An Act relating to fines and their enforcement, and to other matters.
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act
This Act is the Fines Act 1996.
2 Commencement
(1) This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation, subject to subsection (2).(2) The day appointed for the commencement of clause 2 of Schedule 3 is to be a day that is at least 3 months before the day appointed for the commencement of clause 3 of that Schedule.Note.Clause 2 of Schedule 3 provides for an amnesty period, before the application of the Act to existing fine defaulters under clause 3 of that Schedule, during which action to commit existing fine defaulters to prison is suspended.
3 Definitions
(1) In this Act—Act includes a Code or other statutory provision of another jurisdiction that applies as a law of this State.appropriate officer for a penalty notice—see section 22.approved electronic manner—see section 4A.approved form means a form approved by the Commissioner for the purposes of the provision in which the term is used.has the meaning given by section 116B.civil enforcement action means action under Division 4 of Part 4.combined payment arrangement has the meaning given by section 100.Commissioner means the Commissioner of Fines Administration referred to in section 113.community service order—see section 79.Note.A community service order applies in relation to a child.court means the Supreme Court, the Industrial Relations Commission, the Land and Environment Court, the District Court, the Local Court, the Children’s Court or any other court.court fine enforcement order—see section 12.driver licence means a driver licence under the Road Transport Act 2013.exercise of a function includes the performance of a duty.fine—see section 4.fine defaulter means a person liable to pay a fine under a fine enforcement order.fine enforcement order means a court fine enforcement order or a penalty notice enforcement order.function includes a power, authority or duty.Hardship Review Board means the Hardship Review Board constituted under the State Debt Recovery Act 2018.issuing agency, in relation to a penalty notice or official caution, means the agency in or by which the appropriate officer who issued the penalty notice or gave the caution is employed or engaged.law enforcement officer means a person exercising law enforcement functions in the official capacity of any of the following—(a) the Director of Public Prosecutions, a Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions or a Solicitor for Public Prosecutions,(b) a Crown Prosecutor,(c) a police officer,(d) a public servant,(e) an officer or employee of a statutory body representing the Crown,(f) a member or an employee of a local council,(g) a member of staff of Local Land Services,(h) an officer within the meaning of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979,(h1) an employee or officer of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator established under section 656 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (NSW),(i) an officer or employee of a kind prescribed by the regulations.order for examination means an order under section 75.pay a fine or amount means to pay the fine or amount in full by its due date and, if payment by instalments is permitted under this Act, includes to pay each instalment in full by its due date.penalty notice—see section 20.penalty notice enforcement order—see section 40.penalty notice offence means an offence under a statutory provision for which a penalty notice may be issued.person in receipt of a Government benefit means—(a) a person in receipt of a pension or other benefit paid by the Commonwealth being a pension or benefit of a kind approved by the Commissioner, or(b) a person belonging to a class of persons prescribed by the regulations.registered, in relation to a vehicle, means registered within the meaning of the Road Transport Act 2013.registered operator has the same meaning as in the Road Transport Act 2013.responsible person for a vehicle has the same meaning as in the Road Transport Act 2013.reviewing agency, in relation to a penalty notice, means the Commissioner or the issuing agency.road transport legislation, for Part 4, Division 3, Subdivision 3—see section 70A.time to pay order means an order under section 100.Transport for NSW means Transport for NSW constituted under the Transport Administration Act 1988.vehicle or vessel offence—see section 38.victims support levy means a victims support levy payable under Part 7 of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013.visitor driver privileges, for Part 4, Division 3, Subdivision 3—see section 70A.visitor privileges, for Part 4, Division 3, Subdivision 3—see section 70A.visitor vehicle privileges, for Part 4, Division 3, Subdivision 3—see section 70A.work and development order—see section 99A.Note.The Interpretation Act 1987 contains definitions and other provisions that affect the interpretation and application of this Act.(2) Notes in the text of this Act do not form part of this Act.s 3: Am 1997 No 119, Sch 2.7; 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [1]; 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [1]; 2001 No 121, Sch 2.115 [1]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [1]; 2006 No 9, Sch 1 [1]; 2007 No 94, Sch 2; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [1]; 2008 No 112, Sch 6.8; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [1]; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [1]; 2013 No 19, Sch 4.21 [1] [2]; 2013 No 37, Sch 3.9 [1]; 2013 No 51, Sch 7.14 [1]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [1]–[3]; 2015 No 65, Sch 2 [1]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [1]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [1]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [1]; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [1]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[1]; 2020 No 30, Sch 4.21[2]; 2021 No 9, Sch 3.1; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[1].
4 Meaning of “fine”
(1) For the purposes of this Act, a fine is—(a) any monetary penalty imposed by a court for an offence (including a fine to which Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth applies, subject to that Part), or(a1) any monetary penalty imposed by a court for contempt of court, or(b) any amount payable under a penalty notice enforcement order, or(c) any court fees or charges payable by a person under an order made by a court in proceedings for an offence, or(d) any victims support levy, or(d1) any court costs levy payable under section 211A of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 in proceedings for an offence, or(e) any witnesses’ expenses payable by a person under an order made by a court in proceedings for an offence that were brought by a law enforcement officer, or(f) any costs (including expenses or disbursements) payable by a person under an order made by a court in proceedings for an offence that were brought by a law enforcement officer, or(g) any other amount of a kind prescribed by the regulations.(2) However, a fine does not include any amount of a kind excluded by the regulations.(2A) For the purposes of this Act—(a) a victims support levy is taken to be a fine imposed by the court by which the person liable to pay the levy was convicted, and(b) a court costs levy payable under section 211A of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 is taken to be a fine imposed by the court by which the person liable to pay the court costs levy was convicted or found guilty.(3) In this section, proceedings for an offence includes—(a) proceedings for an apprehended violence order, and(b) proceedings on appeal in respect of proceedings for an offence.s 4: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [2]–[5]; 1998 No 120, Sch 2.16; 2006 No 9, Sch 1 [2] [3]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [2]; 2013 No 8, Sch 2.2 [1] [2]; 2013 No 37, Sch 3.9 [2]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [4]; 2015 No 67, Sch 1.10.
4A Electronic service of penalty notices and other documents
(1) For the purposes of this Act, an approved electronic manner of issuing a penalty notice to a person or serving a penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order on a person means—(a) sending the penalty notice, penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order, or a penalty notification, to a telephone number or email address provided by the person for the purposes of the issue or service of the notice or order, or(b) providing the person access to the penalty notice, penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order, or a penalty notification, via the online notification system if the person consents to the use of that system, or(c) any other electronic manner prescribed by the regulations.(2) A person may, orally or in writing, provide an email address or telephone number or consent to the use of the online notification system for the purposes of receiving or accessing—(a) a particular penalty notice, penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order, or(b) a particular kind of penalty notice, penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order, or(c) penalty notices, penalty reminder notices or fine enforcement orders for a particular period, or(d) all penalty notices, penalty reminder notices or fine enforcement orders.(3) A penalty notice may not be issued to a person, or a penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order served on a person, in an approved electronic manner if the person is under the age of 16 years.(4) This section does not authorise a penalty notice to be issued to a person, or a penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order to be served on a person, orally.(5) In this section—online notification system means an online system approved by the Commissioner for the purposes of enabling a person to securely access, by means of a website, mobile telephone or mobile device or by other electronic means, a penalty notice, penalty reminder notice, fine enforcement order or penalty notification that is issued to, or made in respect of, the person.penalty notification means a written notification stating the following—(a) a penalty notice, penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order (as the case requires) has been issued to, or made in respect of, the person,(b) the sending of the penalty notification to the person, or providing the person access to the penalty notification, is taken to be the issue of the penalty notice to the person or service of the penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order on the person (as the case requires),(c) how the person can access the penalty notice, penalty reminder notice or fine enforcement order by means of a website, mobile telephone or mobile device or by other electronic means.(6) In this section, a reference to a fine enforcement order is a reference to notice of a fine enforcement order.Note.Division 2 of Part 4 requires notice of a fine enforcement order to be served on the person liable to pay the fine concerned.s 4A: Ins 2019 No 13, Sch 1[3].
Part 2 Fines imposed by courts
Division 1 General
5 Summary of procedure for payment of court fines
(1) The following is a summary of the procedure under this Part for the payment of fines imposed by any court—(a) Payment detailsA fine imposed by a court is payable within 28 days after it is imposed.(b) Notification of fineThe person on whom the fine is imposed is to be notified of the fine, the arrangements for payment and the action that may be taken under this Act to enforce the fine.(c) Time to payA court registrar may allow further time to pay the fine on the application of the person.(d) Enforcement orderIf payment of the fine is not made by the due date, a court fine enforcement order may be made against the person. If the person does not pay the amount (including enforcement costs) within 28 days, enforcement action authorised by this Act may be taken (see Part 4).(e) Withdrawal of enforcement orderA court fine enforcement order may be withdrawn if an error has been made.(2) This section does not affect the provisions of this Part that it summarises.
6 Consideration of accused’s means to pay
(cf Crimes Act 1900 sec 440AB and Justices Act 1902 sec 80A)
In the exercise by a court of a discretion to fix the amount of any fine, the court is required to consider—(a) such information regarding the means of the accused as is reasonably and practicably available to the court for consideration, and(b) such other matters as, in the opinion of the court, are relevant to the fixing of that amount.
Division 2 Payment of fines
7 When fine payable
(1) A fine imposed by any court is payable within 28 days after it is imposed.(2) Arrangements for the payment of the fine after that time may be made under this Part.(3) The court, when imposing a fine—(a) may direct that the fine is payable before that time for the special reasons stated by the court, and(b) may not allow time for payment of the fine after that time.
8 To whom fine payable
(1) A fine imposed by any court is payable to the registrar of the court unless the court or the registrar of the court otherwise directs.(2) The payment may be lodged with the registrar or other officer of any court.s 8: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [1].
9 Fine notification
(1) Written notice of a fine imposed on a person by a court is to be served on the person by the registrar or other officer of the court as soon as practicable after the fine is imposed.(2) The notice may be served personally or by post, by means of document exchange, by facsimile transmission or by any other means authorised by the regulations.(3) The notice is to be served personally during or at the completion of the proceedings concerned if the person is present at those proceedings and available to be served.(4) The notice is to specify the amount payable, the time for payment and the person to whom it is to be paid. The notice is to inform the person—(a) of the arrangements that may be made for further time to pay the amount, and(b) of enforcement action that may be taken under this Act if the amount is not paid by the due date, and(c) of additional enforcement costs that become payable under this Act if enforcement action is taken.(5) The regulations may make provisions for or with respect to the form and service of the notice.s 9: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [6] [7].
10 Application to registrar for further time to pay fine
(1) A person liable to pay a fine imposed by a court may apply for further time to pay the fine to—(a) the registrar of that court, or(b) in the case of a fine imposed by the Local Court—a registrar of the Local Court, or(c) any other registrar of a court specified in the notice of the fine served on the person under this Part as a registrar who may deal with the application.(2) The registrar may, by order, allow further time to pay the fine if it appears expedient to do so.(3) The registrar may, by such an order—(a) extend the time for payment of the whole fine, or(b) allow the fine to be paid by instalments in such amounts, and at such times, as the registrar specifies.(4) If an instalment of a fine is not paid by the due date, the remaining instalments then become payable.(5) An order allowing further time to pay a fine may be amended or revoked by a further order made on the application of the person liable to pay the fine or on the registrar’s own initiative.s 10: Am 2007 No 94, Schs 1.44 [1], 2.
11 Provisions relating to application for further time to pay fine
(1) This section applies to an application for further time to pay a fine.(2) More than one application may be made in respect of a fine (whether or not the earlier applications were granted).(3) The registrar may, for the purposes of dealing with an application, require the applicant to provide information or documents in support of the application (including documents relating to the financial means and identity of the applicant). The registrar may refuse to deal with the application if the information or documents are not provided.(4) The registrar, when dealing with an application, is to comply with such requirements as are prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section. The registrar is also to have due regard to any relevant guidelines under section 120.(5) The decision of the registrar on an application is final, and may not be appealed against, reviewed, quashed, or called into question by any court or tribunal.(6) The registrar may not grant an application after a court fine enforcement order is made in respect of the fine.Note.After the making of the enforcement order, an application for further time to pay may be made to the Commissioner (see section 100).(7) The registrar of a court may authorise any officer of the court to deal with an application and to make, amend or revoke an order allowing further time to pay a fine.(8) Without limiting subsection (7), the principal registrar of the District Court, a registrar of the Local Court at the Downing Centre and a registrar of the Children’s Court may authorise, subject to any conditions specified in the authorisation, a person employed in the Department of Communities and Justice to deal with an application and to make, amend or revoke an order allowing further time to pay a fine.s 11: Am 2013 No 38, Sch 1.5; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2017 No 22, Sch 4.14 [1]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[4].
Division 3 Court fine enforcement orders
12 What is a court fine enforcement order?
(1) A court fine enforcement order is an order made by the Commissioner for the enforcement of a fine imposed by a court.(2) A single order may be made for the enforcement of 2 or more fines payable by a person.Note.Part 4 provides for the fine defaulter to be notified by the Commissioner of the enforcement order and of the enforcement action that may be taken if the outstanding balance of the fine (and enforcement costs) is not paid within 28 days.s 12: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5].
13 Referral for a court fine enforcement order
(1) The registrar of the court that imposed a fine (or, if the fine is payable to the registrar of some other court, the registrar of the court to whom the fine is payable) is to refer the matter to the Commissioner for the making of a court fine enforcement order if—(a) the fine has not been paid by the due date, or(b) the person on whom the fine has been imposed seeks a work and development order in relation to the fine, or(c) the person is in receipt of a Government benefit and seeks a time to pay order in relation to the fine, or(d) the person seeks a time to pay order in relation to the fine that provides for a combined payment arrangement.(2) A matter may be referred to the Commissioner for the making of a court fine enforcement order—(a) by post, or(b) by means of a document exchange, or(c) by facsimile transmission or other electronic transmission.(3) Subsection (1) (a) does not apply to a court that uses an automated electronic system for the referral of unpaid court imposed fines to the Commissioner.s 13: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [2]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [2]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [3]; 2012 No 11, Sch 1.4; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [6].
14 When an order may be made
(1) The Commissioner may make a court fine enforcement order—(a) if the registrar of the court that imposed the fine refers the matter to the Commissioner for the making of a court fine enforcement order, or(b) if the fine is registered in New South Wales under Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth and that Act permits the fine to be enforced in or by New South Wales as the registering State.Note.Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth allows interstate fines imposed by courts that are registered in New South Wales to be enforced in New South Wales in the same way as New South Wales court imposed fines.(1A) A court fine enforcement order may be made only if there has been a default in payment of the fine by the due date.(1B) However, a court fine enforcement order may be made, without any default in payment, in relation to a fine imposed by a court on a person if—(a) the person seeks a work and development order in relation to the fine, or(b) the person is in receipt of a Government benefit and seeks a time to pay order in relation to the fine, or(c) the person seeks a time to pay order in relation to the fine that provides for a combined payment arrangement.(1BA) The Commissioner must not make a court fine enforcement order referred to in subsection (1B) unless the Commissioner decides to make the work and development order, or time to pay order, sought by the person.(1C) If the Commissioner does not make a court fine enforcement order in respect of a matter referred to the Commissioner by a registrar under section 13 (1) (b), (c) or (d), the Commissioner is to refer the matter back to the registrar.(2) The Commissioner is not required to inquire into whether this section authorises the making of an order in a matter referred to the Commissioner by the registrar of a court.(3) A court fine enforcement order may be made in the absence of, and without notice to, the person liable to pay the fine.(4) The Commissioner may, but is not required to, make a court fine enforcement order if a fine to which it is to apply has previously been the subject of a court fine enforcement order in respect of which any enforcement action has been taken.s 14: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [3]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [4]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [7]–[9].
15 Form of court fine enforcement order
(1) A court fine enforcement order must specify the following matters—(a) the fine defaulter’s name, address and date of birth (if known),(b) a description of the offence in respect of which each fine to which the order applies was imposed,(c) the date on which the fine was imposed,(d) the amount required to be paid, being the amount of the fine that remains to be paid, together with specified enforcement costs.(2) Any amount recovered in consequence of the making of a court fine enforcement order (other than for enforcement costs) is to be dealt with in the same way as if the amount had been paid on the imposition of the fine.s 15: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [4]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [1].
16 Enforcement costs under order
(1) The regulations may prescribe the enforcement costs payable under a court fine enforcement order and an amount is not payable for enforcement costs unless it is so prescribed, or is payable under section 76A (Sheriff’s additional costs of taking enforcement action under this Division).(2) The following applies to any such enforcement costs—(a) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable to the Commissioner on the making of the order,(b) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable to Transport for NSW if any enforcement action is taken by Transport for NSW under Division 3 of Part 4 before payment is made under the order,(c) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable into the Consolidated Fund if any civil enforcement action is taken by the Sheriff or other official before payment is made under the order.(3) Any amount recovered in consequence of the making of a court fine enforcement order is to be applied firstly towards enforcement costs payable under this section or section 76A and the balance towards the amount payable under the fine.s 16: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [8] [9]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1] [2]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [2].
17 Withdrawal of order
(1) The Commissioner may, on application or the Commissioner’s own initiative, withdraw a court fine enforcement order if satisfied that—(a) a fine to which it applies has previously been the subject of a court fine enforcement order in respect of which any enforcement action has been taken, or(b) the person named in the court fine enforcement order is not the same person as the person in respect of whom a fine to which it applies was imposed, or(c) the order was otherwise made in error.(2) A court fine enforcement order must be withdrawn if application for its withdrawal is made by the registrar who referred the matter to the Commissioner.(3) A court fine enforcement order may be withdrawn completely or only to the extent of some of the fines to which it applies.(4) If a court fine enforcement order is withdrawn completely—(a) the order then ceases to have effect, and(b) any enforcement action already taken is to be reversed, unless the same enforcement action is authorised under another court fine enforcement order or penalty notice enforcement order, and(c) enforcement costs are not payable in respect of the issue of the order and, if paid, are repayable.(4A) If a court fine enforcement order is withdrawn only to the extent of some of the fines to which it applies—(a) the order continues to have effect in respect of the remaining fines to which it applies, and(b) any amount that has been paid under the order is to be applied to payment of the remaining fines to which it applies and any enforcement costs in respect of that order.(5) The withdrawal of a court fine enforcement order does not prevent the making of a further order in respect of the fine.(6), (7) (Repealed)Note.The Commissioner may, instead of repaying an amount under this section, reallocate it towards the payment of other amounts payable by the person (see section 122C).s 17: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [10]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [5]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [2]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [10] [11]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[8].
18 Special provision relating to certain victims support levies
(1) This section applies to a victims support levy if the person liable to pay the levy (the offender) has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment by way of full-time detention in respect of the conviction that gave rise to the imposition of the levy (whether or not the sentence is consecutive with another sentence or concurrent with another sentence or partly consecutive and partly concurrent).(2) However, this section does not apply if the relevant sentence has been suspended.(3) Despite the other provisions of this Division, a victims support levy to which this section applies that is not paid by the due date may be enforced by deducting the amount due from the offender’s prison earnings.(4) The appropriate deduction is to be made by the Commissioner of Corrective Services or the governor of the correctional centre in which the offender is imprisoned.(5) Money may be deducted from prison earnings in accordance with this section despite the provisions of any other Act or law.(6) Any amount of a victims support levy to which this section applies that remains unpaid when the offender is discharged from the correctional centre, or released on parole, is taken to have been satisfied.(7) Subsection (6) applies even if the offender’s parole is subsequently revoked.(8) In this section, a reference to an offender’s prison earnings is a reference to the payments (if any) to be made to the offender under section 7 of the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 and to any remuneration earned by the offender as a participant in an external work release program (within the meaning of section 7A of that Act).s 18: Rep 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [6]. Ins 2006 No 9, Sch 1 [4]. Am 2013 No 37, Sch 3.9 [3]; 2014 No 6, Sch 2 [1].
Part 3 Penalty notices
Division 1 Summary of penalty notice procedure
19 Summary of penalty notice procedure
(1) The following is a summary of the penalty notice procedure under this Part—(a) Person alleged to have committed penalty notice offenceA person is alleged to have committed a penalty notice offence for which a penalty notice may be issued under a statutory provision (see Division 2).(a1) Determine whether to give official caution rather than penalty noticeThe officer who may issue a penalty notice determines whether to issue a penalty notice or whether an official caution would be more appropriate (see Division 1A).(b) Issue of penalty noticeIf it is determined that it is not appropriate to give an official caution, a penalty notice is issued under the relevant statutory provision. The notice requires payment of a specified monetary penalty, unless the person alleged to have committed the offence elects to have the matter dealt with by a court (see Division 2).(b1) Internal reviewA reviewing agency may conduct a review of the decision to issue the penalty notice, including after a penalty notice enforcement order has been made. After conducting a review, the agency may withdraw the penalty notice or penalty notice enforcement order or confirm the decision. If the decision is confirmed, the agency may serve a penalty reminder notice or, if a penalty notice enforcement order has been made, take enforcement action (see Division 2A).(c) Penalty reminder noticeIf the penalty is not paid, a penalty reminder notice is served. The person who is alleged to have committed the offence may elect to have the matter dealt with by a court (see Division 3).(d) Enforcement orderIf payment of the specified monetary penalty is not made and the person does not elect to have the matter dealt with by a court, a penalty notice enforcement order may be made against the person (see Division 4). If the person does not pay the amount (including enforcement costs) within 28 days, enforcement action authorised by this Act may be taken in the same way as action may be taken for the enforcement of a fine imposed on a person after a court hearing for the offence (see Part 4).(e) Withdrawal of enforcement orderA penalty notice enforcement order may, on application or the Commissioner’s own initiative, be withdrawn by the Commissioner (see Division 5).(f) Annulment of enforcement orderA penalty notice enforcement order may, on application, be annulled by the Local Court. If the order is annulled, the alleged offence is to be heard and determined by the Local Court (see Division 5).(2) This section does not affect the provisions of this Part that it summarises.s 19: Am 2007 No 94, Sch 2; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [5]–[7]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [2]–[4]; 2017 No 63, Sch 4.18 [1] [2]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[9]–[11].
Division 1A Official cautions
pt 3, div 1A: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [8].
19A Official caution may be given instead of penalty notice
(1) An officer authorised to issue a penalty notice may give a person an official caution instead of issuing a penalty notice if the officer believes—(a) on reasonable grounds that the person has committed a penalty notice offence, and(b) that it is appropriate to give an official caution in the circumstances.(2) In making a decision under subsection (1), an appropriate officer (other than a police officer) must have regard to the applicable guidelines relating to the giving of official cautions in respect of penalty notice offences.(3) In this section—guidelines means guidelines—(a) issued by the Attorney General that are published in the Gazette and made available on the internet site of Revenue NSW, or(b) issued by the relevant issuing agency that are consistent with the guidelines issued by the Attorney General.s 19A: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [8]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [12]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [5]; 2017 No 22, Sch 4.14 [2]; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [2]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[12].
19B Official caution does not affect other powers
An official caution in relation to a penalty notice offence does not affect the power of an appropriate officer or issuing agency to—(a) commence proceedings against the person to whom the official caution was given, or(b) issue a penalty notice in relation to the offence, or(c) take no further action, or(d) take any other specified action permitted under this Act or the Act that establishes the penalty notice offence.s 19B: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [8].
Division 2 Penalty notices
20 What is a penalty notice?
A penalty notice is a notice issued under a statutory provision to the effect that—(a) the person to whom the notice is issued has committed the penalty notice offence specified in the notice, and(b) if the person does not wish to have the matter determined by a court, the person may pay, within the time and to the person specified in the notice, the amount for the offence specified in the notice.s 20: Am 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [9]. Subst 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [6].
21 Issue of penalty notices
(1) A penalty notice may be issued by an officer authorised by, and in the circumstances specified in, the statutory provision providing for the issue of the notice.(2) A penalty notice may be issued to a person—(a) personally, or(b) by post, or(b1) in an approved electronic manner, or(c) in any other manner authorised by the statutory provisions providing for the issue of the penalty notice.(3)–(5) (Repealed)(6) A penalty notice may be issued in an approved electronic manner even if the statutory provision providing for the issue of the penalty notice does not authorise the issue of the penalty notice in that manner.s 21: Subst 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [6]. Am 2019 No 13, Sch 1[13]–[15].
22 Persons who may deal with penalty notices (appropriate officers)
(1) (Repealed)(2) For the purposes of this Part, the following are appropriate officers for a penalty notice—(a) a person authorised to issue that kind of penalty notice,(b) a person who is—(i) employed in Revenue NSW, or whose services are made use of by Revenue NSW (whether by way of temporary hire arrangement, secondment or otherwise), and(ii) authorised by, and subject to the control and direction of, the Commissioner for the purposes of this Part,(c) a person, or a member of a specified class of persons, specified in the regulations for that kind of penalty notice or for all penalty notices.s 22: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [11]; 1999 No 85, Sch 2.21; 2003 No 80, Sch 2 [1]; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [2]; 2011 No 62, Sch 2.13 [1]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [13]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [7]; 2017 No 22, Sch 4.14 [2]; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [3]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[12]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[2] [3].
22A Effect of payment under penalty notice
(1) If the full amount specified in a penalty notice for an alleged offence is paid in accordance with the notice, no person is liable to any further proceedings for the alleged offence.(2) Payment under a penalty notice is not to be regarded as an admission of liability for the purpose of, and does not in any way affect or prejudice, any civil claim, action or proceeding arising out of the same occurrence.(3) This section does not affect any disciplinary or other proceedings, or liability, to which a person is expressly subject under another Act in relation to the payment of an amount under a penalty notice.s 22A: Ins 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [8].
