Fine Collection and Enforcement Service

Fine Collection and Enforcement Service (FCS) came into operation on 1 June 2018.  We are part of the NI Courts and Tribunals Service.  The team is made up of dedicated collection officers who will provide advice to debtors and collect/enforce outstanding financial penalties imposed (or registered) by criminal court where a collection order has been made.

These collection and enforcement arrangements will apply to court imposed fines, compensation orders, offender levy, costs imposed by courts, fixed penalties and penalty notices, fines transferred from other jurisdictions and juror fines.  They will not apply to confiscation orders.

Relevant legislation

New powers for the collection and enforcement of financial penalties are enabled through new legislative provisions contained in:

• Part 1 of the Justice Act (NI) 2016
• The Enforcement of Fines and Other Penalties Regulations (NI) 2018
• The Social Security (Fines) (Deductions from Benefits) Regulations (NI) 2018
• Magistrates’ Court (Amendment No. 2) Rules (NI) 2018
• The Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 (Relevant Benefits) Order (Northern Ireland) 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

• The Social Security (Fines) (Deduction from Benefits) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021 (legislation.gov.uk)

Fine Collection and Enforcement Statutory Guidance

Statutory guidance has been produced in accordance with section 26 of the Justice Act (NI) 2016. This guidance explains the collection order and its operation, the role of the collection officer, what penalties are included, the collection and enforcement orders, court powers, offences and appeals. Collection officer must have regard to this guidance when carrying out their duties.

• Fine collection and enforcement statutory guidance

Powers

powers include

• provision for criminal courts to make a collection order when imposing (or registering) a financial penalty
• provision for improved access to benefit, income and vehicle ownership information for the purposes of collection and enforcement
• ability for collection officers to agree instalment orders or additional time to pay with debtors
• deduction of payments from a debtors income from either earnings or relevant welfare benefits
• powers to access bank accounts and seize vehicles of wilful defaulters
• power for courts to issue an arrest warrant for non-attendance at a referral hearing
• provisions for courts to order referral hearing costs to be paid by the debtor
• children will not be committed to custody solely for fine default
• revised powers to use supervised activity orders (SAO) to allow debtors to complete unpaid work in the community to clear a financial penalty
• the removal of sentence remission for those who end up in custody for fine default

How to pay your fine?

Online

When making payment you will need your case reference number and your online account number

Payments can be made online using a debit or credit card at

• Courts and Tribunals online services

Telephone

or via telephone using a debit or credit card by calling 0300 200 7812

Cheque

or alternatively send a crossed cheque including your case reference and name made payable to 'NI Courts and Tribunals Service' to

Difficulty making payment

If you are having difficulty in paying the outstanding financial penalty, have any questions about making payments or you need further time to pay, you should contact the Fine Collection and Enforcement Service immediately as per contact below.

Contact Fine Collection and Enforcement Service

Telephone: 028 9072 8802

Email fcs@courtsni.gov.uk