What happens if you don't pay your fine?

What will happen

If you don’t pay your fine by the due date, we'll send you a reminder notice giving you a further 28 days to manage your fine.  

If you don’t manage the fine by the due date on the reminder notice, we'll begin recovery action by issuing an overdue fine.  

The overdue fine will have an extra $65 fee applied or $25 for a minor (under 18), and if it remains unpaid by the due date, we can take further, more serious recovery action.

Recovery action  

This can include:

• Suspending your vehicle driver licence and/or recreational boat driving licence.  
• Ordering the Sheriff to take your goods or property and sell them to pay the amount you owe. 
• Taking money from your bank account or wages by a Garnishee Order.
• Taking you to court so we can examine your financial situation. 
• Registering an interest in any land or property you may own.
• Removing your permission to drive in NSW on an interstate or international licence.

If any of these recovery actions are taken, you may be charged an additional cost of up to $65 every time we take an action.

Garnishee Order

A Garnishee Order is an order to a third party, such as your bank, credit union, or employer, to pay your money to Revenue NSW to satisfy your outstanding debt.  
 
Revenue NSW makes multiple attempts to contact you before a Garnishee Order is issued.  

Garnishee Orders take effect as an order made by the Local Court under Part 8 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 and may be contested in court.  
 
Revenue NSW is unable to provide legal advice related to Garnishee Orders. There are free financial and legal advice resources and support for first nations people available.   

If you need more information on Garnishee Orders, or if you are experiencing hardship, please contact us on 1300 655 805.

Stopping recovery action

You should pay or manage your fine as soon as possible to avoid recovery action.  

If recovery action has started, you can pay the total balance owing on your overdue fines to stop any action.

If you're having difficulty paying

If you are unable to pay your fine due to financial difficulty, hardship or other situations, we have options available to assist you. 

In some circumstances, we may be able to lift your driving or vehicle restrictions or refund money taken under a garnishee order.