23 Amount payable under penalty notice
(1) For the purposes of this Part, the amount payable under a penalty notice is the amount specified in the notice, as fixed by or in accordance with law.(1A) A person may pay the amount by part payments. However, the full amount payable under a penalty notice is to be paid within the time required by the notice.(2) (Repealed)(3) The amount specified in a penalty notice cannot exceed the maximum amount of the penalty that could be imposed by a court for the offence to which the penalty notice relates.(4) If the statutory provision providing for the issue of the penalty notice provides for a lesser amount, the amount specified in the penalty notice cannot exceed that lesser amount.(5) An instrument under a statutory provision providing for the issue of a penalty notice that prescribes the amount payable under the notice for an alleged offence may—(a) prescribe different amounts for different offences, and(b) prescribe different amounts for the same kind of offence committed in specified circumstances.(6) Despite any other provision of this Act or any other Act or law, the Commissioner may, on application by a person to whom a penalty notice is issued, reduce by 50% the amount required to be paid under the penalty notice if—(a) at the time the person committed the offence specified in the penalty notice, the person was in receipt of a Government benefit, and(b) the Commissioner thinks it is appropriate having regard to the relevant guidelines issued under section 120.(7) In subsection (6), a person in receipt of a Government benefit includes the following—(a) a holder of a Health Care Card, Ex-Carer Allowance (Child) Health Care Card or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card issued on behalf of the Commonwealth,(b) a person in receipt of the Disability Support Pension or Newstart, ABSTUDY Living or Widow Allowance under a law of the Commonwealth.s 23: Am 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [2] [3]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [9] [10]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[16].
23AA Payment of fine before vehicle or vessel offence nomination made—payment by or for nominated person
(1) This section applies if—(a) a penalty notice is issued for a vehicle or vessel offence (the original notice), and(b) the amount payable under the penalty notice for the offence was paid when or before a nomination notice was given in respect of the offence, and(c) an appropriate officer for the penalty notice is satisfied that the amount was paid by, or on behalf of and with the consent of, the nominated person.(2) An appropriate officer for the penalty notice—(a) may issue a penalty notice to the nominated person, and(b) must advise the nominated person that, as the amount has been paid, there is no further liability for further proceedings for the offence to which the notice relates, and(c) must not take any further proceedings for the offence to which the notice relates.(3) This Act, and any other law, applies as if the amount paid was paid in respect of the offence specified in the penalty notice issued to the nominated person under this section and not the offence specified in the original notice.(4) Any action taken to record demerit points against a person to whom the original notice was issued in the NSW demerit points register kept under the Road Transport Act 2013 because of the payment of the amount is to be reversed, and any driver licence affected as a consequence of the recording of the demerit points is to be restored (subject to any other matters affecting the licence), by Transport for NSW.(5) To avoid doubt, the nominated person may make an election under section 23A in respect of a penalty notice issued under this section.(6) This section applies despite section 22A (1).(7) In this section—nominated person means a person nominated by a nomination notice.nomination notice means—(a) an approved nomination notice within the meaning of section 38 (whether given under this Act or another Act), or(b) a relevant nomination document within the meaning of Division 2 of Part 7.3 of the Road Transport Act 2013 (whether given under that Act or another Act).s 23AA: Ins 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [1]. Am 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [11].
23AB Payment of fine before vehicle or vessel offence nomination made—other cases
(1) This section applies if—(a) a penalty notice is issued for a vehicle or vessel offence, and(b) the amount payable under the penalty notice for the offence was paid before a nomination notice was given in respect of the offence, and(c) section 23AA does not apply.(2) An appropriate officer for the penalty notice may withdraw the notice.(3) If the penalty notice is withdrawn—(a) the amount that was payable under the notice ceases to be payable, and(b) any amount that has been paid under the notice is repayable to the person by whom it was paid, and(c) further proceedings in respect of the vehicle or vessel offence may be taken against any person (including the person to whom the notice was issued).(4) Any action taken to record demerit points against a person to whom the penalty notice was issued in the NSW demerit points register kept under the Road Transport Act 2013 because of the payment of the amount is to be reversed, and any driver licence affected as a consequence of the recording of the demerit points is to be restored (subject to any other matters affecting the licence), by Transport for NSW.(5) This section applies despite section 22A (1).(6) Nothing in this section requires an appropriate officer to withdraw a penalty notice.(7) In this section—nomination notice means—(a) an approved nomination notice within the meaning of section 38 (whether given under this Act or another Act), or(b) a relevant nomination document within the meaning of Division 2 of Part 7.3 of the Road Transport Act 2013 (whether given under that Act or another Act).s 23AB: Ins 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [1]. Am 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [12] [13].
23A Person may elect to have matter dealt with by court
(1) A person alleged to have committed or to be guilty of the offence to which a penalty notice relates—(a) has the right to elect to have the matter dealt with by a court instead of under the statutory provision providing for the issue of the penalty notice, and(b) may make that election—(i) in the manner specified in that statutory provision, or(ii) if no manner is specified in that statutory provision—in the manner specified in the penalty notice, or(iii) if no manner is specified in that statutory provision or in the penalty notice—in the manner specified by the regulations.(2) A person may make such an election even if the whole or part of the amount payable under the penalty notice has been paid.(2A) If the whole of the amount payable under the penalty notice has been paid, such an election may not be made later than 90 days after the penalty notice was issued.(2B) Despite subsection (2A), a person may make such an election at any time while a review under Division 2A of the decision to issue the penalty notice is in progress.(2BA) If a person elects to have a matter dealt with by a court while a review under Division 2A is in progress, court proceedings must not be taken unless, following the review, the reviewing agency confirms the decision to issue the penalty notice.(2C) Despite subsection (2A), if a reviewing agency confirms the decision to issue the penalty notice, such an election may not be made later than 28 days after the outcome of the review has been notified under section 24E.(2D) This section does not apply if a penalty reminder notice has been served in respect of the offence.Note.Sections 35 and 36 provide for the right to elect to have a matter dealt with by a court, and the making of and timing for an election, if a penalty reminder notice is served under section 24F or 26.(3) If a person elects under this section to have a matter dealt with by a court after any amount payable under the penalty notice has been paid—(a) section 22A (1) ceases to apply in relation to the person, and(b) any action taken to record demerit points against the person in the NSW demerit points register kept under the Road Transport Act 2013 because of that payment is to be reversed by Transport for NSW, and(c) the amount that has been paid under the penalty notice is repayable to the person by whom it was paid.s 23A: Ins 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [4]. Am 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [1]–[3]; 2013 No 19, Sch 4.21 [3]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [14] [15]; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [4] [5].
23B Completion of certain activities may be treated as payment
(1) A person to whom a penalty notice is issued is taken to have paid the amount specified in the penalty notice if the Commissioner is satisfied that—(a) the person has completed an activity, and(b) the activity is prescribed by the regulations as an activity that may be completed instead of payment for an amount specified in a penalty notice belonging to a particular class, and(c) the penalty notice belongs to the class, and(d) any additional requirements prescribed by the regulations are satisfied, and(e) a penalty notice enforcement order has not been made for the amount.(2) The payment is taken to be—(a) for the full amount specified in the penalty notice, and(b) made in accordance with the penalty notice.s 23B: Ins 2023 No 39, Sch 3.
24 Failure to pay amount required by penalty notice
Divisions 3–5 set out the procedure that applies when a person who has been issued with a penalty notice fails to pay the full amount payable under the notice within the time required by the notice.s 24: Am 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [5]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [16].
Division 2A Internal review
pt 3, div 2A: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10].
24A Application for review of penalty notice
(1) An application may be made by or on behalf of any person for a review of the decision to issue a penalty notice in respect of the person.(2) An application for a review must include the grounds on which the review is sought (including supporting evidence) and must be made—(a) to the Commissioner in an approved form—in the case of a fine under a penalty notice that is payable to the Commissioner, or(b) to the issuing agency in the form approved by the agency—in any other case.(3) An application for a review may, subject to subsection (3A), be made at any time, including after—(a) the whole or part of the amount payable under the penalty notice has been paid, or(b) a penalty notice enforcement order has been made in relation to the penalty notice.(3A) If the whole of the amount payable under the penalty notice has been paid and no penalty reminder notice has been served in respect of the offence, an application for a review must be made not later than 60 days after the penalty notice was issued.(4) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to applications under this section.s 24A: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10]. Am 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [4]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [16]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[17].
24B Circumstances when agency is not required to conduct a review
(1) An agency that receives an application for a review of a decision to issue a penalty notice is not required to conduct a review of the decision under this Division in any of the following circumstances—(a) the agency notifies the applicant in writing, within 10 days after receiving the application, that it has decided not to conduct a review under this Division and gives reasons for its decision,(b) a review of the decision has already been conducted under this Division,(c) such other circumstances as may be prescribed by the regulations.(2) An agency that decides not to conduct a review may take such other action as it sees fit, including withdrawing the penalty notice to which an application relates.ss 24B–24E: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10].
24C Review by reviewing agency
(1) Except as provided by section 24B, an agency that receives an application for review under this Division must conduct a review in accordance with this Division.(2) The reviewing agency is to ensure that a review under this Division is conducted by a person who was not involved in making the decision that is the subject of the review.ss 24B–24E: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10].
24D Request for additional information
(1) When conducting a review under this Division, a reviewing agency may request, in writing, additional information from the applicant.(2) The additional information must be provided by the applicant to the reviewing agency within 14 days of the request.(3) If the information is not provided within the time specified, the review may be conducted without that information.ss 24B–24E: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10].
24E Outcome of review
(1) After reviewing a decision under this Division, a reviewing agency may confirm the decision to issue a penalty notice or may withdraw the penalty notice.(2) A reviewing agency must withdraw a penalty notice if it finds any of the following grounds to be made out—(a) the penalty notice was issued contrary to law,(b) the issue of the penalty notice involved a mistake of identity,(c) the penalty notice should not have been issued, having regard to the exceptional circumstances relating to the offence,(d) the person to whom the penalty notice was issued is unable, because the person has an intellectual disability, a mental illness, a cognitive impairment or is homeless—(i) to understand that the person’s conduct constituted an offence, or(ii) to control such conduct,(e) an official caution should have been given instead of a penalty notice, having regard to the relevant guidelines under section 19A,(f) any other ground prescribed by the regulations.(3) A reviewing agency may, at its discretion, also decide to withdraw a penalty notice on a ground other than those specified in subsection (2).(4) A reviewing agency is to notify the applicant in writing of the outcome of the review within 42 days of receipt of the application, or within 56 days if additional information has been requested under this Division.ss 24B–24E: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10].
24F Action to be taken if decision to issue penalty notice is confirmed
(1) If, after a review under this Division, a reviewing agency confirms a decision to issue a penalty notice in respect of an offence by a person (and the whole amount payable under the notice has not been paid), it must, in accordance with Division 3, serve a penalty reminder notice in respect of the offence on the person.Note.Accordingly, the time for making an election to have a matter dealt with by a court under section 36 (2) will be on or before the due date for payment specified in the penalty reminder notice served under this section.(2) A penalty reminder notice served under subsection (1) replaces any previous penalty reminder notice in respect of the offence.(3) This section does not apply if—(a) a penalty notice enforcement order has been made in respect of the offence, or(b) the person has elected to have the matter dealt with by a court under section 23A or 36.Note.If a penalty notice enforcement order has been made in relation to a penalty notice and the decision to issue the penalty notice is confirmed in a review under this Division, enforcement action may be taken against the person under Part 4.s 24F: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10]. Am 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [5] [6]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[18].
24G Effect of withdrawal of penalty notice
(1) If a reviewing agency withdraws a penalty notice, following a review under this Division or otherwise, it may, if it considers it appropriate to do so, give an official caution to the person in accordance with Division 1A as if it were an appropriate officer.(2) If a penalty notice is withdrawn—(a) any penalty reminder notice or penalty notice enforcement order, in respect of the offence to which the penalty notice relates, is also taken to be withdrawn, and(b) if all or part of the amount under the penalty notice or penalty reminder notice has been paid—(i) any action taken to record demerit points against a person in the NSW demerit points register kept under the Road Transport Act 2013 because of that payment is to be reversed, and any driver licence affected as a consequence of the recording of the demerit points is to be restored (subject to any other matters affecting the licence), by Transport for NSW from the date of the withdrawal of the penalty notice, and(ii) the amount that has been paid is repayable to the person by whom it was paid.s 24G: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10]. Am 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [3]; 2013 No 19, Sch 4.21 [4]; 2015 No 65, Sch 2 [2]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[19].
24H Agency may review a decision on its own motion
(1) Nothing in this Division limits the power of a reviewing agency to review a decision to issue a penalty notice, or withdraw a penalty notice, on its own motion.(2) If a reviewing agency withdraws a penalty notice on its own motion after the amount under the penalty notice (or a penalty reminder notice in respect of the offence to which the penalty notice relates) has been paid, no person is liable to any further proceedings for the alleged offence.s 24H: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10].
24I (Repealed)
s 24I: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10]. Rep 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [6].
24J Reviewing agencies may enter into arrangements with respect to functions under Division
A reviewing agency may enter into arrangements with another person or body under which the functions of the agency under this Division are exercised by that person or body on behalf of the agency.s 24J: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [10].
Division 3 Penalty reminder notices
25 What is a penalty reminder notice?
A penalty reminder notice is a notice (and any matter annexed to, or enclosed with, a notice) served on a person to whom a penalty notice (and any matter annexed to, or enclosed with, a notice) has been issued and containing the matters required by this Division.s 25: Am 1998 No 172, Sch 2 [1]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [17].
26 When a penalty reminder notice may be sent
An appropriate officer may serve a penalty reminder notice on a person to whom a penalty notice was issued if it appears to the officer that the full amount payable under the penalty notice has not been paid within the time required by the notice.s 26: Am 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [5]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [18].
27 What a penalty reminder notice must say
(1) A penalty reminder notice must inform the person on whom it is served—(a) that the person has until the due date specified in the notice to pay the full amount (or, if one or more part payments of that full amount have been paid, the remaining amount) for the offence specified in the notice, and(a1) of the steps to be taken for seeking a review of the decision to issue the penalty notice, and(b) of enforcement action that may be taken under this Act if the full amount is not paid by the due date, and(c) of additional enforcement costs that become payable under this Act if enforcement action is taken.(2) If there is an approved form for a penalty reminder notice, a penalty reminder notice must be in that form.(3) The inclusion in a penalty reminder notice of additional information and directions for the assistance or guidance of the person on whom it is served does not affect the validity of the penalty reminder notice.s 27: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [12]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [5] [6]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [11]; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [3].
28 Service of penalty reminder notices
(1) A penalty reminder notice may be served on a person—(a) personally, or(b) by post, or(c) by means of a document exchange, or(d) in an approved electronic manner, or(e) by any other manner prescribed by the regulations.(2) The address for personal service or service by post or document exchange of a penalty reminder notice includes—(a) the address of the person shown on the relevant penalty notice or supplied by the person in connection with the issue of the relevant penalty notice, or(b) if the relevant penalty notice was issued to the person in his or her capacity as owner or responsible person for a vehicle or owner of a vessel or was issued by being left on a vehicle or vessel—the address shown in the records of Transport for NSW or other public agency as the address of the owner or responsible person at the time the relevant penalty notice was issued, or(c) if the relevant penalty notice was issued to the person in his or her capacity as the person driving or in charge of a vehicle or vessel—the address specified in a notice given under section 38 (1) (a) as the address of the person in charge of the vehicle or vessel at the time of the alleged offence, or(d) any other address supplied by the person in connection with a fines application made in relation to the fine concerned or another fine.(3) In this section, fines application means any of the following—(a) an application for a review of a decision to issue a penalty notice under section 24A,(b) an application for a work and development order,(c) an application for a time to pay order,(d) an election under section 23A or 36 to have a matter dealt with by a court.s 28: Am 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [7]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [3]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [2] [3]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [16] [19]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[20] [21].
29 Time for service of penalty reminder notices by post
Despite any other provision of this Act, it is presumed that a penalty reminder notice sent to a person by post is served on the person 7 days after it is posted, unless the person establishes that it was not served within that 7-day period.
30 Due date for payment in penalty reminder notices
(1) The due date for payment in a penalty reminder notice must be at least 21 days after it is served on the person.(2) Accordingly, a penalty reminder notice that is posted may specify a date that is at least 28 days after the penalty reminder notice is posted as the due date for making the payment concerned.
31 Extension of due date if notice takes more than 7 days
(1) If a penalty reminder notice is served on a person more than 7 days after it was posted, the notice is not invalid merely because it specifies as the due date a date that is less than 21 days after it was served on the person.(2) In such a case however, the due date is extended to a date that is 21 days after the penalty reminder notice was served and the penalty reminder notice is taken to specify that date as the due date.
32 Effect of penalty reminder notice on payment time in penalty notice
If a penalty reminder notice is served on a person, the time for payment of the amount payable under the penalty notice for the offence concerned is extended to the due date specified in the penalty reminder notice for payment.
33 Payment under penalty reminder notice
(1) Payment of the amount payable under the penalty notice to which a penalty reminder notice relates may be made in accordance with the penalty notice.(2) A person may pay the amount by part payments. However, the full amount payable under a penalty notice is to be paid within the time required by the penalty reminder notice.s 33: Am 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [8]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [20].
34 Effect of payment under penalty reminder notice
Payment of the full amount payable under the penalty notice to which a penalty reminder notice relates has the same effect as payment in accordance with the penalty notice.s 34: Am 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [5].
35 Alleged offender’s right to elect to have matter dealt with by court
A person alleged to have committed or to be guilty of the offence to which a penalty reminder notice relates has the right to elect to have the matter dealt with by a court instead of under this Part.s 35: Am 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [9].
36 How a person may elect to have matter dealt with by court
(1) A person may elect to have a matter dealt with by a court by serving on the appropriate officer or other person or body specified in the penalty reminder notice a written statement that the person so elects.(1A) A person may make such an election even if the whole or part of the amount payable under the penalty notice has been paid.(2) Such an election may not be made later than the due date specified in the penalty reminder notice for payment in relation to the offence concerned.(2A) Despite subsection (2), a person may make an election at any time while a review under Division 2A of the decision to issue the penalty notice is in progress, provided the person applied for the review on or before the due date specified in the penalty reminder notice for payment in relation to the offence concerned.(3) A statement under this section may be served on a person personally or by post, by means of document exchange, by electronic means approved by the Commissioner or in any other manner prescribed by the regulations.(4) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the form of written statements under this section.(5) If a person elects under this section to have a matter dealt with by a court after any amount payable under the penalty notice has been paid—(a) section 22A (1) ceases to apply in relation to the person, and(b) any action taken to record demerit points against the person in the NSW demerit points register kept under the Road Transport Act 2013 because of that payment is to be reversed by Transport for NSW, and(c) the amount that has been paid under the penalty notice is repayable to the person by whom it was paid.s 36: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [13]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [10] [11]; 2008 No 62, Sch 1.7; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [3] [7]–[9]; 2013 No 19, Sch 4.21 [5]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [21]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[22] [23].
37 Matter to proceed
If a person duly elects, in accordance with this Part, to have the matter dealt with by a court, proceedings against the person in respect of the offence may be taken as if a penalty notice had not been issued or penalty reminder notice had not been served.s 37: Am 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [10]; 2017 No 63, Sch 4.18 [3].
37A Extension of time limit for taking proceedings if person has elected to have penalty notice matter dealt with by court
(1) This section applies to proceedings for a summary offence that has an applicable limitation period (apart from this section) of less than 12 months if—(a) a penalty notice in relation to the offence has been issued to a person within that applicable limitation period, and(b) the person has duly elected, in accordance with this Part, to have the matter dealt with by a court.(2) Proceedings relating to that offence may, despite the applicable limitation period, be commenced not later than 12 months from when the offence was alleged to have been committed.Note.An election to have a penalty notice matter dealt with by a court must be made in accordance with section 23A or 36 (as applicable).(3) Subsection (2) does not affect the operation of section 179 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 in relation to the commencement in any other circumstances of proceedings for an offence.s 37A: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [7]. Am 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [11].
38 Circumstances in which person issued with penalty reminder notice for vehicle or vessel offence is not liable to pay penalty
(1) A person on whom a penalty reminder notice is served in relation to a vehicle or vessel offence is not liable to make any payment under the penalty notice if—(a) on or before the due date specified in the penalty reminder notice, the appropriate officer receives an approved nomination notice containing the nomination details of the person who was driving or in charge of the vehicle or vessel concerned at all relevant times relating to the offence, or(b) the person satisfies the appropriate officer that the person did not know and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained the nomination details.(1A)–(1E) (Repealed)(2) The Commissioner may approve 1 or more notices (approved nomination notices) to be used to nominate the person driving or in charge of a vehicle or vessel under this section.(3) Without limiting subsection (2), the Commissioner may approve notices under that subsection—(a) to be provided in printed or electronic form (or both), and(b) to be used in relation to more than 1 offence involving 1 or more vehicles or vessels, if the person given the penalty reminder notice is a corporation.(3A) An appropriate officer may, by written notice (a verification notice) served on a person who gives an approved nomination notice, require the person to supply a statutory declaration for use in court proceedings verifying any of the information contained in the approved nomination notice that is specified in the verification notice.(3B) A person served with a verification notice must supply the required statutory declaration within the period specified in the notice (being a period of not less than 7 days after the date of service).Maximum penalty—50 penalty units (in the case of an individual) and 100 penalty units (in the case of a corporation).(3C) A statutory declaration that is given for the purposes of this section, if produced in any proceedings against the person named in the declaration in respect of the vehicle or vessel offence concerned, is admissible and is prima facie evidence that the person was driving or in charge of the vehicle or vessel at all relevant times relating to the offence.(3D) A statutory declaration that relates to more than one vehicle or vessel offence is not a statutory declaration under, or for the purposes of, this section unless each of the offences is a camera recorded offence (within the meaning of Division 2 of Part 7.3 of the Road Transport Act 2013) detected by the same camera device at approximately the same time.(3E) A person must not, in an approved nomination notice given under subsection (1), falsely nominate a person (including the person making the nomination) as the person who was driving or in charge of the vehicle or vessel at the time the offence occurred.Maximum penalty—(a) if the offence relates to a vehicle or vessel registered or owned otherwise than in the name of an individual—200 penalty units, or(b) in any other case—100 penalty units.(3F) A person falsely nominates a person as the person driving or in charge of a vehicle or vessel for the purposes of subsection (3E) if false nomination details for the person are given in an approved nomination notice.(3G) A person must not offer or agree to have the person’s nomination details used in an approved nomination notice relating to a vehicle or vessel offence if the person was not driving or in charge of the vehicle or vessel at all relevant times relating to the offence.Maximum penalty—(a) if the offence relates to a vehicle or vessel registered or owned otherwise than in the name of an individual—100 penalty units, or(b) otherwise—50 penalty units.(4) In this section—appropriate officer, in relation to a penalty reminder notice, means an appropriate officer for the penalty notice to which the penalty reminder notice relates or another person or body specified in the penalty reminder notice.Australian driver licence has the same meaning as in the Road Transport Act 2013.foreign driver licence has the same meaning as in the Road Transport Act 2013.nomination details of a person means—(a) the person’s name, address and date of birth, and(b) if the offence relates to a vehicle—(i) the number of the person’s Australian driver licence or foreign driver licence, and(ii) if the person holds a foreign driver licence—the jurisdiction that issued the licence.vehicle or vessel offence means any of the following offences—(a) an offence of standing or parking a vehicle or of causing or permitting a vehicle to stand, wait or be parked in contravention of any law,(b) (Repealed)(b1) an offence relating to a vehicle or vessel (such as exceeding the speed limit) that is detected by an approved traffic enforcement device (within the meaning of the Road Transport Act 2013) or an approved enforcement device (within the meaning of Schedule 1A to the Marine Safety Act 1998) and in respect of which the penalty notice is served subsequently on the owner or responsible person for the vehicle or the owner of the vessel,(c) an offence under section 23 of the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust Act 1983,(d) a vehicle offence within the meaning of the Crown Land Management Act 2016,(e) an offence under section 87 (Liability of vehicle owner for parking offences) of the Forestry Act 2012,(e1) an offence under section 146 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997,(f) an offence under the Public Spaces (Unattended Property) Act 2021, section 37,(g) an offence under section 651 of the Local Government Act 1993,(g1) an offence under Part 4 of Schedule 1A to the Marine Safety Act 1998,(h) (Repealed)(i) an offence under section 159 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974,(j) an offence under section 29 of the Parramatta Park Trust Act 2001,(k) (Repealed)(k1) an offence under Division 2 of Part 7.3 of the Road Transport Act 2013,(l) an offence under section 244 of the Roads Act 1993,(m) an offence under section 22A of the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust Act 1980,(n) (Repealed)(o) an offence under section 78 of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority Act 2001,(p) an offence under section 116 of the Transport Administration Act 1988,(q) an offence relating to a vehicle or vessel that is of a kind prescribed by the regulations.s 38: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [8] [9]; 2005 No 11, Sch 3.13 [1]; 2005 No 51, Sch 2 [1]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [12]–[17]; 2009 No 50, Sch 2.2; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [4]; 2009 No 104, Sch 2 [1]–[3]; 2012 No 17, Sch 2.1 [1]; 2012 No 96, Sch 4.8 [1]; 2013 No 19, Sch 4.21 [6]–[9]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2015 No 65, Sch 2 [3]–[6]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [4]; 2016 No 28, Sch 3.1 [1] [2]; 2017 No 17, Sch 4.30; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[24]–[30]; 2020 No 33, Sch 2.2[1]–[4]; 2023 No 18, Sch 2[1]–[5]; 2024 No 82, Sch 4.4.
39 Withdrawal of penalty reminder notices
(1) An appropriate officer may withdraw a penalty reminder notice before the due date for payment under the notice.(2) The following provisions have effect in relation to an alleged offence, if a penalty reminder notice for the alleged offence is withdrawn in accordance with this section—(a) the amount that was payable under the notice ceases to be payable,(b) any amount that has been paid under the notice is repayable to the person by whom it was paid,(c) further proceedings in respect of the alleged offence may be taken against any person (including the person on whom the notice was served) as if the notice had not been issued.
Division 4 Penalty notice enforcement orders
40 What is a penalty notice enforcement order?
(1) A penalty notice enforcement order is an order made by the Commissioner for the enforcement of the amount payable under a penalty notice.(2) A single order may be made for the enforcement of the amounts payable under 2 or more penalty notices.(3) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the making of penalty notice enforcement orders.Note.Part 4 provides for the fine defaulter to be notified by the Commissioner of the enforcement order and of the enforcement action that may be taken if the outstanding balance of the amount payable under the penalty notice (and enforcement costs) is not paid within 28 days.s 40: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[31].
41 How are penalty notice enforcement orders made?
The Commissioner may, on application by an appropriate officer for a penalty notice or the Commissioner’s own initiative, make a penalty notice enforcement order.s 41: Subst 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [18]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [10].
