Apply to go to court for a fine

Introduction

If you've received a fine (fine notice, fine reminder notice or overdue fine), you can apply to have the matter heard and decided in court. 

You'll need to apply before the due date on your fine reminder notice. If you’ve already paid your fine before it is overdue, you’ll have 90 days from the date the fine was issued to go to court.

If your fine is overdue, see Apply to go to court for an overdue fine. 

Before applying to go to court, you should consider:

• requesting a review, or
• nominating the person responsible (if applicable).

If you're having difficulty paying your fine, you can:

• set up a payment plan
• apply for a fine reduction
• request a Work and Development Order
• apply to write-off your fine.

For more information, including the court process, refer to NSW Government's website. 

Eligibility

• you must be the person named on the fine notice, or the vehicle owner if there's no name on the notice, or
• the authorised representative of the person named on the notice.

What you need

• your name, date of birth and driver licence details
• your residential address (PO boxes are not accepted) to post your Court Attendance Notice (CAN)
• your fine notice number
• the date of the offence.

If you're unable to apply online, you'll need the:

• PDF form – 'Request to Have a Fine Decided in Court – Individual', or
• PDF form – 'Request to Have a Fine Decided in Court – Organisation' (if applying as a company).

How to apply

1. Select the 'Apply online' button.
2. Follow the prompts to complete your application.

Note: If you're unable to apply online, you can either:

1. Complete the: 
   1. Request to Have a Fine Decided in Court Form – Individual – PDF, or
   2. Request to Have a Fine Decided in Court Form – Organisation – PDF (if you're applying as a company). 
2. Put a request in writing and send it by post.

More information

• Your application may take up to 6 weeks to assess from the date you submit it. Your fine will be placed on hold while your application is being assessed.
• Once you've submitted your application, you can return to the online service to check if a CAN has been posted to you.
• Once you've received your CAN, it's too late to withdraw from attending court. If you've changed your mind, contact the court listed in your CAN and ask them about your options.
• The court may apply additional costs when the matter is determined.