdrawal of the notice within 28 days of the date of service.
Criteria used to assess an application for withdrawal
Applications for withdrawals will be considered in accordance with the Road Transport (General) Withdrawal of Infringement Notices Guidelines 2019 (No1), which are issued by the Minister under the provisions of section 38 of the Road Transport (General) Act 1999.
In determining whether to withdraw an infringement notice, the administering authority may take into account:
- the circumstances in which the infringement notice was issued, including the level of risk posed by the applicant’s behaviour to other road users or public passengers;
- the seriousness of the offence; and
- the extent to which the applicant was aware, or ought reasonably to have been aware, that the conduct constituting the offence was contrary to law.
Certain offences are generally considered to be unsuitable for withdrawal due to the level of risk they pose and the seriousness of the offence.
There are also a number of other grounds for withdrawal including:
- Administrative and technical reasons
- Insufficient evidence
- Defence or exemption applies
- Exceptional circumstances
- Child
- Deceased or moved overseas permanently
- Prior good driving record
- Prior good behaviour
Full details on grounds for withdrawl can be found in the Road Transport (General) Withdrawal of Infringement Notices Guidelines 2019 (No1),
Withdrawal on the basis of financial hardship or compassionate grounds
There are currently no provisions in the Road Transport (General) Withdrawal of Infringement Notices Guidelines 2019 (No1),for infringements to be withdrawn on the basis of financial hardship or compassionate grounds.
However, you can submit a request via Access Canberra to enter into a payment plan or apply to waive the penalty (subject to certain criteria).
Altering the penalty
Infringement penalties have been legislated by the ACT Government and cannot be changed without the approval of the Minister.
Matter referred to Court for determination
Applicants should be aware that following a decision in the ACT Supreme Court in 2005, if the content of the correspondence (sent to the Chief Police Officer) indicates that they:
- do not agree with, or object to the imposition of, the infringement notice;
- deny that they have committed the offence;
- are calling into question the operation/accuracy of the speed/red light camera;
- are calling into question the evidence for issuing the infringement notice;
- are appealing or contesting the infringement notice;
- or are disputing the infringement notice,
then the matter will be referred to court for determination irrespective of the fact that the correspondence is titled "Application for Withdrawal".
If the court finds against you, you may be convicted and ordered to pay a penalty and additional court costs.
Offences where an application for withdrawal will usually be refused
The requirements of the Road Transport (General) Withdrawal of Infringement Notices Guidelines 2019 (No1),, which are binding on this administering authority under section 38 of the Road Transport (General) Act, requires that the following offences will ordinarily be refused unless a defence at law can be substantiated with documentary evidence:
- non-school zone speeding offences where the speed limit has been exceeded by greater than 15km/h
- school zone speeding offences where the speed limit has been exceeded by any margin
- driving while using mobile device
- driver seat belt offences where no medical exemption exists
- any red light offence, including entering the marked foot crossing (please note, not a pedestrian crossing) after the red light has illuminated
- heavy vehicle speed limiter offences
- drive or ride a vehicle on road or road-related area while consuming alcohol
- driver trainer in motor vehicle on road or road-related area while consuming alcohol
- driving unlicensed
- interlock related offences
- improper use of vehicle (for example, burnouts)
- negligent driving
- traffic offence evasion article offences
- use defective vehicle contrary to condition / prohibition
- public passenger safety offences
- parking contrary to, or without a mobility parking scheme authority
- stopping in or near an intersection, children’s crossing or pedestrian crossing
- stopping contrary to a “no stopping” sign
- stopping in parking area for disabled
- offences relating to failure to use approved child restraints
Disputing an infringement notice (referred to ACT Magistrates Court)
If you have been served with a Traffic Infringement Notice or a Reminder Notice, you may lodge a notice to dispute liability or apply for an extension of time to dispute liability within 28 days of the date of service.
Complaints
Complaints in relation to Traffic Infringement Notices may be taken by any member of the AFP or submitted online. If the complaint merely disputes the facts of the Traffic Infringement Notice it is not considered as a complaint.
Complaints concerning the conduct, demeanour or behaviour of the issuing officer are directed to the Complaints Management Team.
Conciliation of the complaint is carried out separately and in isolation to any written application (submitted to the Chief Police Officer) for the withdrawal or dispute of a Traffic Infringement Notice.