42 When a penalty notice enforcement order may be made
(1) A penalty notice enforcement order may be made only if—(a) a penalty notice has been issued to a person in relation to a particular offence referred to in the order, and(a1) there is no review under Division 2A in progress, and(b) a penalty reminder notice has been served on the person—(i) after the end of the time specified in the penalty notice as the time within which the amount payable under the notice may be paid, or(ii) if a review has been conducted under Division 2A, after that review, and(c) the due date specified in the penalty reminder notice has passed, and(d) the full amount payable under the penalty notice had not been paid before the order is made, and(e) the person has not, in accordance with this Part, declined to be dealt with under this Part, and(f) a court attendance notice in relation to the offence has not been issued, and(g) (Repealed)(h) the facts as alleged in or referred to in the order constitute the offence.(1AA) The Commissioner may also make a penalty notice enforcement order, in respect of an amount owed by a person under a penalty notice, if the Commissioner receives an application by the person for a work and development order or time to pay order in relation to the amount.(1BB) The Commissioner must not make a penalty notice enforcement order referred to in subsection (1AA) unless the Commissioner decides to make the work and development order, or time to pay order, sought by the person.(1CC) On the making of an order under subsection (1AA), the person who has been issued with the penalty notice to which the order relates can no longer elect to have the matter dealt with by a court under section 23A or 36.Note.See Division 5 for the circumstances in which the Local Court may deal with matters relating to penalty notice enforcement orders.(1A) A penalty notice enforcement order may not be made later than—(a) if the applicable limitation period in relation to the offence is less than 12 months—12 months from when the offence was committed or is alleged to have been committed, or(b) if the applicable limitation period in relation to the offence is 12 months or greater—the expiry of that limitation period, or(c) if a review has been conducted under Division 2A and a penalty reminder notice has been served under section 24F (1)—42 days after service of that notice.(1B) If more than one date is applicable under subsection (1A), the later of those dates is the relevant date for the purposes of that subsection.(2) An application for a penalty notice enforcement order made by an appropriate officer must certify—(a) that the matters specified in subsection (1) (other than subsection (1) (d)), or the relevant matters in subsection (1AA), are satisfied, and(b) that the full amount payable under the penalty notice has not been paid, and(c) that the period for making the order (as referred to in subsection (1A)) has not expired.(2A) The Commissioner may rely on the certificate for the purpose of making the order.(3) A penalty notice enforcement order may be made in the absence of, and without notice to, the person concerned.s 42: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [10]–[13]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [5] [19]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [12]–[17]; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [12]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [14]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [16]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[32]–[34].
43 Form of penalty notice enforcement order
(1) A penalty notice enforcement order must specify the following matters—(a) the fine defaulter’s name, address and date of birth (if known),(b) a description of the offence in respect of which each fine to which the order applies was imposed,(c) the date on which the fine was imposed,(d) the amount required to be paid, being the amount that remains to be paid under the penalty notice, together with specified enforcement costs.(2) Any amount recovered in consequence of the making of a penalty notice enforcement order (other than for enforcement costs) is to be dealt with in the same way as if the amount had been paid on the issue of the penalty notice.s 43: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [14].
44 Enforcement costs under penalty notice enforcement order
(1) The regulations may prescribe the enforcement costs payable under a penalty notice enforcement order and an amount is not payable for enforcement costs unless it is so prescribed or is payable under section 76A (Sheriff’s additional costs of taking enforcement action under this Division).(2) The following applies to any such enforcement costs—(a) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable to the Commissioner on the making of the order,(b) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable to Transport for NSW if any enforcement action is taken by Transport for NSW under Division 3 of Part 4 before payment is made under the order,(c) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable into the Consolidated Fund if any civil enforcement action is taken by the Sheriff or other official before payment is made under the order.(3) Any amount recovered in consequence of the making of a penalty notice enforcement order is to be applied firstly towards enforcement costs payable under this section or section 76A and the balance towards the amount payable under the penalty notice.s 44: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [14] [15]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1] [2]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [2].
45 Effect of making, or of payment under, penalty notice enforcement order
(1) If a penalty notice enforcement order is made in relation to an offence alleged to have been committed by a person—(a) the person is not as a result taken to have been convicted of the offence, and(b) the making of the order does not in any way affect or prejudice any civil claim, action or proceeding arising out of the same occurrence.(2) If the full amount payable under a penalty notice enforcement order is paid or recovered, no person is liable for any further proceedings for the alleged offence concerned. This subsection ceases to apply if the order is duly withdrawn under this Part and the amount paid under the order is repaid.(3) The payment of any amount payable under a penalty notice enforcement order is not an admission of liability for the purpose of and does not in any way affect or prejudice any civil claim, action or proceeding arising out of the same occurrence.(4) Nothing in this section affects the operation of any provisions of Division 5 relating to the withdrawal or annulment of a penalty notice enforcement order or any provisions of Part 4 relating to the enforcement of a penalty notice enforcement order.s 45: Am 2019 No 13, Sch 1[35].
Division 5 Withdrawal and annulment of penalty notice enforcement orders
pt 3, div 5, hdg: Am 2019 No 13, Sch 1[37].
46 Application for withdrawal of penalty notice enforcement order
(1) A person against whom a penalty notice enforcement order is made may apply to the Commissioner for the withdrawal of the order.(2) An application for withdrawal is to be made in the approved form and may be made by or on behalf of the person against whom the penalty notice enforcement order was made.(3) A person may not make more than one application under this section in relation to the same matter, except with the leave of the Commissioner.(4) The Commissioner is to decide whether or not to withdraw a penalty notice enforcement order in the absence of the parties, unless the Commissioner otherwise determines.(5) The Commissioner must give notice of a decision about an application for the withdrawal of a penalty notice enforcement order to all parties.s 46: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [16]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [15]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [18]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [5]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [10] [15]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [5]. Rep 2019 No 13, Sch 1[36]. Ins 2019 No 13, Sch 1[38].
47 Grounds for withdrawal of penalty notice enforcement order
(1) The Commissioner may, on application under section 46 or the Commissioner’s own initiative, withdraw a penalty notice enforcement order on any of the following grounds—(a) a fine to which the penalty notice enforcement order applies has previously been the subject of a penalty notice enforcement order in respect of which any enforcement action has been taken,(b) the person named in the penalty notice enforcement order is not the same person as the person in respect of whom a fine to which the order applies was imposed,(c) the order relates to the owner of a vehicle or vessel, being a vehicle or vessel involved in an offence the subject of the fine at a time when the owner was not the owner of the vehicle or vessel concerned,(d) the penalty notice for the fine to which it applies is withdrawn by the Commissioner under an arrangement under section 114,(e) the person was not aware that a penalty notice had been issued until notice of the order was served, but only in the case of an application for withdrawal that is made within a reasonable time after that service,(f) the person was otherwise hindered by accident, illness, misadventure or other cause from taking action in relation to the penalty notice, but only in the case of an application for withdrawal that is made within a reasonable time after the person ceased being so hindered,(g) the penalty reminder notice in relation to a particular offence was, or both the penalty notice and the penalty reminder notice were, returned as being undelivered to its sender after being sent to the person at the person’s recently reported postal address (within the meaning of section 126A) and notice of the order was served on the person at a different postal address,(h) the Commissioner is satisfied that a question or doubt arises as to the person’s liability for the penalty or other amount concerned,(i) the Commissioner is satisfied that there is other just cause why the application should be granted, having regard to the circumstances of the case.Note 1.The Commissioner may, on the Commissioner’s own initiative, withdraw a penalty notice enforcement order under this section if an approved nomination notice in respect of the penalty notice to which the penalty notice enforcement order applies is provided to an appropriate officer under section 38 out of time.Note 2.Section 24G(2) provides that a penalty notice enforcement order is taken to be withdrawn if the Commissioner or the issuing agency conducting an internal review of the decision to issue a penalty notice under Division 2A decides to withdraw the penalty notice.(2) If the Commissioner withdraws a penalty notice enforcement order and all of the following apply, the Commissioner must refer the matter to the Local Court to hear and determine the matter under section 51—(a) the withdrawal is made following an application under section 46,(b) the order is withdrawn on any of the grounds referred to in subsection (1)(e)–(g),(c) the penalty notice to which the order applies is not withdrawn,(d) the person concerned disputes the person’s liability to pay the amount payable under the penalty notice to which the order relates.(3) The Commissioner must withdraw a penalty notice enforcement order if the application for withdrawal is made by an appropriate officer for the penalty notice to which the order applies.(4) To avoid doubt, the Commissioner may withdraw a penalty notice enforcement order under this section even if section 126A(1) permitted the service of a penalty reminder notice in relation to a particular offence referred to in the fine enforcement order or section 126A(2) permitted the making of the penalty notice enforcement order (or both).s 47: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [16]. Rep 2019 No 13, Sch 1[36]. Ins 2019 No 13, Sch 1[38].
48–49A (Repealed)
s 48: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [17]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]. Rep 2019 No 13, Sch 1[36].
s 49: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [18]–[21]; 2007 No 94, Sch 2; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [20]–[22]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [6]; 2009 No 106, Sch 4.16; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [8] [16]; 2017 No 63, Sch 4.18 [4]. Rep 2019 No 13, Sch 1[36].
s 49A: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [22]. Subst 2008 No 110 Sch 1 [19]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [8]; 2015 No 65, Sch 2 [7]. Rep 2019 No 13, Sch 1[36].
50 Appeal against refusal to withdraw penalty notice enforcement order
(1) If the Commissioner refuses to withdraw a penalty notice enforcement order under section 47, the applicant may, not later than 28 days after notice is given of the refusal, lodge an application in writing with a registrar of the Local Court to have the penalty notice enforcement order annulled by the Local Court.(2) The relevant registrar of the Local Court must, as soon as possible, give written notification to the applicant and the parties of the date, time and place on or at which the application is to be determined.(3) The Local Court may annul a penalty notice enforcement order on any of the grounds on which the Commissioner may withdraw a penalty notice enforcement order under section 47.(4) The Local Court may proceed to determine an application despite any omission or error in the notice referred to in subsection (2) or its non-service if—(a) the Local Court is satisfied that the applicant and the parties interested and concerned had knowledge of the date, time and place on or at which the application was to be determined and were not prejudiced by the omission, error or non-service, or(b) the Local Court is satisfied that the applicant is avoiding service of the notice or cannot, after reasonable search and inquiry, be found.(5) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to applications under this section (including application fees).s 50: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [23] [24]; 2007 No 94, Sch 1.44 [2]–[4]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[39]–[41].
51 Proceedings in Local Court after withdrawal or annulment of penalty notice enforcement order
(1) If a penalty notice enforcement order is withdrawn by the Commissioner and referred to the Local Court under section 47(2) or annulled by the Local Court under section 50, the Local Court is to hear and determine the matter as if no penalty notice enforcement order had been previously made.(2) If the Local Court annuls the penalty notice enforcement order under section 50, the Local Court may proceed either immediately or at a later sitting of the Court to hear and determine the matter.(3) (Repealed)(4) For the purposes of hearing and determining the matter, a court attendance notice in relation to each alleged offence to which the penalty notice enforcement order relates is taken—(a) to have been filed when the penalty notice enforcement order was made, and(b) to have been filed by the appropriate officer for the penalty notice.s 51: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [25] [26]; 2007 No 94, Sch 2; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [23] [24]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [7]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[42]–[44].
52 Provisions relating to withdrawal and annulment of penalty notice enforcement orders
(1) The Commissioner or the Local Court, when deciding whether or not to withdraw or annul a penalty notice enforcement order under this Division, may stay enforcement action under the penalty notice enforcement order subject to such terms and conditions as the Commissioner or Court thinks fit.(2) A penalty notice enforcement order may be withdrawn or annulled completely or only to the extent of some of the penalty notices to which it applies.(3) (Repealed)(4) If a penalty notice enforcement order is withdrawn or annulled completely—(a) the order then ceases to have effect, and(b) any enforcement action already taken is to be reversed, unless the same enforcement action is authorised under another penalty notice enforcement order or a court fine enforcement order, and(c) enforcement costs are not payable in respect of the issue of the order and, if paid, are repayable, and(d) any amount that has been paid under the order is repayable to the person by whom it was paid, unless the amount was paid to the Commissioner at the time of making an application for the withdrawal of the order under section 46.(5) If a penalty notice enforcement order is withdrawn or annulled only to the extent of some of the penalty notices to which it applies—(a) the order continues to have effect in respect of the remaining penalty notices to which it applies, and(b) any amount that has been paid under the order is to be applied to payment of the remaining penalty notices to which it applies and any enforcement costs in respect of that order.(6) The withdrawal of a penalty notice enforcement order under section 47 does not prevent the making of a further order in respect of the penalty notice.(7) If a penalty notice enforcement order is withdrawn by the Commissioner under section 47 or annulled by the Local Court under section 50, the period within which proceedings for an offence may be instituted in respect of the matter under section 179 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 or any other Act commences on the date the order is withdrawn or annulled (as the case requires).(8) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the following—(a) the withdrawal of penalty notice enforcement orders,(b) applications for withdrawals and fees for applications,(c) the practice and procedure of the Commissioner when making decisions about withdrawals.Note.The Commissioner may, instead of repaying an amount under this section, reallocate it towards the payment of other amounts payable by the person (see section 122C).s 52: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [17]; 2001 No 121, Sch 2.115 [2]; 2003 No 40, Sch 2.13 [1]; 2007 No 94, Sch 1.44 [5]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [25]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [8] [9]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [16]–[18]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[45]–[49].
Division 6 Application of Part
53 Application of penalty notice procedure to children
(1) This Part applies to a person of any age.(2) However, this Part does not apply to a person who is younger than 10 years or who, although 10 years or older, was younger than 10 years when the person is alleged to have committed the offence to which the relevant penalty notice relates.(3) This Part applies despite anything in the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987, except that the provisions of this Part relating to the hearing or determination of an alleged offence on the withdrawal or annulment of a penalty notice enforcement order is subject to that Act.s 53: Am 2019 No 13, Sch 1[50].
54 Part not to apply to certain forestry penalty notices
This Part does not apply to or in relation to a penalty notice under section 85 of the Forestry Act 2012 if the amount payable under the notice includes any resource acquisition fee within the meaning of that section.s 54: Subst 2012 No 96, Sch 4.8 [2].
55 Regulations may exclude penalty notices from operation of Part
The regulations may provide that this Part does not apply to or in relation to any specified class or description of penalty notices.
56 Other provisions not affected
The provisions of this Part are supplemental to, and do not derogate from, the provisions of any Act that relate to proceedings that may be taken in respect of offences that are or may be the subject of penalty notice enforcement orders.
Part 4 Fine enforcement action
Division 1 Preliminary
57 Application and interpretation
(1) This Part applies to the enforcement of—(a) a fine imposed by a court following the making of a court fine enforcement order, and(b) the amount payable under a penalty notice following the making of a penalty notice enforcement order.(1A) (Repealed)(2) A court fine enforcement order or a penalty notice enforcement order is referred to in this Act as a fine enforcement order.(3) The person liable to pay the fine under a fine enforcement order is referred to in this Act as the fine defaulter.(4) In this Part, a reference to a fine includes a reference to any enforcement costs payable under the fine enforcement order and any other amount of a kind prescribed by the regulations.s 57: Am 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [20]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [19]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[4].
58 Summary of enforcement procedure
(1) The following is a summary of the enforcement procedure under this Part following the making of a fine enforcement order—(a) Service of fine enforcement orderNotice of the fine enforcement order is served on the fine defaulter and the fine defaulter is notified that if payment is not made enforcement action will be taken (see Division 2).(b) Licence and registration enforcement actionIf the fine is not paid within the period specified, Transport for NSW takes action against the fine defaulter’s driver licence, vehicle registration, visitor privileges or marine safety licence (see Division 3).(c) Civil enforcementCivil enforcement action in the form of a property seizure order, a garnishee order or the registration of a charge on land owned by the fine defaulter is taken if enforcement action under Division 3 is unavailable or unsuccessful, or if the Commissioner is satisfied that civil enforcement action is preferable (see Division 4).(d) Order requiring community serviceIf civil enforcement action is not successful, an order requiring community service is served on the fine defaulter (see Division 5).(e) (Repealed)(f) Fines payable by corporationsThe procedures for fine enforcement (other than orders requiring community service work) apply to fines payable by corporations (see Division 7).(g) Fine mitigationA fine defaulter may seek further time to pay and the Commissioner may write off unpaid fines or make a work and development order in respect of the fine defaulter for the purposes of satisfying all or part of the fine. Applications for review may be made to the Hardship Review Board (see Division 8).(2) This section does not affect the provisions of this Part that it summarises.s 58: Am 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [2] [3]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [27]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [21]; 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [1]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [6]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [3]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [2]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[4]–[6].
Division 2 Service of fine enforcement order
59 Service on fine defaulter of notice of order
(1) As soon as practicable after a fine enforcement order is made, the Commissioner is to serve notice of the order on the fine defaulter.(2) However, the Commissioner is not required to serve notice of a court fine enforcement order made under section 14(1B) or a penalty notice enforcement order made under section 42(1AA).s 59: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[51].
60 What notice must say
(1) The notice of a fine enforcement order must inform the fine defaulter that—(a) the order has been made, and(b) the defaulter has until the final date specified in the notice to pay the fine and enforcement costs specified in the notice, and(c) if the payment is not made by that final date, further enforcement action will be taken against the defaulter to enforce the fine in accordance with this Part and, in particular, that the defaulter will be liable without further notice to have any driver licence or vehicle registration suspended or cancelled or property seized and sold, and(d) if the payment is not made by that final date, further enforcement costs will be payable (indicating, except as provided in subsection (1A), each amount of those costs and circumstances in which it is payable), and(e) review options are available relating to the fine enforcement order, including withdrawal, annulment, time to pay and the writing off of fines.(1A) The notice of a fine enforcement order may (but need not) contain information relating to the enforcement costs payable under section 76A when the Sheriff is required to take enforcement action.(2) If there is an approved form for such a notice, the notice must be in that form.(3) The inclusion in the notice of additional information and directions for the assistance or guidance of the person on whom it is served does not affect the validity of the notice.s 60: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [18] [19]; 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [4]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [28]; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [3].
61 Service of notice
(1) Notice of a fine enforcement order may be served on a person—(a) personally, or(b) by post, or(c) by means of a document exchange, or(d) in an approved electronic manner, or(e) by any other manner prescribed by the regulations.(2) The address for personal service or service by post or document exchange of notice of a court enforcement order includes—(a) the address for service of the person in connection with the proceedings in which the fine was imposed, or(b) any other address supplied by the person in connection with a fines application made in relation to the fine concerned or another fine.(3) The address for personal service or service by post or document exchange of notice of a penalty notice enforcement order includes—(a) the address of the person shown on the relevant penalty notice or supplied by the person in connection with the issue of the relevant penalty notice, or(b) if the relevant penalty notice was issued to the person in his or her capacity as owner or responsible person for a vehicle or owner of a vessel or was issued by being left on a vehicle or vessel—the address shown in the records of Transport for NSW or other public agency as the address of the owner or responsible person at the time the relevant penalty notice was issued, or(c) if the relevant penalty notice was issued to the person in his or her capacity as the person driving or in charge of a vehicle or vessel—the address specified in a notice given under section 38 (1) (a) as the address of the person in charge of the vehicle or vessel at the time of the alleged offence, or(d) the address provided for the person under section 117, 117AA or 117AB, if the Commissioner is satisfied that it is the most recent address available for the person, or(e) any other address supplied by the person in connection with a fines application made in relation to the fine concerned or another fine.(4) In this section, fines application means any of the following—(a) an application for a review of a decision to issue a penalty notice under section 24A,(b) an application for a work and development order,(c) an application for a time to pay order,(d) an election under section 23A or 36 to have a matter dealt with by a court.s 61: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [29]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [7]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [3]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [13]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [7]–[9]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [16] [19]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[52] [53].
62 Service of notices by post
(1) Despite any other provision of this Act, it is presumed that a notice of a fine enforcement order sent to a person by post is served on the person 7 days after it is posted, unless the person establishes that it was not served within that 7-day period.(2) Despite subsection (1), notice of a fine enforcement order made in relation to a fine defaulter that is a body corporate is taken to be served by post on the body corporate if the fine enforcement order is returned as being undelivered to the sender after being sent to the body corporate at the registered office of the body corporate.s 62: Am 2023 No 18, Sch 2[6] [7].
63 Final date for payment in notices
(1) The final date for payment in a notice of a fine enforcement order must be at least 21 days after it is served on the person.(2) Accordingly, a notice that is posted may specify a date that is at least 28 days after the penalty reminder notice is posted as the final date for making the payment concerned.
64 Extension of final date if notice takes more than 7 days
(1) If a notice is served on a person more than 7 days after it was posted, the notice is not invalid merely because it specifies as the final date a date that is less than 21 days after it was served on the person.(2) In such a case however, the final date is extended to a date that is 21 days after the notice was served and the notice is taken to specify that date as the final date.
64A Amendment of fine enforcement order
(1) The Commissioner may at any time, on the application of a fine defaulter or on the Commissioner’s own initiative, amend a fine enforcement order to correct an error.(2) An amendment is to be made by notice served on the fine defaulter in the same way as the notice of the fine enforcement order.(3) An amendment cannot increase the amount of the fine payable under the order.(4) The Commissioner must give the fine defaulter written notice of the amendment as soon as practicable after amending the fine enforcement order.(5) An amendment made to a fine enforcement order does not affect the validity of anything done before that amendment in relation to the amount owed.s 64A: Ins 2019 No 13, Sch 1[54].
Division 3 Licence and registration enforcement action
pt 4, div 3, hdg: Am 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [5]. Subst 2022 No 16, Sch 2[7].
pt 4, div 3, Subidv 4: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[12].
Subdivision 1 Preliminary
pt 4, div 3, sdiv 1, hdg: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[7].
65 When enforcement action taken under this Division
(1) Enforcement action is to be taken against a fine defaulter under this Division if—(a) the fine defaulter has not paid a fine as required by the notice of the fine enforcement order served on the fine defaulter, or(b) the Commissioner has extended the time for payment of a fine, and the fine defaulter has not paid the fine by the extended due date, or(c) the Commissioner has allowed the payment of a fine by instalments, and the fine defaulter has not paid every such instalment at the time specified by the Commissioner.(2) Transport for NSW is to take that enforcement action when it is directed by the Commissioner to do so.(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), enforcement action is not to be taken under this Division if—(a) the offence—(i) in respect of which the fine concerned was imposed on the fine defaulter by a court, oroccurred while the fine defaulter was under the age of 18 years, and(ii) in respect of which the penalty notice from which the fine concerned arises was issued to the fine defaulter,(b) the offence is not a traffic offence.(3A) (Repealed)(4) Transport for NSW is to cease enforcement action when directed to do so by the Commissioner.(4A) If Transport for NSW has taken fine enforcement action against a fine defaulter who is granted a first extension of time under this Act for payment of the fine, and the fine defaulter pays 6 instalments in accordance with the extension of time—(a) the Commissioner must direct Transport for NSW to cease the enforcement action, and(b) Transport for NSW is to cease the enforcement action.(4B) The Commissioner may direct Transport for NSW to recommence enforcement action in respect of a fine defaulter referred to in subsection (4A) if the fine defaulter fails to pay any further instalment in accordance with the extension of time to pay.(5) The Commissioner may direct Transport for NSW to cease enforcement action under this Division even if a fine defaulter has not paid all outstanding fines under any fine enforcement order.(6) In this section—traffic offence means—(a) an offence arising under a provision of the following Acts in respect of the use, standing or parking of a motor vehicle—(i) the road transport legislation (within the meaning of the Road Transport Act 2013) or the former road transport legislation (within the meaning of Part 2 of Schedule 4 to that Act),(ii) the Roads Act 1993,(iv) the Recreation Vehicles Act 1983, or(b) an offence arising under a provision of any other law in respect of the standing or parking of a motor vehicle.Note.If the fine defaulter does not hold a driver licence, is not a visitor driver or is not the registered operator of a vehicle, civil enforcement action can be taken instead. In addition, civil enforcement action can be taken instead if the Commissioner is satisfied that civil enforcement action is preferable (see section 71) or if the fine defaulter is a body corporate (see section 99).s 65: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [3]; 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [20]; 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [6] [7]; 1998 No 172, Sch 2 [2] [3]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [30]–[32]; 2005 No 11, Sch 3.13 [2]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [10]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2013 No 19, Sch 4.21 [10]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [20] [21]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [16]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [4]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[8] [9].
Subdivision 2 Suspension or cancellation of New South Wales driver licence or vehicle registration
pt 4, div 3, sdiv 2, hdg: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[10].
66 Suspension or cancellation of driver licence
(1) Transport for NSW must, without further notice, suspend any driver licence of a fine defaulter against whom it is required to take enforcement action for the balance of the period of the licence.(1A) Transport for NSW must suspend the driver licence of a fine defaulter even if the Commissioner has—(a) granted an extension of time for the payment of the fine, orafter requiring Transport for NSW to take enforcement action.(b) allowed the fine defaulter to pay the fine by instalments,(2) If the driver licence is suspended and—(a) where the Commissioner has granted the fine defaulter an extension of time for payment of the fine, the fine remains unpaid for at least 6 months after the extended due date, or(b) where the Commissioner has allowed the payment of a fine by instalments, an instalment remains unpaid for at least 6 months, orTransport for NSW must, if the Commissioner so directs, cancel the licence.(c) in any other case, the fine concerned remains unpaid for at least 6 months,(3) Transport for NSW is to remove the suspension of a driver licence if the Commissioner so directs.(3A) The obligation to suspend the driver licence of a fine defaulter under subsection (1) extends to any licence that is already suspended when enforcement action is required to be taken under this Division. Accordingly, if the period of suspension comes to an end before the expiry of the licence, Transport for NSW is then to take action under subsection (1) to further suspend the licence if the Commissioner so directs.(4) The Commissioner (or Transport for NSW on the Commissioner’s behalf) may notify the fine defaulter of the enforcement action taken under this section, but a failure to notify the fine defaulter does not affect that action.(5) Despite the suspension or cancellation of a driver licence under this section, a court or Transport for NSW may exercise a function under another Act to suspend or cancel the licence.s 66: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [4]; 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [21] [22]; 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [8]; 1998 No 172, Sch 2 [4] [5]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [10].
