Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) Fines
- Where can I find information on parking and traffic laws?
- How many demerit points do I have left on my licence?
- Which fines can cause my licence to be suspended?
- What types of RTA restrictions can we apply to you for non-payment of your enforcement order?
- How do I get my RTA restrictions lifted?
- I cannot afford to pay my enforcement order(s) in full but need to be able to drive, what options do I have?
- I had my RTA restrictions lifted on employment grounds, but am having difficulty making my payment on the time to pay order. What will happen if I stop paying?
For more information on the parking and traffic laws, visit the RTA website or the NSW Legislation website.
Check your demerit points on the RTA website or contact the RTA.
Serious speeding offences, such as driving at 30 km/hr or more over the speed limit incur an automatic licence suspension period. RTA will advise you when your suspension period will start.
If you have used your allocated demerit points, RTA will advise you of the licence suspension period.
Note: It is an offence to drive while unlicensed. The penalty exceeds $500.
If you have not paid an enforcement order by its due date, the SDRO can direct the RTA to suspend your licence for any offence regardless of what the fine is for.
We can apply three forms of RTA restrictions. They are:
- licence suspension
- restricts your ability to drive - cancellation of your vehicle registration, (or in the case of a business the fleet registration)
- prevents you driving your vehicle(s) on the road - a customer business restriction (or in the case of a business a fleet business restriction)
- prevents you doing business with the RTA.
The quickest way to have your RTA restrictions lifted is to pay all outstanding enforcement orders in full. View our payment options.
In certain circumstances we can direct the RTA to lift the restrictions.
Read the RTA restrictions factsheet for more information on lifting RTA restrictions when the enforcement order is unpaid.
To apply to have restrictions lifted on the above grounds, fax a 'Time to Pay' application along with supporting documents as outlined on the RTA restrictions factsheet.
The application will take at least five working days from the date of receipt to process and you will be notified in writing of the outcome.
We can also lift RTA restrictions if you make six consecutive payments in your time to pay schedule, as long as you have not previously defaulted on a time to pay order.
Contact us to check if you are eligible.
If you are having difficulty maintaining your payments, contact us to discuss payment options.
If you fail to make the payment we will have no alternative but to close or default your time to pay order and restart enforcement action. The first step is to re-apply RTA restrictions. If your time to pay order is still unpaid we will commence civil sanctions. View the fines process.
If you re-apply for your RTA restrictions to be lifted at a later date we may request a lump sum payment for the arrears, or not grant the lifting of your restrictions.
Civil sanctions
If your enforcement order remains unpaid we may issue you with:
- a property seizure order - you will receive a visit by the Sheriff who will seize goods to sell to recover the outstanding amount.
- a garnishee order - we will issue a garnishee order to your bank or employer to remove funds and give them to us to satisfy the outstanding fine.
- an examination summons- we will summon you before a court to answer and provide supporting evidence about your income and liabilities so that we can determine what enforcement action to take against you.
Each enforcement action will result in an additional $50 being added to the balance of your fine.
You can pay in full. View our payment options.
Apply to pay by instalments using a 'Time to Pay' form.
Note: enforcement action will continue until your fines are paid in full or your time to pay application has been approved.
Contact the Sheriff's office to see if they have applied any costs that must be paid before the property seizure order is stopped.
A garnishee order has been issued because you failed to comply with your time to pay order. If your bank or employer has actioned the garnishee order you cannot get that money back. It will be paid to us to reduce the amount you owe.
You can stop the garnishee order from happening again or reduce the amount being garnisheed by applying for 'Time to Pay'. The garnishee order will only be stopped once a 'Time to Pay' application has been approved.
No, unpaid fines at the SDRO will not affect your credit rating.
Contact the Credit Reference Association for more information about credit ratings.
