A fine is the monetary penalty awarded by the magistrates' court for a criminal case in England and Wales, such as traffic offences, unpaid TV licences, public order offences, and antisocial behaviour. The most common sentences given out by magistrates are financial penalties or fines.
A court can register a defaulted fine following a failure to respond to a Further Steps Notice by the offender. At this point, the Fines Officer at the court has the discretion to decide which enforcement option is appropriate to best recover the outstanding amount. If the officer chooses to add the defaulted fine to the Register, the registration will note all outstanding monies owed on the fine(s) including costs and compensation.
Defaulted fines are only entered onto the Register where the offender is an individual or a trading style. The Register does not contain fines records against corporate bodies.
These fines are shown as either satisfied or unsatisfied on the Register. Satisfied means the fine has been paid in full, unsatisfied means it has not. The fine will remain on the Register for a period of five years from the date of conviction unless set aside/cancelled.
The information appearing on the Register is as follows:
At the time of registration, a letter is sent to the offender advising them of the action taken, the steps required to amend the Register and a court contact telephone number for any queries.