66A (Repealed)
s 66A: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [22]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[11].
67 Cancellation of vehicle registration
(1) Transport for NSW may, without further notice, cancel the registration of all or any motor vehicles of which a fine defaulter is the registered operator (or one of the registered operators) if—(a) it is required to take enforcement action against the fine defaulter but the fine defaulter does not hold a driver licence that is in force, and(b) the cancellation of the registration of those motor vehicles is in accordance with any guidelines issued under section 120.(2) Transport for NSW must cancel the registration of a vehicle in accordance with this section if the Commissioner so directs.(3) The Commissioner (or Transport for NSW on the Commissioner’s behalf) may notify the fine defaulter of the enforcement action taken under this section, but a failure to notify the fine defaulter does not affect that action.s 67: Am 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [9]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [11]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [10].
68 Suspension of dealings with Transport for NSW
(1) This section applies to a fine defaulter if—(a) the driver licence or vehicle registration of the fine defaulter is suspended or cancelled under this Division, or(b) Transport for NSW is required to take enforcement action against the fine defaulter under this Division, but any such action to suspend or cancel the driver licence or vehicle registration of the fine defaulter is not available.(2) Transport for NSW must, unless the Commissioner otherwise directs, refuse to exercise any of the following functions if this section applies to a fine defaulter—(a) the issue of a driver licence to the fine defaulter or the renewal of the driver licence of the fine defaulter,(b) the registration of a vehicle in the name of the fine defaulter or the renewal of the registration of a vehicle of which the fine defaulter is the registered operator (or one of the registered operators),(c) the transfer to another person of the registration of a vehicle of which the fine defaulter is the registered operator (or one of the registered operators),(d) the issue of a number plate to the fine defaulter,(e) the testing of the fine defaulter for the purpose of the issue of a driver licence,(f) the issue of an unregistered vehicle permit to the fine defaulter,(g) the registration of a motor vehicle in the name of the fine defaulter, or the renewal of registration of a motor vehicle in the name of the fine defaulter, under the Recreation Vehicles Act 1983,(h) the issue of trader’s plates to the fine defaulter,(i) the processing of a number plate exchange for the fine defaulter,(j) the reservation of a particular number plate for the fine defaulter,(k) the ordering of a particular number plate, or a particular design of number plate, for the fine defaulter,(l) the testing of the fine defaulter to ascertain the fine defaulter’s eligibility for a driver’s licence,(m) the booking of a driving test for the fine defaulter,(n) the exercise of any other function of Transport for NSW requested by the fine defaulter, being a function of a kind prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section.(3) If Transport for NSW refuses to exercise any such function, it must, as soon as practicable, notify the fine defaulter that it has refused to do so because the person is a fine defaulter.(3A) Transport for NSW is not obliged to notify the fine defaulter of a refusal under subsection (3) if it has previously notified the fine defaulter of an earlier refusal under that subsection.(4) This section ceases to apply to a fine defaulter if the Commissioner so directs Transport for NSW.(5) This section applies despite any obligation of Transport for NSW to exercise a function that is imposed by or under any other Act.s 68: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [5]–[8]; 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [23]; 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [10]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [33]; 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [11]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1] [3]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5].
69 Interim restoration or reinstatement of licence or registration pending appeal etc
(1) A person may apply to Transport for NSW for restoration or reinstatement of a driver licence suspended or cancelled, or vehicle registration cancelled, under this Division if—(a) in the case of a penalty notice enforcement order—the person has lodged an application under Division 5 of Part 3 to have an application to annul the fine enforcement order concerned determined by the Local Court, orand those proceedings have not been determined.(b) in the case of a court fine enforcement order—the person has lodged an appeal against the conviction or sentence in respect of which the fine concerned was imposed or the person has lodged an application under Part 2 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 to annul that conviction or sentence,(2) Transport for NSW must issue the person with a driver licence or certificate of vehicle registration, as the case requires, by way of restoration or reinstatement of the driver licence or vehicle registration suspended or cancelled under this Division.(3) A driver licence or vehicle registration so restored or reinstated has effect, subject to this Act and the Road Transport Act 2013, until the date on which—(a) the licence would have expired if the licence had not been suspended or cancelled, or(b) the registration would have expired if the registration had not been cancelled.(4) Any such restored or reinstated licence or registration may be suspended or cancelled under this Act following the determination of the proceedings referred to in subsection (1) or in connection with a different fine payable by the person.(5) A licence or registration cannot be restored or reinstated under this section if the licence or registration was also suspended or cancelled for reasons that do not give rise to a right of restoration or reinstatement under this section.s 69: Am 1998 No 26, Sch 2.3; 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [11] [12]; 2001 No 121, Sch 2.115 [3]; 2007 No 94, Sch 2; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2013 No 19, Sch 4.21 [11]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [23].
69A (Repealed)
s 69A: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [24]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[11].
70 Effect of enforcement action on vehicle insurance
(1) A vehicle insurance policy is not terminated by the cancellation of the registration of the vehicle under this Division or the suspension or cancellation of the driver licence of the driver of the vehicle under this Division.(2) A claim under a vehicle insurance policy cannot be refused merely because the vehicle’s registration is cancelled under this Division or the driver licence of the driver of the vehicle is suspended or cancelled under this Division.(3) This section has effect despite anything to the contrary in a vehicle insurance policy or any other agreement.(4) In this section, a vehicle insurance policy is a policy of insurance in respect of damage or loss caused by or arising out of the use or operation of a vehicle (other than a third-party policy within the meaning of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999).Note.Section 14 of the Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 provides that a third-party policy under that Act relating to personal injury is not cancelled by the cancellation of the registration of a motor vehicle under this Division.s 70: Am 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [13]; 1999 No 41, Sch 4.5 [1] [2].
Subdivision 3 Suspension of visitor driver and vehicle privileges
pt 4, div 3, sdiv 3: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[12].
70A Definitions
In this Subdivision—road transport legislation has the same meaning as in the Road Transport Act 2013.visitor driver privileges means an exemption under road transport legislation that permits a person to drive a motor vehicle in this jurisdiction, even though the person does not hold a driver licence, because the person holds a licence or permit to drive a motor vehicle issued in a place outside this jurisdiction.visitor privileges means—(a) visitor driver privileges, or(b) visitor vehicle privileges.visitor vehicle privileges means an exemption under road transport legislation that permits a motor vehicle, registered outside this jurisdiction in the name of a person, to be used by the person in this jurisdiction.s 70A: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[12].
70B Suspension of visitor privileges
(1) Transport for NSW must suspend visitor privileges of a fine defaulter against whom it is required to take enforcement action.(2) Transport for NSW must suspend visitor privileges even if the Commissioner has, after requiring Transport for NSW to take enforcement action—(a) granted an extension of time for the payment of the fine, or(b) allowed the fine defaulter to pay the fine by instalments.(3) Transport for NSW must remove the suspension of visitor privileges if the Commissioner directs it to cease enforcement action in relation to the fine defaulter under this Division.(4) The statutory rules under the Road Transport Act 2013 may make further provision for the suspension of visitor privileges in connection with fine enforcement orders.(5) This section does not limit the powers of Transport for NSW in relation to visitor privileges under another Act.s 70B: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[12].
70C Interim restoration of visitor privileges
(1) A person may apply to Transport for NSW for restoration of visitor privileges suspended under this Division if—(a) for a penalty notice enforcement order—the person has lodged an application under Part 3, Division 5 to have an application to annul the order determined by the Local Court and the proceedings have not been determined, or(b) for a court fine enforcement order—the person has lodged an appeal against the conviction or sentence in relation to which the fine was imposed, or the person has lodged an application under the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001, Part 2 to annul the conviction or sentence, and the proceedings have not been determined.(2) In that case, Transport for NSW must restore visitor privileges by removing the suspension of visitor privileges.(3) Restored visitor privileges may be suspended again under this Act following the determination of the proceedings referred to in subsection (1) or in connection with a different fine payable by the person.(4) Visitor privileges cannot be restored under this section if visitor privileges have ceased to apply to the person for another reason under the road transport legislation.s 70C: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[12].
Subdivision 4 Suspension or cancellation of New South Wales marine safety licence
70D Suspension or cancellation of marine safety licences
(1) Transport for NSW has the same functions in relation to a boat driving licence or vessel registration certificate as it has under Subdivision 2 in relation to a driver licence or vehicle registration.(2) Accordingly, Subdivision 2 extends to a boat driving licence or vessel registration certificate—(a) as if a reference to a driver licence were a reference to a boat driving licence, and(b) as if a reference to vehicle registration were a reference to a vessel registration certificate.(3) The regulations may prescribe modifications of Subdivision 2 in its application to a boat driving licence or vessel registration certificate.(4) In this section—boat driving licence means a marine safety licence referred to in the Marine Safety Act 1998, section 29(e).vessel registration certificate means a marine safety licence referred to in the Marine Safety Act 1998, section 29(a).s 70D: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[12].
Division 4 Civil enforcement
71 When enforcement action taken under this Division
(1) Enforcement action is to be taken against a fine defaulter under this Division if the fine defaulter has not paid the fine as required by the notice of the fine enforcement order served on the fine defaulter and—(a) enforcement action is not available under Division 3, or(b) the fine remains unpaid 21 days after the Commissioner directed Transport for NSW to take enforcement action under Division 3.(1A) Enforcement action may be taken under this Division before or without taking action under Division 3 if the fine defaulter is an individual and the Commissioner is satisfied that civil enforcement action is preferable because, having regard to any information known to the Commissioner about the personal circumstances of the fine defaulter—(a) enforcement action under Division 3 is unlikely to be successful in satisfying the fine, or(b) enforcement action under Division 3 would have an excessively detrimental impact on the fine defaulter.(1B) The Commissioner may decide that civil enforcement action is preferable in the absence of, and without giving notice to or making inquiries of, the fine defaulter.(2) Enforcement action may be taken under this Division by means of a property seizure order, a garnishee order or a charge on land, or by all or any combination of those means.Note.If enforcement action under this Division has not been or is unlikely to be successful in satisfying the fine, enforcement action can be taken against the fine defaulter under Division 5 (Community service orders).s 71: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [9]; 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [24] [25]; 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [14]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [10]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [5]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[13].
72 Order to seize property of fine defaulter
(1) The Commissioner may make an order for the seizure of the property of a fine defaulter for the purpose of levying the fine payable by the fine defaulter on that property. The order is called a property seizure order.Note.The Interpretation Act 1987 defines property to include land as well as personal property.(2) The Commissioner may make a property seizure order only if satisfied that enforcement action is authorised against the fine defaulter under this Division.(3) The order may be made in the absence of, and without notice to, the fine defaulter.(4) The order is to be directed to the Sheriff, and provided to the Sheriff by the Commissioner for execution.(5) (Repealed)(6) A property seizure order operates as a writ for the levy of property issued by the Local Court under Part 8 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 and, for that purpose, the Commissioner is taken to be the judgment creditor.(7) If the Sheriff is required to execute a property seizure order and a writ of execution issued by a court or to execute more than one property seizure order, the priority to be accorded to their execution is as follows—(a) a property seizure order is to be executed before a writ of execution (even if the writ was issued before the order),(b) property seizure orders are to be executed in the order in which they were received by the Sheriff (unless the Sheriff is directed by the Commissioner to execute them in a different order).(8) The Sheriff is to return a property seizure order to the Commissioner if the order has not been executed within 12 months after it was made or if the Sheriff is satisfied that the order is not capable of execution. The Commissioner is to cancel an order so returned, but nothing in this subsection prevents the issue of a further order in the matter.(9) The Sheriff or other person executing a property seizure order is to cease executing the order if the order is cancelled under section 77.s 72: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [26]; 2005 No 28, Sch 5.19 [1] [2]; 2007 No 94, Sch 2; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [7].
73 Order to garnishee debts, wages or salary of fine defaulter
(1) The Commissioner may make an order that all debts due and accruing to a fine defaulter from any person specified in the order are attached for the purposes of satisfying the fine payable by the fine defaulter (including an order expressed to be for the continuous attachment of the wage or salary of the fine defaulter). The order is called a garnishee order.(2) The Commissioner may make a garnishee order only if satisfied that enforcement action is authorised against the fine defaulter under this Division.(3) The order may be made in the absence of, and without notice to, the fine defaulter.(4) The order operates as a garnishee order made by the Local Court under Part 8 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 and, for that purpose—(a) the Commissioner is taken to be the judgment creditor, and(b) an instalment order under section 107 of that Act includes an order under this Act by the Commissioner for the payment of a fine by instalments, and(c) such other modifications as are prescribed by the regulations have effect.(5) A garnishee order is sufficiently served on a corporation if the order is transmitted electronically to the corporation and received through an information system designated by or on behalf of the corporation as the system to be used for the purpose of receiving the order.(6) An order served electronically pursuant to subsection (5)—(a) if served after 5.00pm on any day, is taken (subject to paragraph (b)) to have been served on the next day, and(b) if served on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, is taken to have been served on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday.s 73: Am 2005 No 28, Sch 5.19 [3] [4]; 2007 No 94, Sch 2; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [14]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5].
74 Registration of fine enforcement order as charge on land
(1) The Commissioner may apply to the Registrar-General for registration of a fine enforcement order in relation to any land owned by the fine defaulter (including any land owned jointly with another person).(2) An application may not be made under this section unless the amount payable under the order (or the total amount payable under the orders) to which the application relates exceeds $1,000 or such other amount as is prescribed by the regulations.(3) An application under this section must define the land to which it relates.(4) The Registrar-General must, on application under this section and lodgment of a copy of the fine enforcement order, register the order in relation to the land in such manner as the Registrar-General thinks fit.(5) There is created by force of this section, on the registration of the order, a charge on the land in relation to which the order is registered to secure the payment to the Commissioner of the amount payable under the order.(6) Such a charge ceases to have effect in relation to the land—(a) on registration of the cancellation of the charge under section 77, or(b) on the sale or other disposition of the property with the consent of the Commissioner, orwhichever first occurs.(c) on the sale of the land to a purchaser in good faith for value who, at the time of the sale, has no notice of the charge,(7) Such a charge is subject to every charge or encumbrance to which the land was subject immediately before the order was registered and, in the case of land under the provisions of the Real Property Act 1900, is subject to every prior mortgage, lease or other interest recorded in the Register kept under that Act.(8) Such a charge is not affected by any change of ownership of the land, except as provided by subsection (6).(9) If—(a) such a charge is created on land of a particular kind and the provisions of any law of the State provide for the registration of title to, or charges over, land of that kind, anda person who purchases or otherwise acquires the land after the registration of the charge is, for the purposes of subsection (6), taken to have notice of the charge.(b) the charge is so registered,(10) If such a charge relates to land under the provisions of the Real Property Act 1900, the charge has no effect until it is registered under that Act.s 74: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5].
75 Examination of fine defaulter
(1) The Commissioner may issue an order (an order for examination) under this section for the purpose of enabling enforcement action to be taken under this Division.(2) An order for examination may be directed—(a) if the fine defaulter is a natural person—to the fine defaulter, or(b) if the fine defaulter is a corporation—to an officer or former officer of the corporation.(3) An order for examination—(a) is to require the person to whom it is directed to attend before the Commissioner or other specified authorised officer, or before a specified officer of a court, at the place specified in the order, and(b) is to require the person to so attend on a day and at a time specified in the order and thereafter as required by the Commissioner or officer to be orally examined as to the fine defaulter’s property and other means of satisfying the fine and generally as to the fine defaulter’s financial circumstances, and(c) may require the person to produce to the Commissioner or officer, at any such examination, any document or other thing in the person’s possession or control that tends to show the fine defaulter’s true financial circumstances.(4) An order for examination is to be served personally on the person to whom it is directed.(5) A person is not bound to produce any document or other thing that is not specified or sufficiently described in the order for examination or that the person would not be bound to produce on a subpoena for production in the Supreme Court.(6) An order for examination may not be issued to a person if that person has previously attended an examination within the previous 3 months pursuant to an order for examination under this section.(7) An examination under this section may be adjourned—(a) by the Commissioner, in a case where a person is required to attend before the Commissioner or other specified authorised officer, or(b) by a specified officer of a court, in a case where a person is required to attend before the specified officer.(8) The Commissioner, authorised officer or specified officer of the court (as the case requires) must notify the person concerned of the time and place for the adjourned examination.(9) The Commissioner may, instead of issuing an order for examination, request the fine defaulter by notice to supply the relevant information for the purpose of enabling enforcement action to be taken under this Division. An order for examination may be issued if the notice is not complied with.s 75: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [27]. Subst 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [25].
75A Enforcement of order for examination
(1) If a person who is issued with an order for examination fails to attend in accordance with the order, the Commissioner may issue a warrant for the apprehension of the person and for the person to be brought before the Commissioner or other specified authorised officer, or before a specified officer of a court, for examination in accordance with this section.(2) Any such warrant of apprehension—(a) may not be issued unless the Commissioner is satisfied that the order for examination was duly served on the person, and(b) may not be issued until at least 14 days after the person was notified (in the manner required for the service of a fine enforcement order) that a warrant will issue if the person does not attend for examination in accordance with this section, and(c) is to be directed to the Sheriff and may be executed by the Sheriff or by the Sheriff’s officers or by any court bailiffs authorised by the Sheriff, and(d) may be executed with the assistance of any police officer.(3) The Commissioner may report the following matters to the Supreme Court or the District Court for determination—(a) a failure to attend in accordance with an order for examination,(b) a refusal, without reasonable excuse, to give evidence on oath or affirmation after attending for examination,(c) the giving of false information at an examination,(d) a failure, without reasonable excuse, to produce any document or thing required to be produced by an order for examination.(4) The court to which the matter is referred may deal with the matter as if it were a contempt of that court.s 75A: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [25].
76 Power of entry to execute property seizure order
(1) The person executing a property seizure order may, at any reasonable time of the day or night, enter any premises for the purposes of executing the order.(2) Subsection (1) does not authorise any such person to enter any part of premises used only for residential purposes without the permission of the occupier of the premises or the authority of a search warrant under this section.(3) Any such person may apply to an authorised officer for the issue of a search warrant if the person believes on reasonable grounds that there may be property liable to seizure under the property seizure order in any premises.(4) An authorised officer to whom any such application is made may, if satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for doing so, issue a search warrant authorising any person who is executing the property seizure order to enter the premises and seize property in the premises in accordance with that or any other property seizure order.(5) Division 4 of Part 5 of the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 applies to a search warrant issued under this section.(6) Without affecting the generality of section 71 of the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002, a police officer—(a) may accompany a person executing a search warrant, and(b) may take all reasonable steps to assist the person in the exercise of the person’s functions under this section.(7) This section does not authorise a person to seize property under any warrant of execution or order (other than a property seizure order) while the person is in premises in pursuance only of the authority conferred by this section.(8) In this section—has the same meaning as it has in the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002.premises includes any structure, building, aircraft, vehicle, vessel or place (whether built upon or not).s 76: Am 2002 No 103, Sch 4.34 [1]–[4].
76A Sheriff’s additional costs of taking enforcement action under this Division
(1) The costs and expenses reasonably incurred by the Sheriff in taking enforcement action under this Division and approved by the Commissioner are enforcement costs payable by the fine defaulter under the fine enforcement order.(2) The amount of those costs and expenses is to be determined in accordance with the scale applicable to the enforcement of judgment debts under the Civil Procedure Act 2005, but is to be reduced by any amount prescribed under section 16 (2) (c) or 44 (2) (c) as payable to the Consolidated Fund.(3) For the purposes of this section, the Commissioner has the functions of the registrar of the relevant court with respect to the approval of those costs and expenses.(4) Enforcement costs recoverable under this section are payable to the Sheriff and not to the Consolidated Fund.(5) The power of the Local Court to review a decision of a registrar of the court in respect of any such enforcement costs applies to a decision of the Commissioner under this section.Note.Enforcement costs payable under a fine enforcement order form part of the fine—see section 57 (4).s 76A: Ins 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [28]. Am 2005 No 28, Sch 5.19 [5]; 2007 No 94, Sch 2; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5].
77 Cancellation of property seizure, garnishee order or charge on land
(1) A property seizure order, garnishee order or charge on land under this Division is cancelled on the service of a community service order on the fine defaulter under Division 5 for the enforcement of the fine concerned.(2) A property seizure order, garnishee order or charge on land under this Division is cancelled on the payment of the fine concerned.Note.The writing off of the fine or the remission of the fine also operates as payment for the purpose of cancelling enforcement action—see sections 101 and 123.(3) The Commissioner may cancel a property seizure order, garnishee order or charge on land at any time for any good reason.(4) The cancellation of a charge on land does not take effect until the Registrar-General registers the cancellation of the charge.s 77: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5].
77A Garnishee order refunds in case of hardship
(1) The Commissioner may, on the Commissioner’s own initiative or on the application of a fine defaulter, refund all or part of an amount paid to the Commissioner under a garnishee order if the Commissioner thinks it appropriate to do so on the ground of hardship experienced by the fine defaulter or a dependant of the fine defaulter because of payments under the garnishee order.(2) A refund does not affect the liability of the fine defaulter for any debt that is the subject of the garnishee order, including for any amount refunded to the fine defaulter.(3) This section does not affect any other right of a fine defaulter to seek a review or to apply to the Hardship Review Board under this Act.s 77A: Ins 2015 No 65, Sch 2 [8]. Am 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [8].
Division 5 Orders requiring community service
pt 4, div 5, hdg: Am 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [3].
78 When orders may be made
Enforcement action may be taken against a fine defaulter under this Division if—(a) the fine defaulter has not paid the fine as required by the notice of the fine enforcement order served on the fine defaulter, and(b) civil enforcement action has not been or is unlikely to be successful in satisfying the fine.s 78: Am 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [6].
79 Making of order against fine defaulter
(1) The Commissioner may make an order under this Division requiring a fine defaulter to perform community service work in order to work off the amount of the fine that remains unpaid.(2) An order may be either—(a) in the case of an adult—a community correction order subject to a community service work condition, or(b) in the case of a child—a community service order.(3) The Commissioner may make an order only if satisfied that enforcement action is authorised against the fine defaulter under this Division.(4) The Commissioner is not to make an order—(a) if satisfied that the person is not capable of performing work under an order or is otherwise not suitable to be engaged in such work, and(b) unless the Commissioner has obtained a report from an appropriate officer concerning the person’s suitability to be so engaged and the report indicates that the person is assessed as suitable.(5) An order may be made in the absence of, and without notice to, the fine defaulter.(6) An order may be made before the execution of a warrant under Division 4 and in anticipation that enforcement action may not be successful under that Division in satisfying the fine. The order is not to be served if that enforcement action is successful.(7) Subject to this Division, such of the provisions of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 and the regulations under those Acts as are prescribed for the purposes of this subsection by the regulations under this Act—(a) apply to a community correction order under this Division in the same way as they apply to a community correction order under the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, and(b) so apply with any modifications so prescribed.(8) Subject to this Division, section 11 and such other provisions of the Children (Community Service Orders) Act 1987 and the regulations under that Act—(a) apply to a community service order under this Division in the same way as they apply to a community service order under that Act, and(b) so apply with any modifications so prescribed.Note.Section 11 of the Children (Community Service Orders) Act 1987 requires a community service order to require the offender to perform graffiti clean up.(9) An order under this section is to be in the approved form.(10) For the purposes of this section, an appropriate officer is—(a) in the case of an adult—a community corrections officer (as defined in the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999), or(b) in the case of a child—a juvenile justice officer (as defined in the Children (Detention Centres) Act 1987).s 79: Am 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [1]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [34]–[36]; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [4]; 2012 No 57, Sch 1.2 [1] [2]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]. Subst 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [4].
80 Service and notice of order
(1) As soon as practicable after making an order under this Division, the Commissioner must cause a copy of the order and written notice of the order to be served on the fine defaulter.(2) The notice must be in the approved form and must include the following information—(a) the place at which, or person to whom, the fine defaulter must present himself or herself, in person, for the purpose of enabling the administration of the order to be commenced,(b) the period within which the fine defaulter must present himself or herself.(3) Three copies of the notice must be served on the fine defaulter.(4) The fine defaulter must sign 3 copies of the notice in the presence of the person by whom it was served. Of the copies—(a) one is to be kept by the fine defaulter, and(b) one is to be served by the person who served the notice on the fine defaulter on the Commissioner of Corrective Services or the Secretary of the Department of Communities and Justice, whichever is appropriate, and is to be kept by the Commissioner or Secretary, as appropriate, and(c) one is to be served by that person on, and kept by, the Commissioner.(5) An order is not invalidated by a failure to comply with this section or section 80A.s 80: Subst 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [37]. Am 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [4]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2017 No 22, Sch 4.14 [3]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[4].
80A Provisions relating to service of orders and notice
(1) The order and notice may be served on the fine defaulter only in accordance with the directions of the Commissioner.(2) The order and 3 copies of the notice are to be served personally on the fine defaulter by the Sheriff or the Sheriff’s officers or by a court bailiff authorised by the Sheriff.(3) The person who serves an order under this Division is required to explain the order to the fine defaulter on whom it is served.(4) The explanation is to be given in a language likely to be understood by the fine defaulter and is to include information as to the following matters—(a) the requirements to be complied with by the fine defaulter under the order,(b) the consequences that may follow if the fine defaulter fails to comply with those requirements,(c) the fact that the order may be satisfied by payment of such part of the fine as has not been satisfied by the performance of community service work under the order.s 80A: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [37]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5].
81 Number of hours of community service work
(1) The number of hours of community service work, specified in an order made under this Division, to be served by the fine defaulter is to be calculated at the rate of 1 hour for each $15 of the amount of the fine that remains unpaid.(2) The number of hours specified in any one order must not exceed 300 hours (in the case of an adult) or 100 hours (in the case of a child). The fine defaulter may be subject to more than one order under this Division at any one time.(3) The number of hours specified in any one order is additional to any number of hours of community service work required to be performed by any other order under this Division or otherwise than under this Division. Accordingly, the total number of hours that a person may be required to perform at any one time under another Act does not apply to any hours required to be worked by an order under this Division.(3A) In the case of a person who is a child at the time an order is made under this Division, community service work may be performed concurrently for the purposes of that order and for the purposes of any other such order made under this Division or otherwise than under this Division.(4) The regulations may increase the amount of $15 mentioned in this section and section 83. If the regulations do so, the reference to the amount of $15 in those sections is to be construed as a reference to that increased amount.(5) In this section—adult means a person who is of or above the age of 18 years.child means a person who is under the age of 18 years.s 81: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [10]–[12]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5] [6].
