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Local law, animal, construction, planning, or other fines

Information on infringements including how to pay and how to request a review.

If you are looking to appeal a parking infringement, please visit the parking fines page.

An infringement notice (fine) is issued when you have not adhered to relevant legislation.

There are several types of infringements we issue in accordance with the legislation, including:

  • Local law Infringements
  • Planning Infringements
  • Animal Infringements
  • Environmental Protection (EPA) Infringements
  • Public health Infringements
  • Food Safety Infringements
  • Building Infringements
How to pay a local law, animal, planning, or other fine

You can pay a fine in the following ways:

Online

You can make your payment online using our payments page.

In person

Pay in person at one of our customer service centres between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.

Mail

Bank cheque or money order payable to Yarra City Council and send it to:

Parking Administration
Yarra City Council
PO Box 168 
Richmond, Victoria, 3121

Phone

Call 1300 792 772 and follow the prompts.

 

Payment plan options

A payment plan is an extension of time to pay. If you are unable to pay the infringement by the due date, then you may be eligible for an extension of time.

Payment plans must fit the criteria in the Attorney-General's guidelines.

If you get an extension, you must pay the full outstanding amount by the agreed date. You cannot pay via instalments.

 

How to appeal a fine

You can ask us to review your infringement if you think we issued it unfairly or you have a valid reason for its withdrawal.

We have 90 days to give you an outcome. Your infringement will be placed on hold pending the outcome of your appeal. This means no payment is required until you receive our reply.

You can also:

  • elect to go to court
  • request an extension to pay

Who can appeal?

An appeal must come from one of the following:

  • The person listed on the infringement notice.
  • Authorised company representative if applying on behalf of a body corporate.
  • Authorised third party with pre-existing written authority to act on behalf of a person.

The law gives you one chance to request a review, so make sure you provide all the details and supporting third-party documents up front.

This can be used if a person believes that the decision to serve the infringement notice was unlawful.

Applicant to lodge an internal review application on the ground that they were unaware of the infringement notice. Service of the notice must not have been by personal service.

Where the applicant has enough awareness and self-control to be liable for their conduct but has a good excuse for that conduct being unavoidable or exception, such as a medical emergency.

Where a person claims that they were not the person who committed the infringement offence, and you have evidence to support your claim.

Where a person believes that the listed special circumstances applies to them. It requires a connection or nexus to be made between the special circumstances category and the offending behaviour.

Special circumstances refer to:

  • had a mental or intellectual disability, disorder, disease or illness or,
  • had a serious addiction to drugs, alcohol or a volatile substance or,
  • were homeless or,
  • were affected by family violence or,
  • You cannot deal with your fines because of severe disabling long-term circumstances, even if those circumstances did not exist at the time of the offence.

You must provide evidence from a practitioner or agency who is familiar with your circumstances.

Depending on your circumstances, this may be your:

  • doctor or medical specialist
  • psychiatrist or psychologist
  • social worker or case worker
  • accredited drug treatment agency or drug counsellor
  • recognised health, support or welfare agency (for example, the Salvation Army).

Evidence may include, reports, letters, statements, submissions, statutory declarations, police reports and family violence safety notices.

Your practitioner or agency report should include:

  • your practitioner's qualifications
  • your practitioner's relationship with you and how long they have known you
  • an explanation of your circumstances, including its nature, severity, duration, and impact on your life
  • the link between your circumstances and your offending behaviour.
Possible review outcomes

After reviewing your circumstances and documents, our authorised officer may:

  • confirm the decision to issue the infringement notice
  • withdraw the infringement notice
  • withdraw the infringement notice and issue an official warning
  • withdraw the infringement notice and refer the matter to court
  • waive all or any prescribed costs
  • approve a payment plan/extension
  • any combination of these actions.
Appeal online or in writing

To request a review, you must apply online or in writing (we don't accept appeals by phone).

Please ensure that you:

  • direct your request to the infringement review team (the Mayor and Councillors cannot respond to letters about fines)
  • identify the grounds for your request.

 

Infringement life cycle

These steps outline the life cycle that fines follow. Please do not ignore our notices.

  • 1

    Infringement notice

  • 2

    Penalty reminder notice

  • 3

    Pending legal action

  • 4

    Court

Step 1 - infringement notice

The infringement notice attached to the vehicle will give you 28 days to pay. Your options on the infringement notice will include:

  • requesting an appeal
  • requesting a payment plan or extension
  • having the matter heard at the Magistrates Court.

Step 2 - penalty reminder notice

We'll send you penalty reminder notice after 28 days, which will include an extra cost. Your options on the penalty reminder notice will include:

  • paying the total amount by the new due date
  • requesting an appeal (if you haven't already)
  • asking for a payment extension (if you haven't already)
  • having the matter heard at the Magistrates Court.

Step 3 - pending legal action

This is not a legal requirement. We issue this notice and provide an extra 10 days as a reminder that the infringement is still outstanding. Your options on the letter will include:

  • paying the total amount before the matter proceeds to court.
  • requesting an appeal (if you haven't already)
  • having the matter heard at the Magistrates Court.

Step 4 - court

If you do not pay by the infringement, we will refer the matter to Court. This will incur additional costs (court lodgement costs and other legal fees).

Once the infringement is at this stage, all communication will need to be with our legal proceedings officer or solicitor.