What are provincial violation tickets?

A violation ticket is an ordinary traffic ticket, typically issued for offences such as failing to stop and driving without insurance. Most violation tickets are issued by enforcement officers for offences against the Motor Vehicle Act and Motor Vehicle Regulation offences.

Violation tickets can also be issued under any provincial statute included in the Offence Act, such as the Commercial Transport Act, Fisheries Act, Forest Act, Liquor Control and Licensing Act, Litter Act, Park Act and Wildlife Act.

Tickets issued by a municipality for bylaw infractions and parking tickets issued by private firms are not violation tickets and not covered by the information in this pamphlet

What do I do if I was issued a violation ticket?

You have 30 days, from the date of service shown on the front of the violation ticket, to either pay the fine indicated or dispute the charge.⁽¹⁾

How do I pay my violation ticket?

You can pay your violation ticket in person or by mail. To pay by mail, simply send a cheque or money order payable to Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) at:

Revenue Administration
Bag 3505
Victoria BC V8W 3N9

To pay by phone: 1 800 950-1498

Receipts will not be issued. Do not send cash in the mail. NSF cheques will be subject to additional administrative charges, in accordance with current government policy.

To ensure payment is properly credited, include a copy of the front of the ticket or a note with the following information:

• the violation ticket number (located on the top right corner on the front of the ticket);
• your full name, address, driver’s licence number and date of birth; and
• the violation date, plus the name of the act and section number of the offence, as listed on the front of the violation ticket.

Where can I pay my violation ticket in person?

You can pay in person at the following locations:

• most Autoplan brokers;
• ICBC driver licensing offices;
• ICBC claim centres;
• government agent’s office;
• provincial court registry; or
• banks and other financial institutions (intersection camera tickets only).

Is there any deduction if I pay within 30 days?

Yes, if you do not dispute your violation ticket and submit your payment within 30 days of the date you were served, you get a deduction.

For each Motor Vehicle Act or Motor Vehicle Regulation offence with a ticketed amount greater than $58, you can deduct $25.⁽²⁾

This deduction does not apply if:

• you are making a payment after 30 days from the date of service; or
• you are charged with committing an offence against a provincial statue other than the Motor Vehicle Act or Motor Vehicle Regulation.

What happens if I don't pay or dispute my violation ticket within 30 days?

You will be deemed to have pled guilty to the charge and the offence will be added to your driving record as a conviction.

The full ticketed amount becomes immediately due and payable. You are no longer eligible for the $25 deduction and, in some cases, penalty points will be applied to your licence.

Non-payment could affect your ability to obtain or renew your licence, insurance or even a permit from ICBC or other authorities depending on the offence.

Can I dispute a violation ticket if I have made full or partial payment?

No, payment is taken as a guilty plea. Once payment is made, your only recourse is to appeal the conviction to the B.C. Supreme Court.

What does paying my violation ticket mean?

By paying the violation ticket in full or in part, you are considered by the courts as submitting a guilty plea to the charged described on the front of your violation ticket.

The full ticketed amount becomes immediately due and payable. The full amount includes the fine amount, plus a 15 per cent victim surcharge.

Can I dispute the amount of the violation ticket fine separate from the charge? What if I need more time to pay?

The process for disputing the amount of the fine and/or requesting more time to pay the fine are the same.

You have to file a notice of dispute (PTR021) and a violation ticket statement and written reasons (PTR022) form, available at any court registry or download here. Completing this form means you are pleading guilty to the charge(s) and disputing the amount of the fine and/or requesting additional time to pay your fine.

After the justice considers the application, you will be notified of the results by mail.

Note: The violation ticket statement and written reasons form must not contain a defence of the charges. The notice of dispute must clearly indicate that you are pleading guilty to the charges. If either of these conditions is not met, the justice will not consider your request.

Do I have to appear in court to dispute the amount of the fine and/or receive more time to pay the fine?

No, you do not have to appear in court, but you must complete, sign and submit the violation ticket statement and written reasons form. This means that you are pleading guilty to the charge(s) and disputing only the amount of the fine.

Will my request to reduce the fine and/or have more time to pay be automatically granted?

No. The justice will review your submission, consider your request and then advise you by mail as to whether the request will be allowed.

What if I have already submitted my notice of dispute?

You can still complete and file a violation ticket statement and written reasons form by mail or in person at the provincial court registry noted on the front of the violation ticket.

How do I dispute a violation ticket?

You can find the notice of dispute form on the website (PTR021) or at any court registry.

Complete and sign the form and mail it to:

Ticket Dispute Processing
Bag 3510
Victoria BC V8W 3P7

If you do not have access to a notice of dispute form, send a copy of the front of your violation ticket, with a letter specifying what you are disputing (charge(s) or fine).

If you cannot enclose a copy of the violation ticket, you must include in your letter the following:

• the violation ticket number (located on the top right corner on the front of the ticket);
• your full name, address, driver’s licence number and date of birth; and
• the violation date, plus the name of the act and section number of the charge(s), as listed on the front of the violation ticket.

If you do not include the information noted directly above, your notice may not be filed and you may be deemed to have pled guilty to the charge. The offence will be added to your driving record as a conviction and the full ticketed amount becomes immediately due and payable.

Do not include evidence, such as videos or pictures, with your notice of dispute. Evidence may be brought with you to your hearing.

Can I file a notice of dispute in person?

Yes, either you or someone on your behalf may file a dispute against the charge(s) or the amount of the fine indicated on the violation ticket, at any ICBC office or provincial court registry.

