What kind of debt do I have?
Expiation notices
An expiation notice is a fine issued under an Act, regulation or by-law. These types of fines or debts include:
- speed camera related fines
- on-the-spot fines
- parking fines.
If you do not pay your fine or debt by the due date, enforcement actions may be applied.
Court fines (also called 'pecuniary sums')
A court fine is a fine handed down by a Judge or Magistrate as part of a Court Order. The fine will include the amount ordered to be paid plus any other fees payable (court costs, prosecution costs, victims of crime levy). If you do not pay the court fine on time, enforcement action may be taken in accordance with the Fines Enforcement and Debt Recovery Act 2017.
State debt
These are referred to our office by government agencies when the request for payment remains unpaid. State debts include SA Ambulance fees and Department of Education fees. A number of enforcement actions can occur if a debt is not managed by you.
Click here for more information about SA Ambulance debt, including how to claim through your private health fund, how to get SA Ambulance cover and how to pay your debt.
SA Police (SAPOL) Impounding
These debts are referred to the Fines Unit by SAPOL after a court has made a conviction. The debt relates to the cost of impounding a vehicle. If the debt remains unpaid after a remainder notice is sent by the Fines Unit, enforcement actions may be applied. The longer the debt goes unpaid, the more serious the penalties may become.
Victims of Crime (VOC) Debt
Victims of Crime debt is an amount ordered by a court that is to be paid to another individual or company. These debts are referred to the Fines Unit for recovery from the Courts, and the Fines unit facilitates the recovery of the payments and pays them on to the individual who is awarded the amount. If the debt is not paid, enforcement actions may be applied. The longer the debt goes unpaid, the serious the penalties may become.
Understanding my enforcement notice
If your fine or debt remains outstanding past the due date, you may be sent an enforcement notice from our office.
My debt reference (overdue fines or expiations)
You will find your fine reference on the top right-hand corner of any notices you have received. It has letters and numbers and will usually start with ‘EXREG’ or ‘MC’ or ‘AMC’ or 'CIV' or 'IMREG'.
My payment reference (overdue state debts)
You will find your payment reference on the top right-hand corner of any notices you have received. It will be located directly under your debt reference.