Can I Pay a Fixed Penalty Notice in Instalments?

Are you wondering if you can pay a Fixed Penalty Notice in instalments? You’ve come to the right place for answers. Every month, more than 130,000 people visit our website for guidance on their fines and FPNs.

In this easy-to-understand guide, we’ll cover:

What a Fixed Penalty Notice is.
Whether you need to pay an FPN.
How to challenge an FPN.
Situations where you might not have to pay.
What could happen if you don’t pay your FPN.

A group of MPs and Peers say FPNs, which can cost up to £10,000, are hard to understand and might be unfair.¹ So we understand that receiving an FPN can be a concern.

But there’s no need to worry. This guide will provide you with useful advice and simple steps to follow.

Most Appeals Succeed

In some circumstances, you might have a legitimate reason not to pay your fine.

It’s a bit sneaky, but the last time I needed legal advice, I paid £5 for a trial to chat with an online solicitor called JustAnswer.

Not only did I save £50 on solicitor feeds, I also won my case and didn’t have to pay my £271 fine.

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*Around 35,000 people dispute their tickets each year with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, and a striking 64% of those appeals are successful, so it’s well worth a try.

Can I pay the FPN in instalments?

Unfortunately, you can not pay a fixed penalty notice in instalments.

The full cost of the fine must be paid within 28 days, or further action – which could see you with increased costs – will be taken against you.

What is the cost of the fines?

Fines for violations can run anywhere from £50 for not having an easily readable registration plate to £300 for driving without insurance.

The RAC has a list of the most common offences and the fines that they carry, which you can find by clicking here.

Successful Appeal Case Study

Situation

Initial Fine	£100
Additional Fees	£171
Total Fine	£271

The Appeal Process

Scott used JustAnswer, online legal service to enhance his appeal. The trial of this cost him just £5.

Total Fine	£271
Cost of legal advice	£5

JustAnswer helped Scott craft the best appeal possible and he was able to win his case.

Scott’s fine was cancelled and he only paid £5 for the legal help.

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How do I pay a fixed penalty notice?

You have a total of 28 days to pay the fine, and you can pay through the government website, which you can find by clicking here.

You will also need to provide:

Your email address and phone number
The fixed penalty notice number
Date of the offence
Code for the offence

You also have the option of paying by cheque or a credit card or debit card, and the information on where to pay will be displayed on the ticket.

You can’t pay in cash anymore.

If you admit guilt and accept the penalty but then do not pay it, the court will register your fine and raise the amount of the fine by 50%.

The court will then impose the fine, and if you do not reply within a certain amount of time, it has the possibility of issuing a warrant for your arrest.

If you’re asking, can I pay my Fixed Penalty Notice in instalments? The answer is, no, you can’t.

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What happens if I can’t pay my FPN in full within the time frame?

If you do not pay additional action will be taken against you, one of which may be the filing of a criminal complaint against you in a court of law.

If you do not pay the FPN within 28 days of when it was issued, the issuing authorities reserve the right to send your case to a magistrates’ court for possible prosecution.

Your fine will also be increased by 50%.

If you still don’t pay after this, a warrant could be issued for your arrest.

What are the financial consequences of not paying FPN?

Apart from having to pay a higher fine, court costs and other fees, you risk getting a County Court Judgement (CCJ) when a default is registered with the court.

If you don’t settle the CCJ within 30 days, it remains on your credit file for six years.

You will have difficulty getting credit until the CCJ expires.

Can I appeal a Fixed Penalty Notice?

There is no official appeal procedure for fixed penalty notices; thus, the case will be resolved in court if you are unwilling to confess guilt for the claimed offence.

However, considering this will be an expensive and time-consuming procedure, you should consider it seriously before appealing.

The fines that a court ultimately imposes will be higher than those that were stipulated in the initial fixed penalty notice.

Should you decide to contest a fixed penalty notice, you are strongly encouraged to seek the aid of a qualified legal professional or the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Fixed Penalty Notice Appeal Reasons

If you decide to contest the FPN, it’s important to understand the specific reasons for challenging it, which vary depending on the traffic violation.

The most common appeal reasons are:

Violation Category	Specific Offense	Common Appeal Reason
Traffic Signal	Running a Red Light	Traffic light was malfunctioning/out
Insurance	Driving without Insurance	Proof of valid insurance at the time
Speed Limit	Exceeding Speed Limit	Incorrect speed limit signage/malfunctioning speedometer
Seat Belt	Not Wearing a Seat Belt	Belt was worn but not visible or medical exemption
Mobile Phone Use	Using a Mobile Phone while Driving	Emergency situation or not in use
Vehicle Condition	Driving a Vehicle in Poor Condition	Recent vehicle maintenance or misjudgment of condition
Parking	Illegal Parking	Unclear, obscured, or misleading parking signs
Documentation	Failure to Display Tax Disc	Disc was displayed but not visible
Driving License	Driving without a Valid License	License was valid but not present
Vehicle Registration	Driving Unregistered Vehicle	Registration was in process/delayed

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Does a fixed penalty notice show up on a DBS (criminal record) check?

Because an FPN isn’t the same as a criminal conviction, it will not appear on a DBS that concentrates on a person’s criminal past.

In addition, it is not considered a warning or a correction in any way.

Only in the event that you failed to pay the fine or fought it in court and were ultimately found guilty by the judge would it show up on your record, since this would be considered a conviction.

How long does it take for a fixed penalty notice to arrive?

If you did not receive a fine at the time of the offence by a police officer, you will receive a notice of intended prosecution (NIP) letter within 14 days of the incident.

This letter will state that you will be prosecuted for the offence.

You have until the end of the 28-day period to hand in the Section 172 notification, together with an explanation of who was driving the vehicle.

After that, you will typically be issued a notification of the fixed penalty.

You have the option of pleading guilty and paying the fee or not accepting the notice and appearing in court.

How long will the points for the FPN penalty stay on my driver’s licence?

Even though points are not assigned for every traffic offence, the least you may get is two, and the most you can get is 11 points.

In some circumstances, it may be suggested that the individual be disqualified immediately.

The offence codes and point totals are carried over onto a driver’s licence for either four or 11 years, depending on the severity of the violation.