Fine Collection and enforcement
If you have received a fine – you must pay it. All fines, which include Sheriff Court Fines, Justice of the Peace Court Fines, Fiscal Fines and Police Fixed Penalty Notices, will be robustly pursued by the Scottish Court Service.
What happens if I don’t pay my fine?
If you don’t pay, we can:
- Clamp your car or vehicle and ultimately sell it to repay your fine.
- Contact your employer and arrest your wages
- Contact your bank and arrange for any assets to be frozen
- Arrange with DWP for direct deductions from your benefits.
See the latest examples of fines collected by SCS and the measures we used to make sure they were paid.
What happens if I can’t pay my fine?
If you are having genuine difficulty in paying a fine, get in touch with your local fines enforcement officer - they can give you help and advice to arrange payment.
How many fines does the Scottish Court Service collect?
Every three months, the Scottish Court Service produces a report on the fines collected in Scotland.
What types of fines can I pay online?
Online payment is accepted for:
- Parking tickets issued by Police Traffic Wardens
- Tickets issued by a Police Officer
- Fines issued by the Procurator Fiscal's Office
- Fines imposed by a Sheriff Court or Justice of the Peace Court
View examples of these fine types.
When will I NOT be able to pay online?
- Your fine can't be found - if your fine has been recently issued it may not have been registered on the system yet.
- Your fine was issued by the Council – This site does not accept payment for parking tickets or other fixed penalties issued on behalf of local authorities.
- The final payment date has passed - some fines can only be paid up to 28 days after they were issued.
- Your fine is endorsable - if your fine carries penalty points then your Driving Licence must be endorsed. You must post your payment, licence and paper counterpart to any Scottish Court, or take these to the court in person. Fines of this type are identified at the foot of the ticket, as shown below.
- An enforcement action has been applied to your fine - if your fine is overdue it may be subject to ongoing enforcement action and you may be unable to pay online. For further details you should contact your local fines enforcement officer.
- Your account has been paid in full - if your account has a zero outstanding balance, no further action is required by you.
- Your account has been closed - if your account has been closed (for example, if it has been withdrawn by the Police Ticket Office) no further action is required by you.
- Your account is locked - if you make too many incorrect attempts to enter the correct surname or vehicle registration your account will be locked and you will be unable to pay your fine online. For further details you should contact any Scottish Court.
- Your fine has been transferred to a Non-Scottish Court - you should continue to make payments to your nominated non-Scottish Court and they will send your payment to the appropriate Scottish Court.
Can I pay a speeding or red light fine online?
Fines issued by the Safety Camera Partnerships for speeding or red-light offences cannot be paid online as your driving licence must be endorsed with penalty points. You must post your payment, licence and paper counterpart to any Scottish Court, or take these to the court in person.
What information do I need to pay my fine online?
To pay your fine online you will need your fine reference number and the surname of the person who was fined - or your vehicle registration number if you wish to pay a parking ticket.
Where do I find my fine reference number?
Your fine reference number will be displayed on the ticket issued to you by the police or on documents sent to you by the Court or Procurator Fiscal’s Office.
Is there a maximum I can pay online?
The online payment facility has a maximum limit of £500 per transaction.