Rates Payments

Infringement Notices

Dog Registration Renewals

Cat Registration Renewals

Council Forms

Fees and Charges

Property Searches

	Home > Payments and Applications > Infringement Notices	Print this Page

Infringement Notices

Council issues fines (known as infringement notices) for offences including parking, animals, parks and reserves, signage and vegetation.

Why does council issue infringements?

Council issues infringements in accordance with its local laws and state legislation to ensure the safety and wellbeing of Sunshine Coast residents and visitors.

Paying an infringement

Pay with MasterCard or Visa via MyCouncil .
Email your credit card details to - please include your card number, expiry date, name of the card holder, a postal address and contact telephone number and the infringement number.
Pay in person at any post office, within the accepted payment timeframe.
Post a cheque or money order to Locked Bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre, QLD 4560. Include a copy of the infringement notice.

Late payments attract additional charges. Council must identify vehicle owners in order to send out reminder notices. The search fee incurred to identify the owner is passed on as an additional charge.

If the infringement amount and any additional charges are not paid within the required time, the matter will be referred to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER). This action will incur further charges. Once the matter has been referred to SPER, any further dealings must be conducted with them and not with council.

Council will not accept part-payment of infringement amounts and charges unless prior arrangements have been made. Payment plans are only available for infringement amounts over $200. Once extra charges have been incurred, they must also be paid in order to prevent the matter proceeding to SPER.

Options available

Option 1: Pay in full

Refer to the paying an infringement information above.
If council receives your full payment within 28 days after the date the infringement notice was issued, the infringement will be finalised and no further enforcement action will be taken against you.

Option 2: Have this matter dealt with by a Magistrates Court

To elect to have a court hearing, fill in the details on the back of the infringement notice and return it to the Chief Executive Officer, Sunshine Coast Council, Locked Bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre QLD 4560.
If council receives your request to have a court hearing within 28 days after the date the infringement notice was issued, a prosecution against you may be commenced in a Magistrates Court.

Option 3: Apply to pay by instalments

This option is only available for infringement amounts of $200 or more and the instalments will be $60 per month.
To apply for an instalment plan, fill in the details on the back of the infringement notice and return it with your first instalment of $60 to the Chief Executive Officer, Sunshine Coast Council, Locked Bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre QLD 4560.
After you make this application the SPER will send you an instalment plan. Failure to comply with the instalment plan will result in enforcement action by SPER and may attract additional fees.
Please note: Once your instalment plan is in place please direct any enquiries to SPER on 1300 365 635.

If council receives your application for an instalment plan within 28 days after the date the infringement notice was issued, and you make all monthly payments the infringement will be finalised and no further enforcement action will be taken against you.

Option 4: Lodge a Statutory Declaration (vehicle related offences only)

If you were infringed as the owner of the offending vehicle, you are considered to have committed the offence. However, if you were not responsible for the vehicle at the time of the offence you may be able to remove your responsibility for the infringement by filling in a statutory declaration to show that the vehicle:

was being used illegally
was being used by another person (nominated by you)
was being used by another person (but unable to be identified)
has been sold or otherwise disposed of.

If council receives your statutory declaration within 28 days after the date the infringement notice was issued, and the actual offender can be identified, a prosecution against them may be commenced instead of enforcement of the infringement.

If the actual offender cannot be identified a prosecution against you may be continued in a Magistrates Court instead of the enforcement of the infringement.

Withdrawal of an infringement

An infringement may be withdrawn in the following circumstances:

Incorrect details (e.g. date of infringement, vehicle registration)
Medical emergencies
Vehicle malfunction

All requests for withdrawing an infringement notice must be submitted on the infringement request for withdrawal form and all supporting evidence must be attached.

Infringement request for withdrawal form [PDF 76KB]
Infringement request for withdrawal form [Word 226KB]

A statutory declaration could also be provided as a legal document to support extenuating circumstances relating to an infringement. You must submit a request for a review within 28 days of issue of the infringement. Once reviewed, you will receive a letter advising the outcome.

Providing evidence and additional information

To help council make an informed decision, it is important you provide sufficient supporting evidence when you lodge your request for a withdrawal form.

Please include with this form (if applicable):

photographs or diagrams
vehicle repair receipt
statutory declaration

advising the vehicle has been sold (copy of transfer papers or receipt of sale must be provided)
advising illegal use (written advice or crime report from the Queensland Police Service must be provided)
if you were not the driver of the vehicle at the time of the offence, indicating who the driver was at the time the infringement notice was issued including name and contact details of the driver.