82 Satisfaction of orders by payment
If a fine defaulter who is subject to an order under this Division duly pays the fine (or the unsatisfied balance of the fine having regard to the number of hours of community service work already performed) the order is taken to be satisfied.Note.The writing off of the fine or the remission of the fine also operates as payment for the purpose of cancelling enforcement action—see sections 101 and 123. The amount of the fine includes enforcement costs—see section 57 (4).s 82: Am 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5].
83 Satisfaction of fine by community service
(1) When a fine defaulter who is subject to an order under this Division duly complies with the order, the fine concerned is taken to be satisfied.(2) When a fine defaulter who is subject to an order under this Division duly serves part of the number of hours of community service work to be served under the order, the fine concerned is taken to be satisfied by the amount calculated at the rate of $15 for each hour of community service work actually served.s 83: Am 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5].
84 Suspension of orders during imprisonment or detention
(1) If a fine defaulter who is subject to an order under this Division is imprisoned while the order is in force, the order is suspended during that period of imprisonment. The period that the order is to be in force is extended, and not reduced, by the period that the order is suspended.(2) A fine defaulter is imprisoned for the purposes of this section if the fine defaulter is—(a) in a correctional centre on remand or pursuant to a sentence of imprisonment, or(b) in a detention centre (within the meaning of the Children (Detention Centres) Act 1987) on remand or pursuant to a detention order.s 84: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [29] [30]; 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [2]; 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [2]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5].
85 Provisions relating to orders
(1) An appeal does not lie in respect of the making of an order under this Division or the failure to make such an order.(2), (3) (Repealed)Note.Provisions of the Children (Community Service Orders) Act 1987 apply to the order if the fine defaulter is a person to whom that Act applies. In any other case, provisions of Part 5 of the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 apply to the order.s 85: Am 1999 No 31, Sch 2.15 [1]; 2003 No 40, Sch 2.13 [2]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [38]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5].
86 Revocation of order
(1) The Commissioner may revoke an order made under this Division if satisfied that the fine defaulter who is subject to the order has failed, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the order or the requirements imposed with respect to the order by or under the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 or the Children (Community Service Orders) Act 1987 as the case requires.(2) The Commissioner is not to revoke an order under subsection (1) unless the relevant assigned officer (within the meaning of that Act) has reported the breach to the Commissioner. The Commissioner may decide not to revoke an order following the report of a breach of the order to the Commissioner.(3) The Commissioner may revoke an order made under this Division if satisfied, following a report by the assigned officer, that the fine defaulter is not capable of performing work under the order or is otherwise not suitable to be engaged in such work.(4) The Commissioner may, when revoking an order, also revoke other such orders that have been made against the fine defaulter.(5) Notice of the revocation is to be served on the fine defaulter. The notice may be served in the same way as notice of a fine enforcement order may be served.(6) The fine defaulter may, within the time specified in the notice, apply in writing to the Commissioner for a review of the revocation. The Commissioner may, if satisfied that the order was not breached or that the breach should be excused, reverse the decision to revoke the order.(7) The revocation of an order does not take effect—(a) until the expiry of the period during which an application for review of the revocation may be made, or(b) if an application for review is duly made—unless and until the application is refused.(8) The revocation of an order (or the review of any such revocation) may be made or held in the absence of, and without notice to, the fine defaulter.(9) A decision of the Commissioner under this section is (subject to this section) final and is not subject to appeal.s 86: Am 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [3]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [26] [27]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5] [6].
Division 6
87–97 (Repealed)
pt 4, div 6: Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 87: Am 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [4] [5]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [39] [40]; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [5]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5] [7]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 88: Am 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [5]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 89: Am 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [31]; 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [6]–[8]; 2003 No 40, Sch 2.13 [3]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [41]–[44]; 2004 No 94, Sch 2.4; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [6]. Subst 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [3]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [28]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [9]–[11]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 89A: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [45]. Am 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [4]. Subst 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [3]. Am 2010 No 119, Sch 1.13; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [28]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 89B: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [45]. Subst 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [3]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 90: Am 2003 No 82, Sch 2.11 [1]; 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [4]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 91: Am 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [5]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 92: Am 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [9]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 93: Am 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [6]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 94: Am 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [7]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 95: Am 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [10] [11]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [28] [29]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 96: Am 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [12] [13]. Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
s 97: Rep 2022 No 16, Sch 2[14].
Division 7 Bodies corporate
98 Application of civil and other enforcement procedures
Enforcement action under this Part extends to a fine enforcement order in respect of a fine defaulter that is a body corporate, other than enforcement action under Division 5 (Orders requiring community service).s 98: Am 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [12]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[15].
99 Modification of enforcement procedures
If the fine defaulter is a body corporate, civil enforcement action may be taken before or without taking enforcement action under Division 3.s 99: Am 1998 No 99, Sch 1.4 [15]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [7]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[16].
Division 8 Fine mitigation
pt 4, div 8, hdg: Subst 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22].
Subdivision 1 Work and development orders
pt 4, div 8, sdiv 1: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22].
99A Definitions
(1) In this Subdivision—approved organisation means a person or body approved for the time being by—(a) the Secretary of the Department of Communities and Justice, or(b) a member of staff of the Department of Communities and Justice to whom the Secretary of that Department has delegated the power to approve a person or body under this definition.approved person, in relation to a work and development order, means—(a) an approved organisation, or(a1) a social worker with the qualifications specified by the guidelines, or(b) if the work and development order involves medical or mental health treatment, a health practitioner qualified to provide that treatment and enrolled for the time being in accordance with the guidelines.guidelines means guidelines issued under section 99I.health practitioner means—(a) a registered medical practitioner, or(b) a registered psychologist, or(c) a nurse.work and development order means an order made under this Subdivision requiring a person to do any one or more of the following, in New South Wales or another State or Territory, in order to satisfy all or part of a fine—(a) undertake unpaid work for, or on behalf of, an approved organisation (but only with the agreement of that organisation),(b) undergo medical or mental health treatment in accordance with a health practitioner’s treatment plan,(c) undertake an educational, vocational or life skills course,(d) undergo financial or other counselling,(e) undergo drug or alcohol treatment,(f) undertake a mentoring program.(2) A reference in this section to a person or body includes a reference to a person or body residing or located in a State or Territory other than New South Wales.s 99A: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22]. Am 2010 No 54, Sch 2.17; 2011 No 33, Sch 1 [1]–[3]; 2013 No 1, Sch 1.12 [1]; 2017 No 22, Sch 4.14 [4] [5]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[4]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[17]; 2023 No 18, Sch 2[8]–[10].
99B Making an order
(1) A work and development order may be made by the Commissioner with respect to a person in relation to all or part of an unpaid fine if—(a) a fine enforcement order has been made with respect to the person in relation to the fine, and(b) the person—(i) has a mental illness, or(ii) has an intellectual disability or cognitive impairment, or(iii) is homeless, or(iv) is experiencing acute economic hardship, or(v) has a serious addiction to drugs, alcohol or volatile substances, and(c) a community correction order or community service order is not in force under Division 5 against the fine defaulter in respect of the fine, and(d) an application is made in accordance with this Subdivision.(1A) A work and development order may be made in relation to a person who is a resident of a State or Territory other than New South Wales.(2) An application for an order is to—(a) be made to the Commissioner by or on behalf of the person, and(b) be supported by each approved person who is to supervise the person in complying with the order, and(c) set out the grounds for making the order, the activities that are proposed to be carried out under the order and a proposed time for the completion of those activities.(2A) If the application for the order is in relation to a person who has a serious addiction to drugs, alcohol or volatile substances but does not satisfy any of the other criteria referred to in subsection (1) (b), the only activities that the person may be required to carry out under the order are counselling and drug or alcohol treatment.(3) An application may be made in anticipation of a fine enforcement order being made with respect to the person in relation to the fine.(4) If the regulations prescribe a maximum number of work and development orders that may be made in any particular period, the Commissioner is not to make an order during that period if satisfied that the number of such orders will exceed the number prescribed (even if directed to do so by the Hardship Review Board under section 101B (6)).(5) If the Commissioner determines to make an order, the order is to be made in such terms as are agreed between the Commissioner, the applicant and each approved person.(6) An order is to specify—(a) the value of the activities that are to be undertaken under the order for the purposes of satisfying the fine to which the order relates, and(b) the nature of any unpaid work that may be required under the order.(7) No enforcement action is to be taken against a person under this Part in respect of a fine to which a work and development order relates while the order is in force.s 99B: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22]. Am 2011 No 33, Sch 1 [4]–[6]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [30]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [13]; 2023 No 18, Sch 2[11].
99BA Assessments of eligibility for orders and keeping of records
(1) An application for a work and development order may include an assessment by the approved person or persons supporting the application as to whether the person for whom the order is sought meets any of the criteria specified in section 99B (1) (b).(2) If such an assessment is included in the application, the Commissioner is to rely on that assessment when deciding whether to make the work and development order unless the Commissioner has reason to believe that the assessment should not be relied on.(3) If an approved person supports an application for a work and development order or includes in such an application an assessment of eligibility for the order, the approved person is to keep records of the supporting evidence for the application or the assessment of eligibility in accordance with the guidelines.(4) The Commissioner may, at any time, require the approved person or persons who supported the application or made the assessment to provide all or specified types of that supporting evidence.(5) Despite section 99I, the Commissioner may waive a requirement that an application for a work and development order or an assessment of eligibility for a work and development order be supported by a particular type of evidence if the Commissioner considers the circumstances of the case warrant it.s 99BA: Ins 2011 No 33, Sch 1 [7]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [31] [32].
99C Variation or revocation of order
(1) The Commissioner may vary or revoke a work and development order—(a) if requested to do so by or on behalf of the person subject to the order, or(b) if satisfied that the person subject to the order has failed, without reasonable excuse, to comply with the order, or(c) if of the opinion that information provided in, or in connection with, the application for the order is false or misleading in a material particular, or(d) if of the opinion that information provided in, or in connection with, a report provided to the Commissioner by an approved person who is supervising the person subject to the order is false or misleading in a material particular, or(e) if of the opinion that the person subject to the order does not meet, or no longer meets, any of the criteria referred to in section 99B (1) (b) specified in the application for the order as a ground for the making of the order, or(f) if of the opinion that an approved person who is supervising compliance with the order is unable to continue with that supervision or is in breach of any of the approved person’s obligations under this Subdivision, or(g) if of the opinion that the person who is supervising compliance with the order is no longer an approved person.(2) The Commissioner is not to take action under subsection (1) (b) unless the Commissioner has taken reasonable steps to consult with the person subject to the order and each approved person in relation to the order.(3) An order ceases to be in force when it is revoked.s 99C: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22]. Am 2011 No 33, Sch 1 [8]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [8] [26].
99D No appeal except to Hardship Review Board
Except as provided by section 101B, an appeal does not lie in respect of the making of, the failure to make or the varying or revocation of, a work and development order.s 99D: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22].
99E Satisfaction of order
(1) If a person subject to a work and development order—(a) complies with the order, the fine, or the part of the fine, to which the order relates is taken to be satisfied, or(b) pays the fine (or the unsatisfied balance of the fine having regard to the activities already undertaken under the order), the order is taken to be satisfied.(2) If a person subject to a work and development order complies with some but not all of the activities required by the order, the fine, or the part of the fine, to which the order relates is taken to be satisfied by the value of the activities that have been undertaken at the rate or rates set out in the order.s 99E: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22].
99F Civil liability
(1) In this section—person involved, in relation to unpaid work under a work and development order, includes any person (including a corporation)—(a) for whose benefit that work is performed, or(b) who directs or supervises that work, specifies its terms or conditions or controls it, orbut does not include the person by whom the work is performed.(c) who owns or occupies the premises or land on which that work is performed,(2) No act or omission of a person by whom unpaid work under a work and development order is performed gives rise to civil liability on the part of any person involved in that work if the act or omission occurs in the course of that work.(3) No act or omission of a person involved in unpaid work under a work and development order gives rise to civil liability to the person by whom the work is performed on the part of the person so involved if the act or omission occurs in the course of that work.(4) A civil action that would, but for subsection (2) or (3), lie against a person involved in unpaid work lies instead against the Crown.(5) Subsections (2) and (4) do not apply to an act or omission if it was, or was a necessary part of, an act or omission that was expressly required by the person involved in that work but was not necessary to carry out the work specified in the work and development order.(6) Subsections (3) and (4) do not apply to an act or omission if—(a) the work concerned was not work specified in the work and development order, or(b) the act or omission concerned was, or was a necessary part of, an act or omission intended to cause injury, loss or damage.(7) It is a term of a work and development order that the person subject to the order must disclose as soon as possible to the Commissioner and to each approved person—(a) any medical, physical or mental condition of which the person is aware (being a condition of a kind that the person is aware substantially increases the risk to the person of injury in performing work of any kind), and(b) any substantial change in that condition.(8) The Commissioner may, on behalf of the Crown, settle any action that lies against the Crown because of this section, and may do so on such terms as the Commissioner thinks fit.s 99F: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [8].
99G Persons performing work under orders not workers
A person who undertakes unpaid work under a work and development order is not to be taken to be employed by, or in a contract of services with, the Crown or any other person and is not—(a) a worker for the purposes of the Workers Compensation Act 1987, the Workplace Injury Management and Workers Compensation Act 1998, the Annual Holidays Act 1944 or the Long Service Leave Act 1955, or(b) an employee (however described) for the purposes of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 or any other Act or law.s 99G: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22].
99H Delegation by approved persons
An approved person (other than an individual) may delegate any of the approved person’s functions under this Subdivision with respect to a work and development order to an officer or employee, other than this power of delegation.s 99H: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22].
99I Work and development guidelines
(1) The Minister administering the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 may issue guidelines (not inconsistent with this Act or the regulations under this Act) for or with respect to work and development orders.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the guidelines may make provision for or with respect to the following matters—(a) determining the eligibility of a person for a work and development order,(b) the supporting evidence required in relation to any aspect of eligibility for a work and development order,(c) the keeping of any such supporting evidence and any other documentation in relation to the carrying out of activities under work and development orders,(d) the value of the activities that are to be undertaken under a work and development order for the purposes of satisfying the fine to which the order relates,(e) the manner of making an application for a work and development order,(f) the requirements for obtaining approval as an approved organisation,(f1) the qualifications required for a social worker to be an approved person,(g) the enrolment of health practitioners as approved persons,(h) the revocation of the approval of approved organisations or enrolment of health practitioners as approved persons,(i) the conditions to be complied with and the requirements to be met by approved persons, including (but not limited to) requirements for the auditing of documentation required to be kept by approved persons and for the furnishing of reports on the carrying out of activities under work and development orders.(3) The Commissioner, approved persons and other persons exercising functions under this Subdivision are required to comply with the guidelines. However, a failure to comply with a guideline does not affect the validity of any proceedings, decision, order or warrant.(4) Nothing in subsection (3) prevents action being taken under this Subdivision to revoke a work and development order or the approval of an approved organisation or enrolment of a health practitioner as an approved person.(5) The guidelines are to be prepared in consultation with the Minister administering Part 8.(6) The guidelines—(a) may be amended or replaced, and(b) are to be published on the NSW legislation website.s 99I: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22]. Subst 2011 No 33, Sch 1 [9]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [33]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[18].
99J Regulations
(1) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to work and development orders.(2) (Repealed)s 99J: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22]. Am 2011 No 33, Sch 1 [10].
99K Orders may extend to State debt
(1) The Commissioner may make or vary a work and development order so that it extends to all or part of an unpaid State debt that is payable by the person, in addition to a fine, if—(a) the Commissioner has power to make, or has made, a work and development order with respect to the person in relation to the fine, and(b) the person requests or agrees to the extension of the order to that State debt, and(c) the approved person agrees to the extension of the order to that State debt, and(d) a debt recovery order has been made with respect to the person in relation to the State debt.(2) A request may be made in anticipation of a debt recovery order being made with respect to the person in relation to the State debt.(3) If the Commissioner makes a work and development order that applies to both a fine and State debt, this Subdivision (except section 99E) applies in relation to the State debt as if it were a fine.(4) If a person subject to a work and development order that extends to a State debt or part of a State debt—(a) complies with the order—the State debt, or the part of the State debt, to which the order relates is taken to be satisfied, or(b) pays both the fine and the State debt (or the unsatisfied balance of the fine and the State debt having regard to the activities already undertaken under the order)—the order is taken to be satisfied.(5) If a person subject to a work and development order complies with some but not all of the activities required by the order, the State debt is taken to be satisfied to the value of the activities that have been undertaken at the rate or rates set out in the order.(6) However, an activity that is undertaken is to be counted towards satisfaction of a State debt only if the fine to which the order relates has been satisfied.(7) No debt recovery action is to be taken against a person under the State Debt Recovery Act 2018 in respect of a State debt to which a work and development order relates while the order is in force.(8) The Commissioner is required, in the exercise of the Commissioner’s functions under this section, to comply with the debt recovery guidelines under the State Debt Recovery Act 2018.(9) In this section—debt recovery order means a debt recovery order under the State Debt Recovery Act 2018.State debt has the same meaning as it has in the State Debt Recovery Act 2018.s 99K: Ins 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [9].
Subdivision 2 Time to pay and writing off fines
pt 4, div 8, sdiv 2, hdg: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [22].
100 Time to pay
(1) At any time before a community correction order or community service order is issued under Division 5, a fine defaulter may make an application to the Commissioner for time to pay a fine.(Repealed)(2) The Commissioner may, by order, allow further time to pay the fine.(3) The Commissioner may—(a) extend the time for payment of the whole fine, or(b) allow the fine to be paid by instalments of such amounts, and at such times, as the Commissioner specifies.(3A) In particular, the Commissioner may allow a person to pay the fine in instalments, as a regular direct debit, if the Commissioner—(a) is satisfied that adequate arrangements are in place for such a regular payment to be made, and(b) agrees to the fine being paid in this manner.(4) If an instalment of a fine is not paid by the due date, the remaining instalments then become due and payable unless the Commissioner otherwise orders.(4A) An order allowing further time to pay a fine may be amended or revoked by a further order made on the application of the person liable to pay the fine or on the Commissioner’s own initiative.(4B) An order under this section may be made in relation to more than one fine and may provide for a combined payment arrangement.(4C) Without limiting subsection (4A), the Commissioner may, on the Commissioner’s initiative, amend an order allowing further time to pay by extending the arrangements under the order to payment of another fine for which a fine enforcement order has been made against the fine defaulter.(4D) The Commissioner must give the fine defaulter written notice of the amendment as soon as practicable after amending the order.(4E) On being given notice by the fine defaulter that the fine defaulter does not agree to an amendment made under subsection (4C), the Commissioner must amend the order to remove the extension to the other fine.(4F) An amendment made under subsection (4E) does not affect the validity of anything done before that amendment in relation to the other fine.(5) Further enforcement action under this Part is suspended if an application for time to pay is granted and payment of the fine is made in accordance with the order of the Commissioner.(6) However, the Sheriff is not required to return any property seized under a property seizure order under Division 4, and a charge on land created under that Division need not be cancelled, until the fine is paid.(7) In this section, a combined payment arrangement means an arrangement for the payment of a fine or an amount payable under a penalty notice in conjunction with payment of another fine for which a fine enforcement order has been made.s 100: Am 1998 No 172, Sch 2 [6]; 1999 No 31, Sch 2.15 [2]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [26]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [23] [24]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [34]–[38]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [11]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [14]; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [10]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[55].s 100, note: Rep 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [46].
101 Unpaid fines may be written off
(1) After a fine enforcement order is made and before a community correction order or community service order is issued under Division 5 in the matter, an application to have the fine written off may be made to the Commissioner by the fine defaulter.(1A) The Commissioner may, on the application of a fine defaulter or at the Commissioner’s own discretion, write off, in whole or in part, an unpaid fine—(a) if satisfied that, due to any or all of the financial, medical or personal circumstances of the fine defaulter—(i) the fine defaulter does not have sufficient means to pay the fine and is not likely to have sufficient means to pay the fine, and(ii) civil enforcement action has not been or is unlikely to be successful in satisfying the fine, and(iii) the fine defaulter is not suitable to be subject to a community service order under Division 5, or(b) in accordance with guidelines issued under section 120.(1B) The Commissioner must write off, in whole or in part, an unpaid fine if directed to do so by the Hardship Review Board.(2) Guidelines issued under section 120 are to extend to fine defaulters who do not have the means to pay the fine or sufficient property for civil enforcement action and who are not suitable to undertake work under a community service order.(3) Any part of an unpaid fine that is written off is taken to have been paid for the purpose of cancelling enforcement action under this Act.(4) Despite subsection (3), any part of an unpaid fine that is written off under this section may be reinstated and enforcement action may be recommenced by the Commissioner in respect of the fine defaulter at any time within 5 years after it is written off if—(a) a further fine enforcement order is made against the fine defaulter, or(b) the Commissioner is satisfied that the fine defaulter has sufficient means to pay the fine, that enforcement action is likely to be successful in satisfying the fine or that the fine defaulter is suitable to be subject to a community service order.(5) When writing off a fine defaulter’s unpaid fine under this section, the Commissioner may write off, in whole or in part, an unenforced unpaid fine that the fine defaulter is liable to pay, on the grounds specified in subsection (1A).(6) If the Commissioner writes off an unenforced unpaid fine under subsection (5), the fine defaulter is taken to have paid the amount payable under the penalty notice for the purposes of the Road Transport Act 2013, section 31(2)(b).(7) Subsection (4) extends to an unenforced unpaid fine written off under subsection (5).(8) If enforcement action is commenced against a fine defaulter in relation to an unenforced unpaid fine that is reinstated under subsection (4), notice of a fine enforcement order is taken to have been served on the fine defaulter when the unenforced unpaid fine was written off.(9) In this section—unenforced unpaid fine means an unpaid fine in relation to which a fine enforcement order has not been made, and includes an unpaid amount payable under a penalty notice.s 101: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [47] [48]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [25]–[28]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [10] [26]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [6] [8]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [14]; 2023 No 18, Sch 2[12].
Subdivision 3 Hardship Review Board
pt 4, div 8, sdiv 3, hdg: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [29].
101A (Repealed)
s 101A: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [49]. Am 2013 No 1, Sch 1.12 [2]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [39]; 2017 No 22, Sch 4.14 [6] [7]. Rep 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [11].
101B Reviews by Hardship Review Board
(1) The Hardship Review Board may, on an application by or on behalf of a fine defaulter, review a decision by the Commissioner with respect to the following—(a) the making of, the failure to make or the varying or revocation of, a work and development order,(b) the making of, or the failure to make, a time to pay order,(c) the writing off or the failure to write off, the whole or part of, an unpaid fine.(1A) The fine defaulter must be a natural person.(2) A fine defaulter may not make more than one application under this section in relation to the same fine.(3) The Hardship Review Board may determine the procedure for a review and may conduct a review in the absence of the parties.(4) The Commissioner may suspend enforcement action against a fine defaulter who makes an application under this section but is not required to do so unless given a direction under this section.(5) The Hardship Review Board may direct that enforcement action under this Part against a fine defaulter be suspended pending its review, if it thinks it appropriate in the circumstances.(6) On a review, the Hardship Review Board may direct the Commissioner to do any one or more of the following in respect of the fine defaulter on such terms as the Board may direct—(a) make, revoke or vary a work and development order,(b) make, revoke or vary a time to pay order,(c) write off, in whole or in part, an unpaid fine.(7) The Hardship Review Board may give a direction under this section if it thinks it is appropriate to do so having regard to the circumstances of the fine defaulter and the matters set out in section 99B, 100 or 101 (1A) (a) and the guidelines issued under section 120, as the case requires.(8) The Hardship Review Board may exercise its functions under this Act in conjunction with any functions that the Board may exercise under the State Debt Recovery Act 2018 or the Taxation Administration Act 1996.s 101B: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [49]. Am 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [30]–[32]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [40]; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [12] [13].
101C Disclosure of information by Hardship Review Board
The Hardship Review Board, a member of the Board, or a person otherwise engaged in the administration of this Subdivision, may disclose to the Commissioner, or any other person engaged in the administration of this Act, information obtained in the administration of this Subdivision.s 101C: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [49]. Subst 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [41].
Division 9 Miscellaneous
pt 4, div 9, hdg: Ins 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [33].
102 Disposition of money paid by or recovered from fine defaulters
(1) Any fine paid by a fine defaulter after the making of a fine enforcement order is payable to the Commissioner.(2) However, with the approval of the Commissioner, any fine paid to another person or body may be directly credited to the Consolidated Fund or other account, or retained, in accordance with this or any other Act or law.Note.Fines include enforcement costs—see section 57 (4).s 102: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [16].
102A Liability of minors for enforcement costs
(1) The Commissioner must waive the payment by a fine defaulter of any enforcement costs in respect of a fine enforcement order, other than the fee for the issue of a fine enforcement order, if the offence—(a) in respect of which the fine concerned was imposed on the fine defaulter by a court, oroccurred while the fine defaulter was under the age of 18 years.(b) in respect of which the penalty notice from which the fine concerned arises was issued to the defendant,(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of a fine enforcement order if one or more subsequent fine enforcement orders are made against the fine defaulter in respect of an offence that occurred when the fine defaulter was of or above the age of 18 years.s 102A: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [50]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [16].
103 Electronic transmission of documents
(1) The following directions, orders and warrants under this Part may be transmitted electronically to the persons to whom they are given or directed—(a) a direction of the Commissioner to Transport for NSW under Division 3,(b) a property seizure order or warrant of apprehension directed to the Sheriff under Division 4,(b1) a garnishee order or order for examination under Division 4, or a summons requiring a garnishee under such a garnishee order to show cause, given to the Sheriff for service,(c) a community correction order or community service order given to the Sheriff for service under Division 5.(d) (Repealed)(2) For the purpose of executing any such order or warrant, the Sheriff or other officer to whom the order or warrant is so transmitted is to cause a copy of the order or warrant to be converted into written form and to be endorsed with the following words—This document has been transmitted electronically by the Commissioner of Fines Administration in accordance with section 103 of the Fines Act 1996.s 103: Am 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [14]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [51] [52]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [28] [42]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [15]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[4].