If filing a dispute at a court registry, you must bring your copy of the violation ticket with you and complete a notice of dispute form.

What if I am unable to file my notice of dispute within 30 days?

You may file an affidavit form (PTR020), available at any court registry, requesting an extension.⁽³⁾ You must bring a copy of the violation ticket to file an affidavit. The affidavit can be sworn/affirmed at any court registry for a fee of $15 or by any commissioner for taking oaths, such as a notary public. You should also complete a notice of dispute form (PTR021) at this time. Note: The dispute will not be registered unless the affidavit is granted.

The affidavit is a request and extensions are not automatically granted. The justice will consider your application and you will be notified of the decision by mail.

What happens after my notice of dispute is filed?

A certified extract of the violation ticket will be produced by ICBC and forwarded to the Violation Ticket Centre. A hearing date will then be scheduled. Once a date has been scheduled, you will receive a notice of hearing in the mail, advising you of the date, time and location of your hearing.

If you change your mailing address, you must advise both the Violation Ticket Centre (or court registry) and ICBC of your new address. If you do not, you may not receive the notice of hearing and may be deemed to have pled guilty to the charge.

What if I am unavailable for the hearing date?

You may apply to a justice for an adjournment. As soon as you learn that you are unable to attend the scheduled hearing you must complete, sign and file an application to adjourn a hearing form (PTR818). The form must identify the legitimate reason you are unable to attend your hearing.

The application to adjourn a hearing may be mailed to the Violation Ticket Centre or filed at any court registry. After a justice considers the application, you will be notified of the results by mail.

What happens if I don't attend the hearing?

The violation ticket will be treated as not disputed and a conviction for the charge will be added to your driving record. The full ticketed amount will become immediately due and payable.

If, through no fault of your own, you were unable to attend the hearing date, you may file an affidavit (PTR019 or PTR020) requesting a new hearing date, at the provincial court registry where the hearing is scheduled.

What if I change my mind and want to pay the ticket?

Prior to your scheduled hearing, you may pay the fine on any violation ticket, in person or by mail. See “Paying a Ticket.” The $25 reduction will not apply.

Will the enforcement officer attend?

The enforcement officer who served the violation ticket to you may appear and prosecute the case by videoconference, telephone or in person. If you are charged with committing an offence under certain sections of the Motor Vehicle Act, the enforcement officer may present evidence by way of a written certificate and will not attend the hearing.

You may make application to the court, at your hearing, to have the enforcement officer attend in person for cross-examination to determine a relevant issue. If granted, the matter would be adjourned to another date for the officer to appear.

Violation Ticket (Registered Owner)

A violation ticket (registered owner) and any violation ticket issued as a result of red light infractions captured by an intersection camera, follow the same basic dispute process.

However, there are some differences in the process and different forms that must be used. For further information about the intersection camera program, please contact ICBC customer service at: 1 800 950-1498. For further information about the dispute process and forms mentioned in this pamphlet, please contact the Violation Ticket Centre or any court registry.

Contact Information

Violation Ticket Centre

The Violation Ticket Centre is your key resource for questions and information about paying or disputing a provincial violation ticket. You may also contact your local court registry. For further information regarding the information in this pamphlet, please contact:

Violation Ticket Centre
PO Box 2164
Stn. Main
Vancouver, BC V6B 3V3

ICBC

Websites:

Visit the Court Services Branch website to download any forms mentioned in this pamphlet or to find other information about the court system in B.C.:

www.ag.gov.bc.ca/courts/tickets/index.htm

The ICBC website provides information on provincial violation tickets and penalties at:

www.icbc.com/Licensing/lic_fines_pen_index.asp

The information contained in this brochure is intended as a guide only, to help you understand some of the laws regarding violation tickets. It is not intended as a substitute for the acts and/or regulations. In the event of a conflict or discrepancy between the information in this brochure and the applicable acts and/or regulations, the acts and/or regulations prevail.

This information is not intended to be legal advice. If you have any legal questions, please speak with a lawyer.

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Notes to the VT Brochure

1. The fine as indicated on the violation ticket includes the fine amount for the offence which was alleged to have been committed, plus a victim surcharge of 15 per cent. The victim surcharge is authorized by the Victims of Crime Act:

"if a person pays or is obligated to pay a fine under the Offence Act, the person must pay to the government, at the time and place where the fine is payable, a victim surcharge levy calculated in accordance with the prescribed formula."

2. In order to be eligible for the $25 deduction, the following conditions must all be met:
• You must pay the entire amount noted on the front of the violation ticket. Payment of only a partial amount does not qualify you for the deduction.
• You must make your payment within 30 days of the date shown on the front of the violation ticket. Payment made after 30 days have expired will not qualify you for the deduction, and any amount you deducted would be immediately due and owing. An outstanding amount owing could jeopardize your ability to obtain or renew your licence or insurance in the future.
• The violation ticket must be for a Motor Vehicle Act or Motor Vehicle Regulation offence only. Offences under the Commercial Transport Act and any other provincial statutes for which violation tickets may be issued, do not qualify.
• The total fine amount noted on the violation ticket must be higher than $58 (which represents a fine of $50 and a victim surcharge, rounded, of $8).
• The violation ticket has not been disputed.
  
  
3. When you submit an affidavit, the justice who considers it may or may not allow your request for an extension of time to dispute or request for a new hearing date. If the justice allows it, then the deemed conviction will be overturned and the court registry will allow you to file a notice of dispute or will set a new date for your court hearing. If the justice does not allow it, then your deemed conviction stands and the full fine amount is due and payable immediately.
   

   

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