Fixed penalty fines
A fixed penalty notice is a fine.
If one of our authorised officers believes you have committed an offence then they may decide to prosecute for the offence. However, a fixed penalty fine can be issued instead, these are not usually offered to someone who has received one before, but they are considered in all other circumstances.
A fixed penalty fine is a method of allowing the person who has committed an offence the opportunity to discharge any liability to conviction for that offence. On payment of the fixed penalty fine, we cannot prosecute you for the offence but if payment is not received then we will prosecute you for the offence.
Paying or challenging your fixed penalty notice
When to pay
You must make payment within the timescale specified on the fixed penalty fine. However if you do not pay within the set time we will start court proceedings against you, upon conviction this may result a larger fine plus the Council's costs for taking this case to Court.
How to pay
| Automated Telephone Payment Service | If you wish to pay by Debit Card using the automated telephone service, please telephone 0333 2000324. Cards accepted: Maestro, Visa Delta, Visa Electron or Solo. |
| Online | To pay by Debit Card via the internet, visit the link below and follow the fixed penalty notice links for online payments. |
| At the Post Office | You can pay by Cash or Debit Card at any Post Office at no additional cost using the bar code on this correspondence. |
| At any Paypoint outlet | The bar code on any correspondence sent to you allows you to pay cash at any outlet where you see the Paypoint sign. You can also find your nearest Paypoint location. There is no cost for using this service. |
| By post | You can send cheques or postal orders by post. You are advised not to send cash through the post. Make your cheque payable to ‘City of Doncaster Council’ and put your Fixed Penalty Fine number on the back of the cheque. If you need a receipt, please send a stamped addressed envelope. Please send payment to City of Doncaster Council, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU |
How to challenge
| Online | To challenge a fixed penalty notice via the internet, visit the link below and follow the Challenge an FPN option |
| By post | You can challenge by post. Please send a written challenge to City of Doncaster Council, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BU. |
Types of fixed penalty fines
| Description | Offences Description | Act and Section | Fixed Penalty Fine Amount | Maximum Penalty |
| Litter | Offence of littering | Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 87 | £150 reduced to £100 if paid within 28 days | £2,500 |
| Litter from vehicle | Offence of littering | Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 87 | £150 reduced to £100 if paid within 28 days | £2,500 |
| Dog Fouling/Control | Failing to comply with a prohibition of the PSPO (dogs) | Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 | £100 | £1,000 |
| Graffiti | Defacement by graffiti | Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 Section 43 | £80 | £5000 and/or six months imprisonment |
| Fly Posting | Defacement by fly posting | Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 Section 43 | £80 | £2,500 |
| Waste Carriers | Failing to provide the necessary authority for transporting waste | Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 section 5B(2) | £300 | £5,000 |
| Waste Transfer Notes | Failing to provide documentation for transferring controlled waste | Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 34A(2) | £300 | £5,000 |
| Abandoned Vehicle | Unlawfully abandoning a vehicle | Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 | £200 | £2500 and/or 3 months imprisonment |
| Vehicles for Sale | Exposing or cause to expose two or more vehicles for sale on the road | Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 Section 3 (1) | £100 | £2,500 |
| Repairing Vehicles | Carrying out restricted works on a motor vehicle on a road | Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 Section 4 (1) | £100 | £2,500 |
| Unauthorised distribution of free printed matter | Distribution of free printed matter | Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 Section 8.4 Schedule 3A | £80 | £2,500 |
| Breach of Notice - Trade Bins | Failing to comply with a legal notice | Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 47ZB | £110 | £1,000 |
| Breach of Notice - Domestic Bins | Failing to comply with a legal notice | Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 46 | £80 | Civil Penalty |
| Breach of Notice – Community Protection Notice | Failing to comply with a legal notice | Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 | £100 | £2500/£20,000 (organisation/business) |
| Noise – Noise from Dwellings | Failing to comply with a warning notice | Noise Act 1996 Section 8 | £100 | £1,000 |
| Anti-Social Behaviour - Public Space Protection Order Breach | ASB | Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 | £100 | £1,000 |
| Fly Tipping - Fixed Penalty Notice | Offence of Fly tipping | Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 33ZA | £400 | £50,000 or imprisonment |
| Household Duty of Care | Failing to control waste | Environmental Protection Act 1990 Section 34ZA | £250 reduced to £200 if paid within 14 days | £5,000 |
| Smoke-free | Smoking in a smoke-free place | Health Act 2006 - Section 7 | £50 reduced to £30 if paid within 15 days | £200 |
Frequently asked questions
Who will be issuing Fixed Penalty Notices?
Fixed Penalty Notices will be issued by legally authorised officers of the council and its partner, Waste Investigations Support and Enforcement (WISE).