104 Power of person executing order or warrant to demand name and address
(1) The Sheriff or other person executing an order or warrant under this Part may require a person whom the Sheriff or other person suspects on reasonable grounds to be the fine defaulter to state his or her full name and residential address and to produce evidence of his or her identity.(2) A person is not required to comply with such a requirement unless the person was warned on that occasion that a failure to comply is an offence.(3) A person who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with such a requirement is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty—10 penalty units.
Part 5 Reciprocal enforcement of fines against bodies corporate
105 Definitions
In this Part—conviction means a conviction or order entered or made (before or after the commencement of this Part) in proceedings for an offence, including a penalty notice enforcement order or similar order.fine includes—(a) a pecuniary penalty, pecuniary forfeiture and pecuniary compensation, and(b) fees, charges and costs payable by a body corporate under an order made in proceedings in which the conviction was entered in respect of the body corporate.New South Wales fine means a fine payable under a conviction of a New South Wales court (including a fine payable under a penalty notice enforcement order under this Act).reciprocating court means a court, or a court included in a class of court, declared under section 106 to be a reciprocating court or a class of reciprocating courts.relevant officer of a reciprocating court means the registrar or other corresponding officer of the court.State includes a Territory.
106 Declaration of reciprocating court
Where another State has laws providing for enforcement in that State of a New South Wales fine against a body corporate, the regulations may—(a) declare a court that exercises criminal jurisdiction in that State to be a reciprocating court, or(b) declare a class of courts that exercise criminal jurisdiction in that State to be a class of reciprocating courts.
107 Enforcement of fine imposed by reciprocating court
(1) Where, under a conviction of a reciprocating court, a fine is payable by a body corporate having or appearing to have property in New South Wales and the Commissioner receives a request in writing from the relevant officer of the reciprocating court for the enforcement of the fine, accompanied by—(a) a copy, certified by the relevant officer to be correct, of the conviction, andthe Commissioner is required—(b) a certificate under the hand of the relevant officer specifying the amount of the fine that remains unpaid,(c) to register the certified copy of the conviction, and(d) to note, on the certified copy, the date of registration.(2) On registration of a conviction—(a) the conviction is, for the purposes of this Part, taken to be a conviction of a New South Wales court, and(b) the Commissioner is required to make a fine enforcement order under this Act for the purpose of recovering the amount specified as unpaid in the certificate relating to conviction.(3) Where a request is made under this section in respect of a fine payable under a conviction of a reciprocating court and the Commissioner, after the request, receives a notification from the relevant officer of the reciprocating court of payment of an amount in satisfaction in whole or in part of the amount of the fine—(a) the Commissioner must record particulars of the payment, and(b) the payment is, for the purposes of enforcement action under this Act, taken to be payment in pursuance of the fine enforcement order made under this section.(4) The Commissioner is required to remit to the relevant officer of the reciprocating court concerned the amount of any fine recovered in pursuance of a fine enforcement order made under this section.(5) For the purposes of this section, a document that purports to have been signed by the relevant officer of a reciprocating court is taken to have been so signed unless the contrary is proved.s 107: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5].
108 Enforcement of New South Wales fine by reciprocating court
(1) Where another State has laws providing for enforcement in that State of a New South Wales fine against a body corporate, the Commissioner may (on the Commissioner’s own behalf or on behalf of the registrar of a New South Wales court) send a request in writing to the relevant officer of the reciprocating court for the enforcement of the New South Wales fine.(2) Any amount received from a reciprocating court by the Commissioner or the registrar of a court in satisfaction of the whole or part of a New South Wales fine is to be applied as if the amount had been paid to the Commissioner or registrar by the body corporate by which the fine was payable in satisfaction of the whole or part of the fine.(3) If—(a) a request has been made under subsection (1), andthe Commissioner is required, as soon as practicable, to notify that relevant officer of the amount of the payment.(b) an amount is received by the Commissioner (otherwise than from the relevant officer of the reciprocating court to whom the request was made) in satisfaction of the whole or part of the fine,s 108: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [10].
Part 5A Interstate fine enforcement
pt 5A: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
Division 1 General
pt 5A, div 1 (ss 108A, 108B): Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108A Definitions
(1) In this Part—another jurisdiction means a jurisdiction other than New South Wales.discharged, in relation to an interstate fine or part of such a fine, means discharged because of payment, remission, pardon or otherwise.interstate fine means a monetary penalty that is payable by a person under an order in force under the law of another jurisdiction for any one or more offences, or alleged offences, against the law of that jurisdiction, and includes—(a) any costs (including expenses or disbursements) payable by the person under the order, and(b) such other amounts (if any) as may be prescribed by the regulations.for an interstate fine means a court, Government Department or other agency (or an officer of a court, Government Department or other agency) that is responsible for the enforcement of the fine in the originating jurisdiction.interstate fine enforcement order means an order under section 108C.jurisdiction means a State or Territory.NSW fine means a fine for which New South Wales is the originating jurisdiction.NSW fine enforcement order means a fine enforcement order in relation to a NSW fine.offender, in relation to an interstate fine or NSW fine, means the person on whom the fine was imposed.order includes—(a) a verdict or judgment, and(b) a notice requiring the payment of a fine for an offence or alleged offence.originating jurisdiction means the jurisdiction in which the order under which a fine or interstate fine is payable was made.participating jurisdiction means another jurisdiction—(a) in which NSW fine enforcement orders are enforceable under the laws of that jurisdiction, or(b) that is prescribed by the regulations to be a participating jurisdiction for the purposes of this Part.this jurisdiction means New South Wales.(2) If a provision of this Part confers a function on the originating jurisdiction for an interstate fine, that function may be exercised by—(a) an interstate fine enforcement authority for the interstate fine, or(b) any other body or person that the Commissioner is satisfied is authorised to exercise the function on behalf of the originating jurisdiction.References to the originating jurisdiction are to be construed accordingly.pt 5A, div 1 (ss 108A, 108B): Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108B Relevant connection of offender with a jurisdiction
For the purposes of this Part, an offender has a relevant connection with a jurisdiction if the offender has any one or more of the following connections with the jurisdiction—(a) the offender is resident in the jurisdiction,(b) the offender holds a licence or permit to drive a motor vehicle issued in the jurisdiction,(c) the offender has debts due and accruing in the jurisdiction in respect of which a garnishee order could be made,(d) the offender has a motor vehicle that is registered in the jurisdiction,(e) the offender has property that is located in the jurisdiction,(f) the offender has such other connection with the jurisdiction as may be prescribed by the regulations.pt 5A, div 1 (ss 108A, 108B): Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
Division 2 Enforcement of interstate fines in NSW
pt 5A, div 2: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108C Power to make interstate fine enforcement orders
(1) The Commissioner may make an order (an interstate fine enforcement order) for the enforcement of an interstate fine in this jurisdiction.(2) An interstate fine enforcement order may be made in relation to an interstate fine only if—(a) the originating jurisdiction for the interstate fine is a participating jurisdiction, and(b) a request for the order has been duly made under this Part by the interstate fine enforcement authority for the interstate fine, and(c) Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth does not apply to the fine.Note.Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth permits certain interstate fines imposed by courts to be registered in New South Wales and enforced in the same way as NSW court imposed fines. Accordingly, court fine enforcement orders can be made in relation to registered fines under Division 3 of Part 2 (see section 14). This Part provides for the enforcement of interstate fines to which Part 7 of the Commonwealth Act does not apply, such as administrative fines.(3) A single order may be made for the enforcement of 2 or more interstate fines payable by a person.(4) An interstate fine enforcement order may be made in the absence of, and without prior notice to, the person liable to pay the interstate fine.(5) The Commissioner must not make an interstate fine enforcement order unless the originating jurisdiction for the fine, or a person or body acting on its behalf, is required (whether because of statutory duty, agreement or otherwise) to notify the Commissioner if the fine is partially or fully paid in the originating jurisdiction.s 108C: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108D Effect of interstate fine enforcement order
(1) Part 4 (Fine enforcement action) applies to the enforcement of an interstate fine following the making of an interstate fine enforcement order in the same way as it applies to a NSW fine following the making of a NSW fine enforcement order.(2) For that purpose—(a) a reference in that Part to a fine enforcement order includes a reference to an interstate fine enforcement order, and(b) a reference in that Part to a fine includes a reference to an interstate fine and the enforcement costs payable under the interstate fine enforcement order.(3) Part 8 applies to an interstate fine the subject of an interstate fine enforcement order or a request for an interstate fine enforcement order as if—(a) a reference to a fine included a reference to the interstate fine, and(b) a reference to a fine defaulter included a reference to the offender in relation to the interstate fine, and(c) a reference to a fine enforcement order included a reference to an interstate fine enforcement order.(4) Parts 4 and 8 apply with any other modifications provided for by this Part or the regulations.s 108D: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108E Request for interstate fine enforcement order
(1) The originating jurisdiction for an interstate fine may request the Commissioner to make an interstate fine enforcement order in relation to the fine if—(a) the liability of the offender to pay the fine has not been fully discharged, and(b) there is reason to believe that the offender has a relevant connection with this jurisdiction.(2) The request must—(a) be made in writing, and(b) include all information required by the Commissioner to make an interstate fine enforcement order.(3) A request for the making of an interstate fine enforcement order may be made by post or by electronic means approved by the Commissioner, or by any other method approved by the Commissioner.(4) A single request may be made for more than one interstate fine, in which case this section applies to each of the fines to which that request relates.(5) A request may not be made under this section in relation to an interstate fine if—(a) action to enforce the fine is being taken in another jurisdiction, or(b) Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth applies to the fine.s 108E: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43]. Am 2019 No 13, Sch 1[58].
108F Form of interstate fine enforcement order
An interstate fine enforcement order must specify the following matters—(a) the offender’s name, address and date of birth (if known),(b) a description of the offence, or alleged offence, in respect of which each fine to which the order applies was imposed,(c) the originating jurisdiction and the name of the interstate fine enforcement authority that requested the making of the order,(d) the date on which the fine was imposed,(e) the amount required to be paid, being the amount of the fine that remains to be paid, together with specified enforcement costs payable in this jurisdiction.s 108F: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108G Amendment or withdrawal of request for interstate fine enforcement order
(1) The originating jurisdiction for an interstate fine may, at any time, by notice in writing to the Commissioner, request the Commissioner to amend or withdraw an interstate fine enforcement order for the interstate fine.(2) The request may be given by post or by electronic means approved by the Commissioner, or by any other method approved by the Commissioner.(3) The request must include all information required by the Commissioner to amend or withdraw the order.(4) A request may be made whether or not the interstate fine has been paid.(5) A notice given to the Commissioner by the originating jurisdiction for an interstate fine to the effect that a fine has been partially or fully paid in the originating jurisdiction is taken—(a) to be a request for amendment of any interstate fine enforcement order that applies to the fine (if the fine has been partially paid), or(b) to be a request for the withdrawal of an interstate fine enforcement order that applies to the fine or, if the order relates to more than one fine, for the partial withdrawal of the order as it relates to that particular fine (if the fine has been fully paid).s 108G: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43]. Am 2019 No 13, Sch 1[58].
108H Amendment or withdrawal of interstate fine enforcement orders
(1) The Commissioner may (and, if requested by the originating jurisdiction for the interstate fine, must) amend an interstate fine enforcement order—(a) to reduce the amount that is payable under the order to recognise payments made in the originating jurisdiction to partially discharge the fine, or(b) to otherwise correct an error.(2) The Commissioner may withdraw an interstate fine enforcement order if satisfied that—(a) the liability of the offender to pay an interstate fine to which the order applies has been fully discharged (otherwise than by payment to the Commissioner), or(b) the person named in the order is not the same person as the person in respect of whom a fine to which the order applies was imposed, or(c) the order was otherwise made in error.(3) An interstate fine enforcement order may be completely withdrawn or partially withdrawn to the extent that it applies to a particular fine.(4) An interstate fine enforcement order must be withdrawn, or partially withdrawn, in accordance with any request for withdrawal made by the originating jurisdiction for the interstate fine.(5) The Commissioner is to provide written confirmation to the originating jurisdiction that an interstate fine enforcement order has been withdrawn or amended in accordance with a request duly made by that jurisdiction.s 108H: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108I Effect of amendment or withdrawal of interstate fine enforcement orders
(1) If an interstate fine enforcement order is amended—(a) the order continues to have effect in its amended form, and(b) any enforcement action already taken is to be reversed, unless the same enforcement action is authorised under the order (as amended), a NSW fine enforcement order or another interstate fine enforcement order, and(c) any amount that has already been paid under the order is taken to have been paid under the order (as amended), and(d) any excess amount paid is repayable to the person by whom it was paid.(2) If an interstate fine enforcement order is withdrawn completely—(a) the order then ceases to have effect, and(b) any enforcement action already taken is to be reversed, unless the same enforcement action is authorised under a NSW fine enforcement order or another interstate fine enforcement order, and(c) enforcement costs are not payable under the order, and(d) any excess amount paid is repayable to the person by whom it was paid.(3) If an interstate fine enforcement order is partially withdrawn to the extent that it applies to a particular fine—(a) the order continues to have effect in respect of the remaining interstate fines to which it applies, and(b) any excess amount paid is repayable to the person by whom it was paid.(4) The withdrawal of an interstate fine enforcement order does not prevent the making of a further order in respect of the interstate fine.(5) In this section, an excess amount paid is any amount paid in excess of the total of the following—(a) the enforcement costs (if any) payable under the interstate fine enforcement order,(b) the amounts payable under any NSW fine enforcement orders in force in relation to the offender,(c) if the interstate fine enforcement order is amended or partially withdrawn, the amount payable under the order as in force after its amendment or partial withdrawal.s 108I: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108J Enforcement costs payable under interstate fine enforcement orders
(1) The following enforcement costs are payable under an interstate fine enforcement order—(a) any amounts prescribed by the regulations as enforcement costs for interstate fine enforcement orders,(b) the costs and expenses referred to in section 76A (Sheriff’s additional costs of taking enforcement action under this Division).(2) The following applies to any such enforcement costs—(a) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable to the Commissioner on the making of the order,(b) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable to Transport for NSW if any enforcement action is taken by Transport for NSW under Division 3 of Part 4 before payment is made under the order,(c) an amount may be prescribed as the enforcement costs payable into the Consolidated Fund if any civil enforcement action is taken by the Sheriff or other official before payment is made under the order.s 108J: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43]. Am 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [2].
108K Application of amounts recovered
(1) Any amount recovered as a consequence of the making of an interstate fine enforcement order is to be applied as follows—(a) firstly, towards enforcement costs payable under the interstate fine enforcement order,(b) secondly, towards the amount payable under any NSW fine enforcement orders in force in relation to the offender,(c) thirdly, towards the amount payable under the interstate fine to which the interstate fine enforcement order applies.(2) The Commissioner and an interstate fine enforcement authority for an interstate fine to which an interstate fine enforcement order applies may enter into arrangements for the payment to the authority or its nominee of any amounts that are payable under this section towards the interstate fine.(3) Section 121 (Fines payable into Consolidated Fund) does not apply in relation to any amount payable under this section towards the interstate fine.s 108K: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108L Modifications to application of Part 4
Part 4 applies in relation to an interstate fine subject to the following modifications—(a) (Repealed)(b) section 69 applies in relation to an interstate fine enforcement order as if a reference to an appeal against conviction or sentence included a reference to an appeal against, or an application for the review of, the interstate fine under the law of the originating jurisdiction,(c) the amount of costs and expenses payable as enforcement costs in this jurisdiction under section 76A is to be reduced by any amount prescribed under section 108J (2) (c) as payable to the Consolidated Fund,(d) section 101 is to be read as if a reference to the writing off of a fine were limited to the writing off of the enforcement costs for the issue of an interstate fine enforcement order,(e) section 101B (1) (c) is to be read as if it were limited to the writing off, or the failure to write off, the whole or part of, the enforcement costs for the issue of an interstate fine enforcement order.s 108L: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43]. Am 2022 No 16, Sch 2[4].
Division 3 Enforcement of NSW fine enforcement orders in participating jurisdictions
pt 5A, div 3: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108M Commissioner may request enforcement of NSW fine enforcement order
(1) The Commissioner is authorised—(a) to make a request in accordance with the law of a participating jurisdiction for the enforcement in that jurisdiction of a NSW fine enforcement order, and(b) to request the amendment or withdrawal of enforcement action in that jurisdiction in accordance with the law of the participating jurisdiction, and(c) to exercise the functions of a fine enforcement officer under Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth.(2) The Commissioner may make a request for the enforcement of a NSW fine enforcement order in a participating jurisdiction only if—(a) the liability of the offender to pay the NSW fine to which the NSW fine enforcement order applies has not been fully discharged, and(b) the Commissioner is satisfied that enforcement action under this Act has not been successful or is likely to be unsuccessful, and(c) there is reason to believe that the offender has a relevant connection with the participating jurisdiction, and(d) no other enforcement action is being taken in relation to the order in any other participating jurisdiction.(3) Subsection (2) does not affect any additional requirements that apply to a request for registration of a fine under Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth.(4) The Commissioner may enter into arrangements with a participating jurisdiction for the payment to the Commissioner or the Commissioner’s nominee of any amounts that are recovered in that jurisdiction in the enforcement of a NSW fine enforcement order.(5) Any amount recovered as a consequence of the enforcement in another jurisdiction of a NSW fine enforcement order (other than for enforcement costs) is to be dealt with as if the amount was paid on the imposition of the NSW fine.(6) For the purposes of this section, a request for registration of a NSW fine in another jurisdiction under Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth is taken to be a request for enforcement of a NSW fine enforcement order.pt 5A, div 4 (ss 108M–108P): Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108N Enforcement action in this jurisdiction prohibited during interstate enforcement action
(1) The Commissioner is not to take any further action under this Act in relation to the enforcement of a NSW fine enforcement order in this jurisdiction if the Commissioner has requested enforcement action in a participating jurisdiction or the fine has been registered in another jurisdiction under Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth.(2) However, the Commissioner may take further action in relation to the enforcement of the NSW fine enforcement order—(a) if the NSW fine ceases to be a registered fine under Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth (in the case of enforcement action authorised in a participating jurisdiction because the fine was a registered fine under Part 7 of that Act), or(b) if the participating jurisdiction, or a person or body acting on its behalf, provides written notice to the Commissioner that the participating jurisdiction has ceased enforcement action in that jurisdiction in relation to the order (in any other case).(3) This section has effect despite anything to the contrary in this Act.pt 5A, div 4 (ss 108M–108P): Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108O Notification of payments made in this jurisdiction
The Commissioner must notify a participating jurisdiction of any payment made in this jurisdiction in relation to a NSW fine—(a) after the Commissioner requests enforcement action in relation to the fine in the participating jurisdiction, or(b) after the fine is registered in that jurisdiction under Part 7 of the Service and Execution of Process Act 1992 of the Commonwealth.pt 5A, div 4 (ss 108M–108P): Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
Division 4 Miscellaneous
pt 5A, div 4 (ss 108M–108P): Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
108P Relationship with Part 5
The provisions of this Part are in addition to, and do not derogate from, the provisions of Part 5.pt 5A, div 4 (ss 108M–108P): Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [43].
Part 6 Civil enforcement—costs and other payments
109 Application
(1) This Part applies to the enforcement of payment of the following (referred to in this Part as ancillary money orders)—(a) any witnesses’ expenses payable by a person under an order made by a court in proceedings for an offence that were brought otherwise than by a law enforcement officer,(b) any costs (including expenses or disbursements) payable by a person under an order made by a court in proceedings for an offence that were brought otherwise than by a law enforcement officer,(c) any monetary forfeiture or monetary compensation made or awarded by a court in proceedings for an offence,but does not apply to the enforcement of payment of any amount that is a fine within the meaning of section 4.(d) any other amounts payable under an order of a court of a kind prescribed by the regulations,(2) In this section, proceedings for an offence includes—(a) proceedings for an apprehended violence order, and(b) proceedings on appeal in respect of proceedings for an offence.s 109: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [13]. Subst 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [32].
109A Payment of ancillary money orders
Division 2 of Part 2 applies to the payment of ancillary money orders in the same way as it applies to the payment of fines.s 109A: Ins 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [14].
110 Enforcement as civil judgments
(1) Subject to section 109A, an ancillary money order is enforceable as if it were a judgment for the payment of that amount under the Civil Procedure Act 2005.(2) The order may be entered in the records of the Local Court as a judgment given in the Local Court for a debt due to the person to whom the payment is required to be made by that order.(3) The order may be so entered even though the order was made by a court that is not the Local Court or the amount ordered to be paid exceeds the jurisdictional limit of the Local Court.(4) The method of enforcement provided by this section does not affect any other remedy for enforcement provided by any other Act or law.s 110: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [15]; 2005 No 28, Sch 5.19 [6]; 2007 No 94, Schs 1.44 [6], 2.
Part 7 Enforcement of bail agreements
pt 7, hdg: Am 1998 No 107, Sch 3.5 [1].
111 Definitions
In this Part—appeal means—(a) an application to the Local Court to have a forfeiture order set aside duly made under Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Bail Act 2013, or(b) an appeal to the District Court against the Local Court’s determination of an objection to a forfeiture order or of an application to set aside a forfeiture order duly made under Part 4 of Schedule 2 to the Bail Act 2013.forfeited bail money means unpaid bail money the subject of a forfeiture order under Schedule 2 to the Bail Act 2013.forfeited bail security means bail security given in relation to bail money the subject of a forfeiture order under Schedule 2 to the Bail Act 2013.s 111: Subst 1998 No 107, Sch 3.5 [2]; 2014 No 5, Sch 2.19 [1].
112 Enforcement of forfeited bail money
(1) Part 4 (Fine enforcement action) applies to forfeited bail money as if the amount payable were a fine imposed by a court for an offence.(2) The application of that Part is subject to the following—(a) the Commissioner is to make a court fine enforcement order for the purposes of taking enforcement action (being a form of order that is appropriate to the circumstances of the case),(b) enforcement costs are not payable on the making of the order,(b1) if the Commissioner is served with a copy of an appeal in relation to forfeited bail money, action under Part 4 may not be commenced or continued until proceedings on the application or appeal are finally determined,(c) all other necessary or prescribed modifications to the application of that Part apply.s 112: Am 1998 No 107, Sch 3.5 [3] [4]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2014 No 5, Sch 2.19 [2].
112A Enforcement of forfeited bail security
(1) Section 72 applies to a forfeited bail security as if the bail money in relation to which it is given were a fine imposed by a court for an offence.(2) The application of that section is subject to the following—(a) if the Commissioner is served with a copy of an appeal in relation to the bail money for which the forfeited bail security is given, action under section 72 may not be commenced or continued until proceedings on the application or appeal are finally determined,(b) all other necessary or prescribed modifications to the application of that section apply.s 112A: Ins 1998 No 107, Sch 3.5 [5]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2014 No 5, Sch 2.19 [3].
Part 7A Enforcement of orders for restitution
Note.
See Part 10, as in force between 1 December 2013 and 30 November 2014, for the trial for the enforcement of restitution orders that preceded this Part.
pt 7A: Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
Division 1 General
pt 7A, div 1: Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
112B Definitions
In this Part—appropriate custodial officer means—(a) in the case of a person sentenced to imprisonment—the Commissioner of Corrective Services or the governor of the correctional centre in which the person is imprisoned, or(b) in the case of a person sentenced to children’s detention—the Secretary of the Department of Communities and Justice or the person in charge of the detention centre in which the person is detained.attachment order—see section 112G.children’s detention means detention under an order under section 33 (1) (g) of the Children (Criminal Proceedings) Act 1987.order for restitution means an order for restitution under Part 5 of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013 that is a confirmed order under that Part.prison earnings means—(a) in the case of a person sentenced to imprisonment—the person’s earnings at the correctional centre in which the person is imprisoned, or(b) in the case of a person sentenced to children’s detention—the funds held on behalf of the person at the detention centre in which the person is detained.relevant offence has the same meaning as it has in Part 5 of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013.restitution amount means an amount payable under an order for restitution.s 112B: Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9]. Am 2019 No 13, Sch 1[4].
112C Restitution amounts taken to be court imposed fines
(1) For the purposes of this Act, a restitution amount is taken to be a fine imposed by a court.(2) Accordingly—(a) the Commissioner may make a court fine enforcement order under Division 3 of Part 2 for the enforcement of a restitution amount, and(b) enforcement action may be taken in respect of that amount under this Act.(3) The court fine enforcement order may be in a form that is appropriate to the circumstances of the case.(4) A reference in Division 3 of Part 2 to the registrar of the court is taken, in relation to a restitution amount, to be a reference to the Commissioner of Victims Rights.Note.Under the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013, the Commissioner of Victims Rights has the functions of the registrar under that Division in relation to a restitution amount.s 112C: Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
112D Application of Act to restitution amounts
This Act applies to restitution amounts in the same way as it applies to fines imposed by a court, subject to the following—(a) Divisions 1 and 2 of Part 2 do not apply,(b) (Repealed)(c) Part 6 does not apply,(d) any other modifications provided for by this Part or by the regulations or by the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013.s 112D: Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9]. Am 2022 No 16, Sch 2[4].
112E (Repealed)
s 112E: Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9]. Am 2019 No 13, Sch 1[59].
