Infringement notices and payments

Council can issue fines called infringement notices. Infringements can relate to:

parking
animals
parks and reserves
signage
vegetation
illegal dumping
littering.

Why council issues infringements

Council issues infringements according to local laws and state laws. These include but are not limited to:

Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995
Transport Operations (Road Use Management - Road Rules) Regulation 2009
Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008
Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011.

To view the state laws, visit the Queensland Legislation website.

Paying an infringement

Online via MyCouncil with Visa or MasterCard.
By phone: (07) 5475 7272 with Visa or MasterCard.
Pay in person at any Customer Contact Centre.
Pay in person at any post office by the due date. ParkSmart infringements excluded.
Post a cheque or money order to Locked Bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre, QLD 4560. Please include a copy of the infringement notice.

If the infringement is not paid by the due date, Council will conduct a search to find the vehicle owner. The search fee is then passed onto the owner when we send the reminder notice.

You must pay the infringement amount and any extra charges by the due date. If not, Council will refer your infringement to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER). Additional fees apply.

If your infringement is referred to SPER, you must contact SPER for all enquiries. You can phone SPER on 1300 365 635.

You can arrange a payment plan with Council. This option is only available for infringements over $200. To enter a payment plan, you will need to contact Council and arrange to pay an initial $60. You will also need to complete and return the back of your infringement notice. The payment plan will then be referred to SPER.

Once lodged, SPER will contact you to arrange future payments.

Payment options

Option 1: Pay in full

Refer to the paying an infringement information above
Payments must be made within 28 days after the date the infringement notice was issued. The matter will be finished and no further enforcement action taken.

Option 2: Have this matter dealt with by a magistrates court

Request a court hearing by filling in the details on the back of the notice
Return it to the Chief Executive Officer, Sunshine Coast Council, Locked bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre QLD 4560
If your request is received within 28 days after the date the infringement was issued, council may begin to prosecute you in a magistrates court.

Option 3: Apply to pay by instalments (only for fines over $200)

This is only available for infringement amounts of $200 or more
Fill in the back of the infringement notice or complete Application for Voluntary Instalment Plan form. Return it with your first instalment of $60. Send it to the Chief Executive Officer, Sunshine Coast Council, Locked Bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre QLD 4560
After you apply, the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER) will send you an instalment plan. If you do not comply with the plan, SPER will take enforcement action, which may attract other fees.

Note: Once your instalment plan is in place please direct all enquiries to SPER on 1300 365 635.

The infringement will be finalised if:

Council receives your application for instalment plan within 28 days after the date the infringement notice was issued and
you make all monthly payments.

No further enforcement action will be taken against you.

Option 4: Lodge a statutory declaration (vehicle related offences only)

All infringement notices are sent to vehicle owners. Owners are considered to have committed the offence. 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. You must fill out a statutory declaration to show the vehicle:

was being used by another person (nominated by you) Sample statutory declaration (PNG, 58.8KB)
was being used illegally (stolen)
was being used by another person (but unable to be identified)
has been sold or otherwise disposed of (proof of sale also required).

You must send your statutory declaration to council within 28 days after the date the notice was issued. Your statutory declaration must state the legal name and address of the person in control of the vehicle (excluding where the vehicle was stolen).

Your statutory declaration must be witnessed. To find your nearest JP (Qual) or CDec visit the Qld Government website.

Where a complete and witnessed statutory declaration is received, Council may reissue the infringement to the nominated person. Alternatively, if Council does not receive a statutory declaration, if the statutory declaration is incorrect or does not contain sufficient information of the nominated driver, Council may prosecute the owner of the vehicle.

Withdrawal of an infringement

Council may consider the withdrawal of an infringement notice in extenuating circumstances.

These include but are not limited to:

medical emergencies
vehicle malfunction
the circumstances leading up to the issuing of the notice were unavoidable.

Council will not withdraw an infringements for the following reasons:

financial hardship
being unaware of the law or not seeing the sign
disagreeing with the law. You may feel the offence is trivial or did not cause a hazard
running out of petrol
not having adequate coins for the meter
stopped briefly in restricted zone.

You can submit a request for withdrawal via MyCouncil:

register and/or login as an registered user
refer to instructions
once logged in, select + Submit a new application which is located on the Applications tile
read, then tick to agree to the terms and conditions, and select Continue
locate Issued infringement notice options
select Request for withdrawal (appeal/review of decision)
follow the application loading screens to complete the application submission details. Attach evidence where required.

You must include supporting evidence with your application for withdrawal.

Upon receipt of your request for withdrawal we will place your infringement on hold. We will notify you of the outcome within 45 days by your preferred method of correspondence.

You must submit a request for withdrawal within 28 days of the infringement issue date.

Providing evidence and additional information

It is important that you provide supporting evidence when you lodge your request. This helps Council to make an informed decision.

Please include with this form (if applicable):

photographs or diagrams
vehicle repair receipt
statutory declaration
- advising you've sold the vehicle. Attach a copy of transfer papers or receipt of sale
- advising illegal use of the vehicle. Attach written advice or crime report from the Queensland Police Service
- advising you were not the driver of the vehicle. Provide name and contact details of the driver at the time of the infringement.
copies of permits or Australian Disability Parking Permit not displayed at the time of the offence
copies of medical certificates or other proof to support your request.