What do you class a littering?
There is no legal definition of litter which can be anything that is dropped, thrown or otherwise deposited and left in areas where the law applies. This will include the type of material that you would normally consider as litter such as cigarette butts and cans but may also include urinating and spitting.
Do I have to give my personal details to a council officer as they are not police officers?
Under Section 88(8A) Environmental Protection Act 1990, if an authorised officer of a litter authority (the council) proposes to give a person a Fixed Penalty Notice under this section, the officer may require the person to give them their name and address.
How much is a Fixed Penalty Notice?
Fixed Penalty Notices issued can vary depending on offence but will between £80 to £400. However if you do not pay this you could end up in Court and be faced with a conviction and fine that could cost you up to £2,500.
Can I Appeal against a Fixed Penalty Notice I have been issued?
No. There are no formal grounds of appeal against a Fixed Penalty Notice. This is because it is an invitation for you to effectively 'buy off' your liability to prosecution. This means that if you agree that an offence has been committed by you and paying the penalty in full no further action will be taken. This method of dealing with offences not only saves the time involved for everyone (including the offender) in prosecuting cases at court, but the cost associated with a Fixed Penalty Notice is likely to be substantially lower than any fine imposed by the courts. For example the maximum penalty which can be imposed by the Courts for littering is £2,500 along with a criminal conviction against the person.
What happens if I don't agree that I committed the offence for which I have received a Fixed Penalty Notice?
In this case the matter will be dealt with through formal prosecution in the court. It will then be up to the Court, to determine whether or not an offence was committed and whether or not any penalty should be imposed. The financial penalty imposed by the courts can be significantly greater than that which is imposed through a Fixed Penalty Notice.
I have been issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for littering - I have heard that I don't have to pay the full amount if I pay it quickly?
The Fixed Penalty Notice fee is £150. There is a reduction to £100 if the notice is paid within 28 days of the offence date.
Why should I pay, if there are no signs about littering in the area where I dropped it?
We are not required to place signs in every street, road, highway or open park/space to tell people not to litter. Litter legislation has been in force for many years. Littering in many parts of the UK is at such levels that local authorities across the country are now using Fixed Penalty Notices to drive the message home to those who spoil our towns and cities by carelessly discarding their rubbish.
Why should I pay a Fixed Penalty Notice when there were no litter bins nearby at the time?
It is not possible to place litter bins in every street, road and highway in the city. Of course every effort is made to place bins where they are most needed and where there are the most people, such as in town centres and major shopping areas. It is also a littering offence to deposit litter down a drain in the road. Where bins are not available then it is up to everyone to act responsibly and make arrangements to either take their litter home or carry it until a litter bin is available.
I received a Fixed Penalty Notice for stubbing out a cigarette, surely that can't be considered littering?
Wrong, litter includes not only cigarette butts but chewing gum also. In many ways these items are more of a nuisance and more expensive to clean up than other items of rubbish.
Cigarette stubs aren't really waste as they can't be placed in litter bins because they will catch fire?
Smokers are responsible for ensuring that they completely extinguish their cigarettes before placing them in the bin. Cigarette waste is the same as any other waste and you can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for not disposing of cigarette stubs properly. Obviously, to avoid any risk of fire. Cigarette ends should be completely extinguished on the stubbing plates provided on many litter bins before the stub is thrown into the bin. There is also no reason why smokers cannot carry portable 'butt bins' with them or create their own by placing some soil or sand in a small tin.
I wasn't given a warning, surely that is not fair?
Our anti-litter campaign has been continual in recent years. Organisations like the Keep Britain Tidy Group also do an excellent job in helping us get the anti-littering message over. Of course all the publicity in the world is of no use whatsoever if the message is being ignored. We take our enforcement duties seriously, and back up what is a serious and important message with action. This is the aim of our enforcement patrols who target those who ignore the littering laws which the rest of us abide by.
If I am caught I will just pick the litter up at that time and nothing will happen then will it?
The offence relates to the dropping, throwing or depositing of litter and leaving it. So whether or not you subsequently volunteer to pick up your litter afterwards you have committed an offence and will be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.
This is all a bit petty isn't it, what's the big deal about a few crisp packets and cigarette stubs anyway?
Littering is not only a serious blight on our environment but very costly to the council as well.
What happens if I receive a second Fixed Penalty Notice within 12 months of receiving the first?
Should the same person commit the same offence more than once in any twelve month period, consideration will be given to prosecuting the individual rather than issuing a further Fixed Penalty Notice.
More information
If you need any further information please telephone (01302) 736000 or email enforcementteam@doncaster.gov.uk.
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Last updated: 04 October 2024 09:00:59