112F Joint and several liability
If 2 or more persons are jointly and severally liable to pay a restitution amount—(a) a separate court fine enforcement order for the restitution amount may be made against any of those persons, and(b) any person against whom an order is made is liable to pay any enforcement costs payable under the order made against him or her.s 112F: Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
Division 2 Attachment of prison earnings
pt 7A, div 2: Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
112G Enforcement by attachment of prison earnings
(1) The Commissioner may, for the purpose of enforcing payment of a restitution amount, make an attachment order in relation to a person’s prison earnings.(2) An attachment order is an order that authorises deductions to be made from a person’s prison earnings and applied towards payment of a restitution amount payable by the person.(3) An attachment order may be made only if—(a) a restitution amount payable by a person has not been paid as required by a court fine enforcement order, and(b) the person is serving a sentence of imprisonment or children’s detention for a relevant offence in connection with which the order requiring payment of the restitution amount was imposed.(4) An attachment order is to be in the approved form.(5) The Commissioner is to serve notice of an attachment order on the appropriate custodial officer.(6) An attachment order may be made in the absence of, and without notice to, a fine defaulter.(7) This section does not limit the Commissioner’s functions under Part 4.pt 7A, div 3 (ss 112G–112L): Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
112H Deductions under attachment order
(1) An appropriate custodial officer may make deductions from a person’s prison earnings as authorised by an attachment order.(2) The deductions are to be paid to the Commissioner.pt 7A, div 3 (ss 112G–112L): Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
112I Cancellation of attachment order
(1) An attachment order is cancelled on payment of the restitution amount concerned.(2) The Commissioner may cancel an attachment order at any time for any good reason.pt 7A, div 3 (ss 112G–112L): Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
Division 3 Miscellaneous
pt 7A, div 3 (ss 112G–112L): Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
112J Effect of appeals
(1) The Commissioner must not commence enforcement action under this Part, and is to suspend any enforcement action already taken, in respect of a restitution amount payable by a person if the Commissioner of Victims Rights notifies the Commissioner of a relevant appeal by the person.(2) Subsection (1) has effect until the appeal proceedings have been finally determined.(3) The Commissioner suspends enforcement action as follows—(a) by directing Transport for NSW to cease enforcement action under Division 3 of Part 4,Note.See section 65 (4).(b) by cancelling any property seizure order that has already been made in relation to the restitution amount that has not been executed,(c) by cancelling any garnishee order for payment of the restitution amount that has already been made in relation to the debts due and accruing to the person,(d) by cancelling any attachment order that has already been made against the person for payment of the restitution amount.(4) However, any property obtained as a result of enforcement action is not required to be returned, and a charge on land created under Part 4 need not be cancelled, unless the relevant court fine enforcement order is withdrawn.(5) The suspension of enforcement action by the Commissioner does not prevent further enforcement action being taken after the appeal proceedings have been finally determined.(6) On the final determination of the appeal proceedings, the Commissioner may, by order, vary a court fine enforcement order in accordance with the outcome of the appeal.(7) Notice of the variation is to be served on the fine defaulter in the same way as notice of a court fine enforcement order.(8) In section 69, a reference to an appeal against conviction includes, in relation to a court fine enforcement order for a restitution amount, a reference to a relevant appeal.(9) In this section—relevant appeal means—(a) an application to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal for an administrative review under the Administrative Decisions Review Act 1997 of the decision to make the order for restitution, or(b) an application to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal for an administrative review under the Administrative Decisions Review Act 1997 of the decision to approve the making of a recognition payment from which the order for restitution arises, or(c) an appeal against conviction for a relevant offence in respect of which the order for restitution was imposed or an application under Part 2 of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 to annul conviction for the relevant offence.pt 7A, div 3 (ss 112G–112L): Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
112K Payment of money recovered
(1) Any amount recovered under a court fine enforcement order made under this Part is to be applied as follows—(a) firstly, towards enforcement costs payable under the court fine enforcement order,(b) secondly, towards payment of the restitution amount.(2) Money applied towards payment of the restitution amount, after payment of enforcement costs, is money recovered under this Act for the purposes of section 15 of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013. Accordingly, that money is payable into the Victims Support Fund under that Act.(3) Section 122C applies to any overpayment under a court fine enforcement order.(4) This section does not affect section 106 (4) of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013.pt 7A, div 3 (ss 112G–112L): Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
112L Arrangements with Commissioner of Victims Rights
The Commissioner may enter into arrangements with the Commissioner of Victims Rights of a kind referred to in section 16A of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013.pt 7A, div 3 (ss 112G–112L): Ins 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [9].
Part 8 Administration
pt 8, hdg: Subst 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [44].
113 Commissioner of Fines Administration
(1) There is to be a Commissioner of Fines Administration.(2) The Commissioner is to be employed in the Public Service.(3) In any Act, or any instrument made under an Act, a reference to the Commissioner of Fines Administration is a reference to the person employed in the Public Service to exercise the functions of the Commissioner.s 113: Am 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [53]; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [15]. Subst 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [45].
114 Functions of Commissioner
(1) The Commissioner has the functions conferred or imposed on the Commissioner by or under this or any other Act.(2) The Commissioner—(a) may enter into arrangements with persons who issue penalty notices, or on whose behalf penalty notices are issued, for or with respect to such penalty notices, including but not limited to—(i) amending such penalty notices to correct minor errors, and(ii) reviewing or withdrawing such penalty notices, and(iii) refunding amounts paid under such penalty notices, and(iv) the receipt, recovery and collection of amounts payable under such penalty notices, and(b) may receive, recover and collect, and may otherwise deal with, those amounts in accordance with those arrangements, and(c) may do all such things as may be necessary or convenient for the exercise of the functions referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b), including—(i) the issuing of court attendance notices, and(ii) the demanding and recovering of fees and charges with respect to the provision of services.(3) The Commissioner has the function of administering the following—(a) the making of fine enforcement orders,(b) the taking of enforcement action against fine defaulters under this Act,(c) the write off policy for outstanding fines,(d) the receipt and collection of fines.s 114: Am 2003 No 80, Sch 2 [2]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [27]. Subst 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [45].
115 (Repealed)
s 115: Subst 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [45]. Am 2014 No 60, Sch 2.1. Rep 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [14].
116 Employees
(1) Persons may be employed in the Public Service to assist the Commissioner in the exercise of his or her functions.(2) The Commissioner may engage consultants or contractors to assist the Commissioner in the exercise of his or her functions.s 116: Am 2001 No 121, Sch 2.115 [4]. Subst 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [45].
116A Delegation
(1) The Commissioner may delegate to any person employed in the Public Service any function of the Commissioner under this Act, other than this power of delegation.(2) The Commissioner may delegate to any person any of the following functions of the Commissioner—(a) the function of serving notice of an order under section 59,(b) the function of notifying a fine defaulter of enforcement action under section 66,(c) the function of serving (but not issuing) an order for examination.s 116A: Ins 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [28]. Subst 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [45].ss 116A–116C: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [45].
116B Exercise of enforcement functions
(1) An enforcement function may be exercised by the Commissioner or by any person employed in the Public Service who is authorised by the Commissioner to exercise that function.(2) A person authorised to exercise enforcement functions is an for the purposes of this Act.(3) The Commissioner and any authorised officers have, in the exercise of enforcement functions, the same protection and immunities as officers of a court.(4) In this section, enforcement function means a function of the Commissioner of making or issuing an order or warrant under this Act.ss 116A–116C: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [45].
116C Personal liability
(1) A matter or thing done or omitted by the Commissioner, an authorised officer or any other person engaged in the administration of this Act does not, if the matter or thing was done or omitted in good faith for the purpose of executing this Act, subject the Commissioner, authorised officer or other person so acting personally to any action, liability, claim or demand.(2) Any liability that would, but for subsection (1), attach to a person, attaches instead to the State.ss 116A–116C: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [45].
117 Access to information held by police and government agencies
(1) Police officers or other members of the NSW Police Force and government agencies are authorised and required to provide the Commissioner, on request, with available information about a fine defaulter’s criminal record, address, email address, phone number, property, date of birth or driver licence number for the purpose of enabling the Commissioner to exercise a function under this Act in relation to the fine defaulter.(1A) (Repealed)(2) In this section, government agency includes—(a) Transport for NSW, and(b) a State owned corporation.s 117: Am 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2011 No 62, Sch 3.10; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [16] [17]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[19].
117AA Access to information held by employers
The Commissioner is authorised to obtain information about the address and employment details of a fine defaulter from an employer or past employer of the fine defaulter for the purpose of enabling the Commissioner to exercise a function under this Act in relation to the fine defaulter.s 117AA: Ins 2005 No 51, Sch 2 [2]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[20].
117AB Access to and use of information held by credit reporting bodies
(1) A credit reporting body is authorised to disclose to the Commissioner, on written request, relevant information about a fine defaulter for the purpose of enabling the Commissioner to exercise a function under this Act in relation to the fine defaulter.(2) In this section—credit reporting body and identification information have the same meanings as in the Privacy Act 1988 of the Commonwealth.relevant information about a fine defaulter means any of the following information—(a) identification information,(b) the name of an authorised deposit-taking institution of which the fine defaulter is a customer and details of any account of the fine defaulter with the institution,(c) the contact details of the fine defaulter’s current or last known employer.Note.Identification information under the Privacy Act 1988 of the Commonwealth consists of the following information—(a) full name (including any known aliases), sex and date of birth,(b) a maximum of 3 addresses consisting of a current or last known address and 2 immediately previous addresses,(c) name of current or last known employer,(d) driver licence number.s 117AB: Ins 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [18]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5]. Subst 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [12]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[21] [22].
117AC Access to information held by authorised deposit-taking institutions
The Commissioner may require an authorised deposit-taking institution to provide the Commissioner with the following information for the purpose of enabling the Commissioner to decide whether to make a garnishee order in relation to a fine defaulter—(a) whether the fine defaulter has an account with the authorised deposit-taking institution,(b) if so, the balance of the account.s 117AC: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[23].
117A Disclosure of information by Commissioner
(1) The Commissioner, or any other person engaged in the administration of this Act, may disclose personal information obtained in relation to a person in the administration or execution of this Act—(a) in connection with the administration or execution of this Act (including for the purpose of the imposition, administration or enforcement of a fine), or(a1) to a tax officer (within the meaning of the Taxation Administration Act 1996) for the purposes of the administration or execution of a taxation law (within the meaning of that Act), including for the purpose of any legal proceedings arising out of a taxation law or a report of any such proceedings, or(a2) to a person engaged in the administration or execution of the following laws for the purposes of the administration or execution of those laws (including for the purpose of any legal proceedings arising out of any of those laws or a report of any such proceedings)—(i) the First Home Owner Grant and Shared Equity Act 2000 or a corresponding law of another State or a Territory,(ii) the Unclaimed Money Act 1995, or(a3) to the Chief Commissioner under the State Debt Recovery Act 2018 in connection with the administration or execution of the debt recovery guidelines under that Act, or(a4) to the Chief Executive Officer of Service NSW, or(b) with the consent of the person to whom the information relates or at the request of a person acting on behalf of the person to whom the information relates, or(c) in the case of information obtained in relation to a fine defaulter—(i) to a government agency that is a prosecuting authority in relation to the offence concerned or on whose behalf the offence was prosecuted, or(ii) to a government agency on whose behalf the penalty notice for the offence concerned was issued, or(iii) to the Hardship Review Board, or(iv) to an officer or agency of a participating jurisdiction (within the meaning of Part 5A) in connection with a request for the enforcement of, or the enforcement of, a fine enforcement order in that jurisdiction, or(v) to an interstate fine enforcement authority (within the meaning of Part 5A), or other officer or agency of an originating jurisdiction for an interstate fine (within the meaning of that Part), in connection with a request for an interstate fine enforcement order, or(vi) to a person engaged in the administration or execution of the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013, in connection with a matter referred to the Commissioner for the making of a court fine enforcement order under this Act, or(d) as authorised or required by or under any other Act.(2) Without limiting subsection (1) (a), personal information may be disclosed to an employer or past employer of a fine defaulter for the purposes of the administration, enforcement or execution of a garnishee order (within the meaning of section 73).(3) Information may be disclosed as referred to in subsection (1) (c) (i), (ii) or (vi) only if the disclosure is reasonably necessary to monitor the status of outstanding fines.(3A) A tax officer who has obtained personal information under subsection (1) (a1) may disclose that information, in accordance with section 82 of the Taxation Administration Act 1996, as if that information had been obtained under or in relation to the administration of a taxation law.(4) In this section—personal information has the same meaning as in the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998.s 117A: Ins 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [54]. Subst 2005 No 51, Sch 2 [3]. Am 2008 No 5, Sch 2; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [29] [30]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [46] [47]; 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [10] [11]; 2017 No 22, Sch 2.11; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [15]; 2023 No 18, Sch 2[13]; 2024 No 90, Sch 2[1].
117B Confidentiality
(1) A person engaged in the administration of this Act must not disclose any personal information obtained in relation to any person in the administration or execution of this Act except as authorised or required by this Act or any other Act or law.Maximum penalty—100 penalty units.(2) In this section—personal information has the same meaning as in the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998.s 117B: Ins 2005 No 51, Sch 2 [3].
117C (Repealed)
s 117C: Ins 2019 No 13, Sch 1[60]. Rep 2022 No 74, Sch 2.1.
118 Registration of fine enforcement orders
The Commissioner is to register each fine enforcement order made, and to record details of payment of the fine and the taking of enforcement action.s 118: Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [48].
Part 9 Miscellaneous
119 Act binds Crown
This Act binds the Crown in right of New South Wales and, in so far as the legislative power of Parliament permits, the Crown in all its other capacities.
119A Penalty notices under this Act
(1) A fines officer may issue a penalty notice to a person if it appears to the officer that the person has committed an offence against this Act or the regulations that is prescribed by the regulations as a penalty notice offence.(2) This Act applies to a penalty notice issued under this section.Note—If a person issued with a penalty notice does not wish to have the matter determined by a court, the person may pay the amount specified in the notice and is not liable to further proceedings for the alleged offence.(3) The amount payable under a penalty notice issued under this section is the amount prescribed for the alleged offence by the regulations, not exceeding the maximum amount of penalty that could be imposed for the offence by a court.(4) This section does not limit the operation of another provision of, or made under, this or another Act relating to proceedings that may be taken in relation to offences.(5) In this section—fines officer means a person referred to in section 22(2)(b).s 119A: Ins 2022 No 16, Sch 2[24].
120 Guidelines on exercise of functions under this Act
(1) The Minister may issue guidelines (not inconsistent with this Act or the regulations) with respect to the following—(a) the exercise by the Commissioner of the Commissioner’s functions under this Act (including writing off unpaid fines, the issue of fine enforcement orders, the issue of community correction orders or community service orders under Division 5 of Part 4 and the taking of other enforcement action under this Act),(b) the exercise by registrars of courts of their functions under this Act (including the determination of time for payment of fines imposed by courts),(c) the exercise by Transport for NSW, the Sheriff and other persons of their functions under this Act in connection with the taking of enforcement action,(d) (Repealed)(e) the class of persons in respect of whom the Commissioner must not make a reallocation of an overpayment under section 122C.(2) The Minister is required to make the guidelines public. However, the Minister is not required to make public the guidelines on writing off unpaid fines.(3) The guidelines are required to be complied with. However, a failure to comply with a guideline does not affect the validity of any proceedings, decision, order or warrant.(4) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the issue and publication of the guidelines.(5) In this section, fine enforcement order includes an interstate fine enforcement order (within the meaning of Part 5A) and fine includes an interstate fine the subject of such an order.s 120: Am 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [8]; 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [10] [49]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [16]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[61]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[4].
(1) A fine or other penalty imposed or authorised to be imposed by or under any Act is, when recovered, payable into the Consolidated Fund.(2) This section is subject to the other provisions of this Act and to the provisions of any other Act (whether enacted before or after this Act).Note.Penalty is defined in the Interpretation Act 1987 to include forfeiture or punishment.s 121: Am 2017 No 6, Sch 1 [12].
(1) This section applies where—(a) the Act imposing or authorising the imposition of a fine or other penalty does not make any provisions for its application when recovered, and(b) the prosecutor is not a police officer.(2) The court before which proceedings are taken to recover any such fine or other penalty may direct that such portion of it (not exceeding one-half) is to be paid to the prosecutor.(3) For the purposes of this section, fine does not include an amount of the kind referred to in section 4 (1) (e) or (f).s 122: Am 2000 No 31, Sch 5 [1].
122A Payment of law enforcement officers’ costs and expenses
(1) This section applies in respect of proceedings for an offence that are brought by a law enforcement officer.(2) The court before which such proceedings are brought may, when making an order of the kind referred to in section 4 (1) (e) or (f), direct the amount to which the order relates be paid to the law enforcement officer (or to the law enforcement agency on whose behalf the proceedings were brought) in full or in such portion as may be determined by the court.(3) This section has effect despite section 121.s 122A: Ins 2000 No 31, Sch 5 [2].
122B Payment of penalty notice amounts received on behalf of others
(1) Despite section 121 and subject to subsection (2), any amount payable under a penalty notice received, recovered or collected by the Commissioner under arrangements entered into with a person under section 114 (2) may be paid by the Commissioner to the person concerned in accordance with those arrangements.(2) The Commissioner may, in accordance with the arrangements concerned, deduct or retain from any amount paid or to be paid to a person under subsection (1) the Commissioner’s fee or payment in relation to the penalty notices and amounts concerned.s 122B: Ins 2009 No 51, Sch 2 [12]. Am 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [50] [51].
122C Refunds and reallocation of overpayments
(1) The Commissioner must refund the following to a person—(a) any amount received from the person that exceeds the amount payable to the Commissioner by the person under this Act,(b) any amount repayable to the person under this Act.(2) The Commissioner may, instead of refunding an amount to a person, reallocate the amount towards the payment of any other amount payable by the person under this Act (a reallocation).(3) The Commissioner must not, unless requested by the person, make a reallocation of an amount otherwise refundable to a person under this section if the person—(a) was in receipt of a Government benefit at the time the person became entitled to the refund, or(b) belongs to a class of persons specified in guidelines issued under section 120.(4) The Commissioner must notify a person of the reallocation of an amount otherwise refundable to the person under this section and, if the reallocation relates to an inadvertent overpayment by the person, the Commissioner must notify the person of the right to request a refund of the inadvertent overpayment.(5) If the Commissioner makes a reallocation of an amount towards the payment of a penalty notice issued to the person, the Commissioner must also notify the person of any of the following rights that the person has—(a) the right to have the matter to which the penalty notice relates dealt with by a court under section 23A or sections 35 and 36,(b) the right to apply for a review of the decision to issue the penalty notice under section 24A,(c) the right to give an approved nomination notice under section 38.(6) If the Commissioner makes a reallocation of an amount towards the payment of a penalty notice and the whole of the amount payable under the penalty notice is paid, the following applies—(a) an election under section 23A or 36 may be made within 90 days of the date of the reallocation,(b) an application for a review of the decision to issue the penalty notice under section 24A may be made within 60 days of the date of the reallocation,(c) a nomination under section 38 may be made within 90 days of the date of the reallocation,(d) a relevant nomination document may be provided to the authorised officer or informant (as the case requires) under section 185(1) of the Road Transport Act 2013 within 90 days of the date of the reallocation.(7) If a person who has made an inadvertent overpayment that has been reallocated by the Commissioner under this section requests a refund of the inadvertent overpayment, the Commissioner must revoke the decision to make the reallocation and refund the inadvertent overpayment.(8) A failure by the Commissioner to give notice as required by this section does not affect the validity of a reallocation.(9) In this section—fine enforcement order includes an interstate fine enforcement order (within the meaning of Part 5A).inadvertent overpayment means any amount paid by a person under a penalty notice or fine enforcement order (including any amount paid towards enforcement costs) that is repayable to the person under this Act but does not include an amount that is repayable because of the withdrawal of a penalty notice or the withdrawal or annulment of a fine enforcement order.s 122C: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [52]. Subst 2019 No 13, Sch 1[62].
123 Remission of fines or other penalties
(1) The Governor may remit, in whole or in part, any fine or other penalty imposed on a convicted offender under any Act.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the Royal prerogative of mercy may be extended to a person imprisoned for the non-payment of a pecuniary fine or other penalty even though it was payable in whole or in part to a person other than the Crown.(3) A fine that is remitted is taken to have been paid for the purpose of cancelling enforcement action under this Act.(4) This section extends to all fines and other penalties (including an order for the payment of compensation by a person found guilty of an offence).Note.Penalty is defined in the Interpretation Act 1987 to include forfeiture and punishment and accordingly is not limited to the payment of money.
124 Royal prerogative preserved
Nothing in this Act limits or affects in any manner the Royal prerogative of mercy or any entitlement of a prisoner to be discharged or released from prison under any other Act.
125 Abolition of imprisonment as primary enforcement action for fine default
(1) A person is not liable to be committed to a correctional centre for a failure to pay a fine or other penalty by the due date.(2) (Repealed)s 125: Am 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [15]; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [17]; 2022 No 16, Sch 2[4].
(1) A fine, or any other order for the payment of money made by a Magistrate, is not to be levied by distress.(2) This section does not affect civil enforcement action authorised by this Act or any other Act.s 126: Am 2001 No 121, Sch 2.115 [5].
126A Penalty notices and penalty reminder notices sent to recently reported postal address and returned to sender
(1) Despite sections 25 and 26, a penalty reminder notice may be served on a person even if the penalty notice to which it relates was returned as being undelivered to its sender after being sent to the person at the person’s recently reported postal address, unless the appropriate officer concerned has received some other evidence that the penalty notice was not issued to the person.(2) Despite section 42 (1), a penalty notice enforcement order may be made in relation to an offence even if the penalty notice or a penalty reminder notice (or both) in relation to the offence was returned as being undelivered to its sender after being sent to the person at the person’s recently reported postal address, unless the Commissioner has received some other evidence that the penalty notice was not issued to the person.(3) In this section—Australian driver licence has the same meaning as in the Road Transport Act 2013.fines application means the following—(a) an application for a review of a decision to issue a penalty notice under section 24A,(b) an application for a work and development order,(c) an application for a time to pay order,(d) an election under section 23A or 36 to have a matter dealt with by a court.NEVDIS means the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System kept by Austroads.recently reported postal address, in relation to a penalty notice or penalty reminder notice sent to a person, means—(a) the latest postal address given by the person—(i) to the appropriate officer, under a legal obligation, when the offence was alleged to have been committed, or(ii) in connection with a fines application, or(b) a postal address of the person as shown in the records of Transport for NSW or NEVDIS in relation to a current Australian driver licence or vehicle registration in Australia if—(i) the postal address was not given by the person under paragraph (a), or(ii) the postal address of the person shown in the records has been updated since the postal address was given under paragraph (a).registration in Australia has the same meaning as in the Road Transport Act 2013, section 7(2).(4) (Repealed)Note.Before any enforcement action can be taken in relation to a penalty notice, notice of the relevant penalty notice enforcement order must be served on the person concerned: see sections 59, 65 and 71. The Commissioner may withdraw a penalty notice enforcement order if satisfied that the person concerned was not aware that a penalty notice had been issued until the enforcement order was served on the person: see section 47.s 126A: Ins 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [31]. Am 2011 No 41, Sch 5.6 [1]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [5] [26]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [13]; 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [22] [23]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[63]–[69]; 2024 No 90, Sch 2[2].
127 Proceedings for offences
Proceedings for an offence against this Act or the regulations are to be disposed of summarily before the Local Court.s 127: Am 2001 No 121, Sch 2.115 [6]; 2007 No 94, Sch 2.
128 Regulations
(1) The Governor may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, for or with respect to any matter that by this Act is required or permitted to be prescribed or that is necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.(2) The regulations may create offences punishable by a penalty not exceeding 50 penalty units.(3) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the waiver, postponement or refund of any costs or fees payable under this Act.s 128: Am 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [34].
129 False or misleading information
A person must not, for the purposes of this Act, give the Commissioner, an authorised officer or another person engaged in the administration of this Act, whether orally or in writing, information or a document that the person knows to be false or misleading in a material particular.Maximum penalty—100 penalty units.s 129: Rep 2019 No 13, Sch 1[70]. Ins 2023 No 18, Sch 2[14].
130–132 (Repealed)
s 130: Rep 1999 No 85, Sch 4.
s 131: Rep 2019 No 13, Sch 1[70].
s 132: Rep 2019 No 13, Sch 1[70].
Part 10
133–137 (Repealed)
pt 10: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [53]. Rep 1996 No 99, sec 137.
s 133: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [53]. Am 2014 No 33, Sch 2.14 [1]. Rep 1996 No 99, sec 137.
s 134: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [53]. Rep 1996 No 99, sec 137.
s 135: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [53]. Am 2014 No 33, Sch 2.14 [2]. Rep 1996 No 99, sec 137.
s 136: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [53]. Rep 1996 No 99, sec 137.
s 137: Ins 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [53]. Rep 1996 No 99, sec 137.
Schedules 1, 2 (Repealed)
sch 1: Am 1997 No 62, Sch 1.1; 1997 No 113, Sch 1.2; 1997 No 147, Sch 1.10; 1997 No 156, Sch 4.5 [1] [2]; 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [33]; 1998 No 38, Sch 3; 1998 No 57, Sch 2; 1998 No 59, Sch 2; 1998 No 85, Sch 2.5; 1998 No 87, Sch 4.1 [1] [2]; 1998 No 111, Sch 3.2; 1998 No 113, Sch 2.6; 1998 No 121, Sch 3.4; 1998 No 127, Sch 3.4; 1998 No 128, Sch 4.1; 1998 No 142, Sch 3.2; 1998 No 143, Sch 6.6; 1999 No 19, Sch 2.13; 1999 No 26, Sch 2; 1999 No 77, Sch 4.1; 1999 No 80, Sch 3.3; 1999 No 81, Sch 3.2; 1999 No 85, Sch 1.13; 1999 No 94, Sch 4.23 [16]; 1999 No 97, Sch 2.1; 2000 No 40, Sch 2.5 [1] [2]; 2000 No 95, Sch 2.2; 2001 No 17, Sch 5.1; 2001 No 57, Sch 7.1; 2001 No 86, Sch 3.1; 2001 No 93, Sch 3.3; 2001 No 95, sec 4; 2001 No 112, Sch 1.11; 2002 No 14, Sch 5.3; 2002 No 18, Sch 2.2; 2002 No 33, Sch 1; 2002 No 46, Sch 3.3; 2002 No 64, Sch 3.1; 2002 No 66, Sch 2.4; 2002 No 86, Sch 2.1; 2002 No 96, Sch 7.1; 2002 No 97, Sch 1.2; 2002 No 103, Sch 4.34 [5]; 2002 No 107, Sch 2.1; 2002 No 122, Sch 2.1; 2003 No 3, Sch 2.4; 2003 No 4, Sch 1.5; 2003 No 12, Sch 2.2; 2003 No 38, Sch 2.6 [1] [2]; 2003 No 40, Sch 2.13 [4] [5]; 2003 No 44, Sch 2; 2003 No 82, Sch 2.11 [2]; 2003 No 87, Sch 3.10; 2003 No 103, Sch 2.1; 2004 No 4, Sch 4.8; 2004 No 12, sec 5; 2004 No 16, Sch 2.3; 2004 No 70, Sch 3.2; 2004 No 89, Sch 2.1; 2004 No 91, Sch 1.14; 2004 No 107, Sch 3.1; 2005 No 1, sec 32; 2005 No 11, Sch 3.13 [3]; 2005 No 18, Sch 2.6; 2005 No 20, Sch 2.1; 2005 No 50, Sch 2.1; 2005 No 51, Sch 2 [4]; 2005 No 64, Sch 1.11; 2005 No 90, Sch 2; 2005 No 98, Sch 1.9 [1]–[3]; 2005 No 100, Sch 3.6; 2005 No 115, Sch 3.4; 2006 No 84, Sch 2.2; 2006 No 92, Sch 5.1; 2006 No 104, Sch 3.2; 2006 No 106, Sch 2.1; 2006 No 113, Sch 2.1; 2007 No 23, sec 27; 2007 No 27, Sch 1.16; 2007 No 69, Sch 2.1; 2007 No 82, Sch 1.8; 2007 No 89, Sch 2.3; 2007 No 92, Sch 4.7 [1] [2]; 2008 No 19, Sch 2.4; 2008 No 33, Sch 2.4; 2008 No 58, Sch 2.2; 2008 No 65, Sch 6.1; 2008 No 94, Sch 2.1; 2008 No 95, Sch 2.2; 2008 No 97, Sch 4.2; 2008 No 100, Sch 2.2; 2008 No 101, Sch 3.1; 2009 No 2, Sch 4.1; 2009 No 7, Sch 3.5; 2009 No 11, Sch 2.1; 2009 No 21, Sch 3.3; 2009 No 108, Sch 1.2; 2010 No 42, Sch 3.4; 2010 No 57, Sch 1.8; 2010 No 59, Sch 1.12 [7] [8]; 2010 No 131, Sch 2.4; 2011 No 10, Sch 5.1; 2011 No 44, Sch 3.5; 2011 No 61, Sch 2.1; 2011 No 62, Sch 2.13 [2]; 2011 No 72, Sch 5.3; 2012 No 82, Sch 2.5; 2012 No 96, Sch 4.8 [3]; 2013 No 19, Sch 4.21 [12]; 2013 No 51, Sch 7.14 [2]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [54]; 2013 No 97, Sch 3.6; 2013 No 107, Sch 3.5; 2014 No 72, Sch 4.4; 2014 No 74, Sch 3.9; 2015 No 12, Sch 3.2; 2015 No 15, Sch 2.22; 2015 No 40, Sch 3.3; 2015 No 48, Sch 1.12. Rep 2016 No 39, Sch 1 [24].
sch 2: Rep 1999 No 85, Sch 4.
