Local Court New South Wales

Payment options for fees and fines

How to pay

Online registry website

For a court fine or monetary order, using your penalty notice you can visit onlineregistry.lawlink.nsw.gov.au and click ‘Pay Your Penalty’. You will need the Payment Reference Number (PRN) published on this notice. Note that you may have multiple Payment Reference Numbers on this document. Please search and pay each PRN individually to ensure you have paid all fines that are applicable. Payments can be made via a credit card or debit card. Cards accepted include MasterCard, Visa and American Express.

Fees for civil matters can also be paid via the Online Registry website.

Online Simple Payment Portal

Email the court and you will be sent a secure web link to make payment via our Simple Payment Portal. For email addresses see website.

The types of payments able to be made using this option include fines, costs, victim service levies, compensation orders (made as part of a Monetary Order), civil debts not exceeding $10,000.00,  filing fees, transcript fees and application fees.

By Phone

Credit Card payments may be made by contacting the NSW Court Service Centre on 1300 679 272 between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm, Monday to Friday. You will need to supply your PRN or case number.

By Post

Please make out a cheque or money order to The Registrar and send it with a copy of the Notice of Penalty to the address shown on the top right of your penalty notice.

In Person

Payments can be made by cash, Eftpos, cheque, money order or by credit card. Please note that Eftpos and credit card facilities are not available at all Court Registries.

Time to pay

If you cannot pay the total amount owing on your penalty notice by the due date, you should apply for what is known as 'time to pay'. You may need to give information in writing about your financial circumstances. Please complete Application for time to pay and email, take or post to any Court Registry. For email addresses see website.

For time to pay in civil judgments see here.

More information regarding fines

For more information download the fact sheet on paying fines (PDF, 229.8 KB)

Centrepay deductions

If you receive a pension or benefit from Centrelink and want to pay a fine with a payment plan deducted from your Centrelink payments, you should complete and sign a Payment Plan Application of Court Fines for Customers in Receipt of a Government Payment and send it with your notice to the address shown on the top right of your notice or email the court. For email addresses see website. You should keep copies of the authorisation and the notice for your own records. 

If you do not pay by the due date

Monies not paid by the due date will be referred to Revenue NSW for recovery action.

If your case is referred to Revenue NSW

If you do not pay the fine on time or make other payment arrangements, the outstanding amount will be referred to Revenue NSW.

The types of action Revenue NSW can take include:

  • ask Transport for NSW to suspend your driver licence or cancel your car registration
  • take money from your bank account or wages
  • referring your debt to a private debt collection agency
  • registering an interest on any land or property you may own
  • ordering the sheriff to take your goods or property and sell them to pay the amount you owe

In certain circumstances, you may be able to apply to Revenue NSW to do an activity to pay off your fines with activities like counselling, courses or treatment programs. See Revenue NSW Work and Development Order. If the fine was ordered for a commonwealth offence, other types of enforcement action may be taken against you.

You will also have to make additional payments if Revenue NSW takes recovery action.

If you need to pay a Victims Support Levy

The amount payable in a Notice of Penalty may include a Victims Support Levy (VSL). This is a levy imposed automatically when a person is convicted of an offence or a finding of guilt has been made against a person and is not part of the court's order. It is imposed even where there is no fine. For further information refer to the webpage Going to court for a fine. See also 'how to pay' above.

If you need to pay Court Costs Levy

The amount payable in a Notice of Penalty may include a Court Costs Levy. This is a levy imposed automatically when a person is convicted of an offence and is not part of the court's order. The levy is payable and enforceable pursuant to section 211A of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986. For further information refer to the webpage Going to court for a fine. See also 'how to pay' above.

More information regarding civil judgements

For more information regarding civil judgments see here.

Last updated:

14 Apr 2023

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