Schedule 3 Savings, transitional and other provisions
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Regulations
(1) The regulations may contain provisions of a savings or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of the following Acts—this ActState Revenue Legislation Further Amendment Act 2003 (to the extent that it amends this Act)Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 (to the extent that it amends this Act)Crimes (Sentencing Legislation) Amendment (Intensive Correction Orders) Act 2010 (to the extent that it amends this Act)any Act that amends this Act(2) Any such provision may, if the regulations so provide, take effect from the date of assent to the Act concerned or a later day.(3) To the extent to which any such provision takes effect from a date that is earlier than the date of its publication in the Gazette, the provision does not operate so as—(a) to affect, in a manner prejudicial to any person (other than the State or an authority of the State), the rights of that person existing before the date of its publication, or(b) to impose liabilities on any person (other than the State or an authority of the State) in respect of anything done or omitted to be done before the date of its publication.
Part 2 Provisions consequent on enactment of this Act
2 Amnesty period for existing fine defaulters
(1) During the amnesty period—(a) a warrant of commitment may not be issued under the Justices Act 1902 for non-payment of an amount of money, and(b) any such warrant that has been issued but not executed before the commencement of the amnesty period is not to be executed.(1A) This clause does not apply to the issue or execution of any such warrant of commitment in relation to a person who, at the time the warrant is issued or executed, is a convicted inmate within the meaning of the Correctional Centres Act 1952 or a person subject to control within the meaning of the Children (Detention Centres) Act 1987.(2) This clause does not prevent the making of a community service order in respect of any such warrant of commitment.(3) Nothing in this clause prevents arrangements being made by the registrar of a court or the State Debt Recovery Office in accordance with this Act for time to pay an existing fine. Any such arrangements made do not affect any suspension or cancellation of a driver licence or vehicle registration.(4) This clause has effect despite anything to the contrary in the Justices Act 1902 or any other Act.(5) In this clause—amnesty period means the period after the commencement of this clause and before the commencement of clause 3.Note.See section 2 of this Act for provisions relating to the commencement of this clause and clause 3.
3 Act applies to existing fines
(1) This Act extends, subject to this Schedule, to a fine imposed by a court before the commencement of this clause or an amount payable under a penalty notice issued before the commencement of this clause.(2) For the purposes of this Schedule, any such fine or amount is called an existing fine.
4 Court fine provisions
(1) The time for payment of an existing fine imposed by a court is not affected by section 7 and a notice of such an existing fine need not be given under section 9.(2) However, sections 10 and 11 apply to any such existing fine. The registrar of a court may allow further time to pay such a fine under those sections even though the time for payment of the fine has been fixed by the court.(3) A court fine enforcement order may be made by the State Debt Recovery Office for an existing fine, whether or not an application is made under this Act for the order.
5 Penalty notice provisions
(1) A penalty notice for the purposes of this Act includes a penalty notice within the meaning of Part 4B of the Justices Act 1902 immediately before its repeal by this Act.(2) A courtesy letter issued under the Justices Act 1902 in respect of an existing fine is taken to be a penalty reminder notice issued under this Act.(3) An enforcement order issued under section 100L of the Justices Act 1902 in respect of an existing fine and in force immediately before the commencement of this clause is taken to be a penalty notice enforcement order under this Act.(4) For the purpose only of enabling a penalty notice enforcement order to be made under Division 4 of Part 3 in relation to an existing fine, the offence referred to in section 42 (1) (g) is taken to have been committed, or alleged to have been committed, when that Division commenced.(5) A penalty notice served on a person in accordance with section 18B of the Traffic Act 1909, being a penalty notice in respect of which, as at the commencement of this clause—(a) the amount payable under the notice has not been paid, and(b) a courtesy letter has been sent to the person in accordance with section 100J of the Justices Act 1902 and the person has not, as referred to in that section, declined to be dealt with under Division 2 of Part 4B of that Act, andis taken to be a penalty notice enforcement order under this Act and may, subject to Division 5 of Part 3 of this Act, be enforced accordingly.(c) no notice has been served under section 18C of the Traffic Act 1909,
5A (Repealed)
6 Existing warrants of commitment
(1) The State Debt Recovery Office may cancel a warrant of commitment issued under the Justices Act 1902 for non-payment of an amount of money (being a warrant that was not executed immediately before the commencement of this clause) and may make a fine enforcement order under this Act in respect of the fine concerned.(2) The State Debt Recovery Office is not required to serve a copy of any such fine enforcement order on the fine defaulter or to give the fine defaulter any further time to pay the fine before enforcement action is taken under Part 4 of this Act.(3) The State Debt Recovery Office may take enforcement action under Part 4 of this Act in respect of such a fine enforcement order at any time after the order is made.(4) A person who is, on the commencement of this clause, serving a period of imprisonment under a warrant of commitment issued under the Justices Act 1902 for non-payment of an amount of money is taken to be serving that period of imprisonment under a warrant issued under this Act.
7 Existing suspension or cancellation of driver licences or vehicle registration
Any driver licence or vehicle registration that has been suspended or cancelled under section 18C of the Traffic Act 1909 before the repeal of that section by this Act is taken to be a driver licence or vehicle registration suspended or cancelled under Division 3 of Part 4 of this Act.
8 Existing community service orders and orders for periodic detention
(1) A community service order made on application under section 89C of the Justices Act 1902 and in force immediately before the commencement of this clause is taken to be a community service order made under section 79 of this Act.(2) An order for periodic detention made on application under section 89D of the Justices Act 1902 and in force immediately before the commencement of this clause is taken to be an order for periodic detention made under section 89 of this Act.(3) If any such community service order or order for periodic detention is revoked, the State Debt Recovery Office may make a fine enforcement order under this Act in respect of the fine concerned.(4) The State Debt Recovery Office is not required to serve a copy of any such fine enforcement order on the fine defaulter or to give the fine defaulter any further time to pay the fine before enforcement action is taken under Part 4 of this Act.(5) The State Debt Recovery Office may take enforcement action under Part 4 of this Act in respect of such a fine enforcement order at any time after the order is made.
9 Existing forfeited recognizances and bail
(1) The Sheriff is to transmit to the State Debt Recovery Office particulars of all forfeited recognizances and bail that are entered on a copy of an Estreat Roll on the commencement of this clause and that have not been recovered before that commencement.(2) Part 7 of this Act applies to those forfeited recognizances and bail as if they had been transmitted to the State Debt Recovery Office under the Forfeited Recognizances and Bail Act 1954.(3) The State Debt Recovery Office is not required to serve a copy of any fine enforcement order made in respect any such forfeited recognizance or bail on the fine defaulter or to give the fine defaulter any further time to pay the amount due before enforcement action is taken under Part 4 of this Act.(4) The State Debt Recovery Office may take enforcement action under Part 4 of this Act in respect of such a fine enforcement order at any time after the order is made.
10 Reciprocal enforcement of fines against bodies corporate
(1) A conviction registered, a notification received or a writ of execution issued, under Part 8 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986, before the commencement of this clause is taken to be registered, received or issued under Part 5 of this Act.(2) Until regulations are made under section 106 of this Act, courts or classes of courts declared by order in the Gazette under section 26 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 immediately before the repeal of that section by this Act are taken to be declared by the regulations under section 106 of this Act.
Part 3 Provisions consequent on enactment of State Revenue Legislation Further Amendment Act 2003
11 Service level deeds
The Treasurer and the Director of the State Debt Recovery Office are taken to be parties to each service level deed in force as at 1 October 2003 and entered into by the Commissioner of Police, or otherwise by or on behalf of the Infringement Processing Bureau within NSW Police, for or with respect to the processing of penalty notices.
12 Construction of references to the Infringement Processing Bureau
A reference in any instrument made before the commencement of this clause to the Manager, Infringement Processing Services of the Police Service, the Infringement Processing Bureau within the Police Service or a person employed in the Infringement Processing Bureau is taken to be a reference to—(a) if the reference is made in relation to the issuing or processing of a penalty notice, a person employed in the Office of State Revenue in the Treasury and authorised by the Chief Commissioner of State Revenue for the purposes of Part 3 of this Act, orsubject to the regulations.(b) if the reference is made otherwise than in relation to the issuing of a penalty notice, the State Debt Recovery Office,
Part 4 Provisions consequent on enactment of Fines Amendment Act 2004
13 Definition
In this Part—amending Act means the Fines Amendment Act 2004.
14 Application of section 37A
Section 37A, as inserted by the amending Act, does not apply in relation to an offence that was committed or is alleged to have been committed before the commencement of that section.
15 Application of amendment to section 42
Section 42, as in force before its amendment by the amending Act, continues to apply to a penalty notice enforcement order that is proposed to be made in relation to an offence that was committed or is alleged to have been committed before the commencement of the amendment as if that section had not been so amended.
16 Application of amending Act to fine enforcement orders
(1) Except as provided by clause 15, this Act, as amended by the amending Act, applies to enforcement orders made after the commencement of this clause, whether or not the offence concerned occurred before, on or after that commencement.(2) Except as provided by subclause (3) and clause 17, the amendments made by the amending Act to this Act do not apply to or in respect of fine enforcement orders made before the commencement of this clause.(3) This Act, as amended by the amending Act, applies to applications made after the commencement of this clause for the withdrawal or annulment of fine enforcement orders, whether or not the enforcement orders were made before, on or after that commencement.
17 Reviews by Hardship Review Board
Section 101B, as inserted by the amending Act, extends to decisions of the State Debt Recovery Office made before the commencement of this clause to refuse an application by a fine defaulter for time to pay or to have a fine written off.
Part 5 Provisions consequent on enactment of Fines Amendment (Payment of Victims Compensation Levies) Act 2006
18 Validation of enforcement of certain fines
A compensation levy enforced, before the amendment of this Act by the Fines Amendment (Payment of Victims Compensation Levies) Act 2006, by means of an action that would have been authorised by this Act if this Act as so amended had been in force when the levy was enforced, is taken to have been validly enforced.
Part 6 Provisions consequent on enactment of Fines Further Amendment Act 2008
19 Definition
In this Part—amending Act means the Fines Further Amendment Act 2008.
20 Internal review
A person may apply for a review under Division 2A of Part 3 of a decision to issue a penalty notice in respect of a penalty notice issued before the commencement of that Division, if the application for review is made after that commencement and before the date for payment under any penalty reminder notice served on the person in respect of the offence to which the penalty notice relates.
21 Work and development orders
A person may apply for a work and development order under Subdivision 1 of Division 8 of Part 4 in respect of an amount owing before the commencement of that Subdivision.
22 Write off of fines
Sections 101 and 101B, as amended by the amending Act, extend to a fine imposed before the commencement of those amendments.
Part 7 Provisions consequent on enactment of Crimes (Sentencing Legislation) Amendment (Intensive Correction Orders) Act 2010
23 Savings for periodic detention orders
(1) This Act (and the regulations under this Act) as in force immediately before the enactment of the Crimes (Sentencing Legislation) Amendment (Intensive Correction Orders) Act 2010 continue to apply to and in respect of—(a) a periodic detention order made under Division 6 of Part 4 and in force immediately before the substitution of section 89 by that Act,(b) a periodic detention order made under Division 6 of Part 4 after the substitution of section 89 by that Act and pursuant to subclause (2).(2) An application by a fine defaulter under section 89 that is pending immediately before the substitution of that section by the Crimes (Sentencing Legislation) Amendment (Intensive Correction Orders) Act 2010 is to be dealt with and determined as if that Act had not been enacted.(3) A reference in a section of this Act to any provision of the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 or the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 is, for the purposes of the continued application of that section under subclause (1), to be read as a reference to the provision as in force immediately before the commencement of any amendment of the provision by the Crimes (Sentencing Legislation) Amendment (Intensive Correction Orders) Act 2010.
Part 8 Provision consequent on enactment of Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Offender Nomination) Act 2012
24 Application of amendment to section 38
Section 38 (3) (as amended by the Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Offender Nomination) Act 2012) applies in relation to vehicle or vessel offences committed (or alleged to have been committed) on or after the day on which the amendment to that subsection commences.
Part 9 Provisions consequent on enactment of Fines Amendment Act 2012
25 Definition
In this Part—amending Act means the Fines Amendment Act 2012.
26 Application of amendments
(1) The amendments made by Schedule 1 [1]–[4], [6] and [8] to the amending Act apply only in relation to an offence that was committed or is alleged to have been committed on or after the commencement of the amending Act.(2) The amendments made by Schedule 1 [14] and [16]–[18] to the amending Act apply in relation to an offence whether it was committed or is alleged to have been committed before, on or after the commencement of the amending Act.
Part 10 Provisions consequent on enactment of Victims Rights and Support Act 2013
27 Enforcement of compensation levy
A compensation levy to which section 18 applied immediately before the amendment of that section by the Victims Rights and Support Act 2013 may continue to be enforced as if that section had not been amended.
Part 11 Provisions consequent on enactment of Fines Amendment Act 2013
28 Definition
In this Part—amending Act means the Fines Amendment Act 2013.
29 Abolition of State Debt Recovery Office
(1) The State Debt Recovery Office is abolished on the substitution of section 113 by the amending Act.(2) On the abolition of the State Debt Recovery Office, the following provisions have effect—(a) a reference in any Act, in any instrument made under any Act or in any document of any kind to the State Debt Recovery Office or a predecessor of the State Debt Recovery Office is (subject to the regulations) to be read as, or as including, a reference to the Commissioner,(b) any act, matter or thing done or omitted to be done by, to or in respect of the State Debt Recovery Office is (to the extent that the act, matter or thing has any force or effect) taken to have been done or omitted by, to or in respect of the Commissioner,(c) all proceedings pending by or against the State Debt Recovery Office are taken to be proceedings pending by or against the Commissioner,(d) the assets, rights and liabilities of the State Debt Recovery Office vest in the Crown,(e) the assets vest in the Crown by virtue of this clause and without the need for any conveyance, transfer, assignment or assurance,(f) the Commissioner, on behalf of the Crown, has all the entitlements and obligations of the State Debt Recovery Office in relation to the assets, rights and liabilities that the State Debt Recovery Office would have had but for the abolition, whether or not those entitlements and obligations were actual or potential at the time the vesting takes effect.(3) An arrangement of a kind referred to in section 114 (1A) (as in force before the substitution of that section by the amending Act) and in effect immediately before the abolition of the State Debt Recovery Office is taken, on that abolition, to be an arrangement with the Commissioner.(4) In this clause—assets means any legal or equitable estate or interest (whether present or future, whether vested or contingent and whether personal or assignable) in real or personal property of any description (including money), and includes securities, choses in action and documents.liabilities means any liabilities, debts or obligations (whether present or future, whether vested or contingent and whether personal or assignable).rights means any rights, powers, privileges or immunities (whether present or future, whether vested or contingent and whether personal or assignable).
30 Visitor driver privileges
The amendments made to Division 3 of Part 4 by the amending Act extend to fine enforcement orders made before the commencement of those amendments.
31 Early enforcement arrangements
The amendments made to sections 13, 14, 42 and 100 by the amending Act extend to fines that were imposed, or amounts payable under penalty notices that were issued, before the commencement of those amendments.
32 Appropriate officers
A person who, immediately before the amendment made to section 22 by the amending Act, was authorised as an appropriate officer for the purposes of Part 3 by the Chief Commissioner of State Revenue is taken, on the commencement of that amendment, to have been authorised as an appropriate officer for the purposes of Part 3 by the Commissioner of Fines Administration.
33 Interstate fine enforcement
(1) An interstate fine enforcement order may be made under Part 5A, as inserted by the amending Act, in relation to the following interstate fines only—(a) an interstate fine imposed after the commencement of that Part (a post-commencement interstate fine),(b) an interstate fine imposed before the commencement of that Part that is related to a post-commencement interstate fine,(c) an interstate fine imposed before the commencement of that Part that is a serious interstate fine.(2) An interstate fine imposed before the commencement of Part 5A is to a post-commencement interstate fine if—(a) the fines are imposed on the same offender, and(b) the fines are imposed by orders in the same jurisdiction, and(c) the liability of the offender to pay the post-commencement interstate fine has not been fully discharged.(3) An interstate fine is a serious interstate fine if an interstate fine enforcement authority in relation to the fine certifies that the fine is a serious fine in the originating jurisdiction—(a) because of the value of the fine, or(b) because of the nature or seriousness of the conduct in relation to which the fine was imposed, or(c) because the fine is not the first fine imposed on the offender in relation to the kind of offence, or alleged offence, for which it was imposed, or(d) for any other reason.(4) Division 3 of Part 5A extends to a NSW fine enforcement order made before the commencement of that Division.
34 Trial period for enforcement of restitution orders
(1) The repeal of Part 10, as inserted by the amending Act, at the end of the trial period provided for by that Part does not affect the operation of Part 10 or any regulations under Part 10 in respect of a restitution order that is enforceable under the trial.(2) Part 10, and the regulations under Part 10, continue to apply in relation to such a restitution order as if that Part had not been repealed.
Part 12 Provisions consequent on enactment of Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Amendment Act 2014
35 Definition
In this Part—amending Act means the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Amendment Act 2014.
36 Validation of certain deductions and enforcement of certain fines
(1) A victims support levy enforced, before the amendment of this Act by the amending Act, by means of a deduction from remuneration earned by an offender as a participant in an external work release program is taken to have been validly enforced if it would have been validly enforced had this Act as so amended (and any relevant provision to which it refers) then been in force with any necessary modification.(2) A deduction for the purposes of enforcing a victims support levy made before the amendment of this Act by the amending Act from remuneration earned by an offender as a participant in an external work release program is taken to have been validly made at the time it was made if it would have been validly made had this Act as so amended (and any relevant provision to which it refers) then been in force with any necessary modification.(3) Accordingly, no compensation is payable in respect of such a deducted amount or in respect of interest that may have accrued on such a deducted amount had it not been deducted.(4) In this clause—external work release program has the same meaning as in section 7A of the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999, but extends to a corresponding program under the former Correctional Centres Act 1952.(5) A reference in this clause to a victims support levy extends to include a reference to a compensation levy payable under Part 5 of the former Victims Support and Rehabilitation Act 1996 or Part 6A of the former Victims Compensation Act 1987.
Part 13 Provisions consequent on enactment of State Revenue Legislation Amendment Act 2015
37 Definition
In this Part—amending Act means the State Revenue Legislation Amendment Act 2015.
38 Enforcement action relating to repealed offences
Section 38, as in force immediately before the repeal of paragraphs (b), (k) and (n) of the definition of vehicle or vessel offence in section 38 (4), continues to apply in relation to any enforcement action relating to an offence specified in those paragraphs.
39 Refunds of amounts payable under garnishee orders
Section 77A, as inserted by the amending Act, extends to garnishee orders and payments made under those orders before the commencement of that section.
Part 14 Provisions consequent on enactment of Fines Amendment Act 2016
40 Definition
In this Part—amending Act means the Fines Amendment Act 2016.
41 Enforcement action relating to driver nominations
Sections 23AA and 23AB, as inserted by the amending Act, extend to nomination notices and penalty notices issued before the commencement of those sections.
42 Enforcement action against fine defaulter
Section 71, as amended by the amending Act, extends to fines imposed before the amendment of the section.
Part 15 Provision consequent on enactment of State Debt Recovery Act 2018
43 Use of name “State Debt Recovery”
The Commissioner is taken to be authorised under the State Debt Recovery Act 2018 to use the name “State Debt Recovery” in the exercise of any functions under this Act, unless the Chief Commissioner under the State Debt Recovery Act 2018 revokes that authorisation.
Part 16 Provisions consequent on enactment of Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment (Sentencing Options) Act 2017
Division 1 Preliminary
44 Definitions
In this Part—adult means a person who is of or above the age of 18 years.amending Act means the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Amendment (Sentencing Options) Act 2017.child means a person who is under the age of 18 years.
Division 2 Existing orders
45 Existing community service orders under section 79 for adults
(1) This clause applies to a community service order made under section 79 before the date of the substitution of that section by the amending Act (the substitution date), being an order that was—(a) made in respect of an adult, and(b) in force immediately before the substitution date.(2) The community service order is taken to be a community correction order made under section 79 as substituted by the amending Act.(3) Without limiting subclause (2), the community correction order is subject to a community service work condition referred to in section 79 as substituted by the amending Act.(4) The conditions applicable under this Act as in force before the substitution date in respect of the community service order do not apply to the community correction order.
46 Existing community service orders under section 79 for children
(1) This clause applies to a community service order made under section 79 before the date of the substitution of that section by the amending Act (the substitution date), being an order that was—(a) made in respect of a child, and(b) in force immediately before the substitution date.(2) The community service order is taken to be a community service order made under section 79 as substituted by the amending Act.(3) The community service order is subject to the conditions prescribed by or determined under the regulations for the purposes of this clause.(4) The conditions applicable under this Act as in force before the substitution date in respect of the order do not apply to the community service order.
47 Existing intensive correction orders under section 89
(1) This clause applies to an intensive correction order made under section 89 (2) before the date of the substitution of that subsection by the amending Act (the substitution date), being an order that was in force immediately before the substitution date.(2) The intensive correction order is taken to be an intensive correction order made under section 89 (2) as substituted by the amending Act.(3) Without limiting subclause (2), the intensive correction order is subject to a community service work condition referred to in section 89 (2) as substituted by the amending Act.(4) The conditions applicable under this Act as in force before the substitution date in respect of the order do not apply to the intensive correction order.
Part 17 Provisions consequent on enactment of Fines Amendment Act 2019
48 Definition
In this Part, amending Act means the Fines Amendment Act 2019.
49 Early enforcement arrangements
The amendments made to sections 13, 14, 42 and 100 by the amending Act extend to a fine that was imposed, or an amount payable under a penalty notice that was issued, before the commencement of the amendment to section 13.
50 Electronic service of documents
Sections 21, 28 and 61, as amended by the amending Act, apply to a penalty notice issued to a person, or a penalty reminder notice or notice of a fine enforcement order served on a person, on or after the commencement of the amendment to section 21(2), regardless of—(a) when the offence occurs, and(b) when a penalty notice is issued to, or a penalty reminder notice or notice of a fine enforcement order is served on, the person in relation to the same matter.
51 Internal review of penalty notices
Section 24A, as amended by the amending Act, applies to an application made after the commencement of the amendment to that section, regardless of when the penalty notice is issued.
52 Nomination in vehicle and vessel offences
Section 38, as amended by the amending Act, applies in relation to a vehicle or vessel offence committed or alleged to have been committed on or after the commencement of the amendment to section 38(1).
53 Withdrawal and annulment of penalty notice enforcement orders
Sections 46–52, as amended by the amending Act, apply to an application for the withdrawal or annulment of a penalty notice enforcement order made after the substitution of section 46, regardless of when the order was made.
54 Refunds and reallocation of overpayments
Section 122C, as substituted by the amending Act, applies to any amount in respect of which a person becomes, on or after the substitution, entitled to a refund.
sch 3: Am 1997 No 121, Sch 1 [16]–[19]; 1998 No 35, Sch 1 [34]; 1999 No 31, Sch 2.15 [3]; 2003 No 80, Sch 2 [3] [4]; 2004 No 43, Sch 1 [55] [56]; 2004 No 55, Sch 3; 2005 No 51, Sch 2 [5]; 2006 No 9, Sch 1 [5] [6]; 2008 No 40, Sch 1 [32]; 2008 No 110, Sch 1 [35] [36]; 2009 No 104, Sch 2 [4]; 2010 No 48, Sch 5.10 [9] [10]; 2011 No 33, Sch 1 [11]; 2012 No 17, Sch 2.1 [2]; 2012 No 61, Sch 1 [19] [20]; 2013 No 37, Sch 3.9 [4]; 2013 No 82, Sch 1 [55] [56]; 2014 No 6, Sch 2 [2]; 2015 No 65, Sch 2 [9]; 2016 No 13, Sch 1 [14]; 2016 No 55, Sch 3.12; 2017 No 53, Sch 4.19 [18]; 2018 No 11, Sch 3.2 [16]; 2019 No 13, Sch 1[71] [72].