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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


How to pay traffic fines online

Here's everything you need to know about paying a fine, or what may happen if you don't.


Did you know you can pay your traffic fines online? Take a look at how as well as other FAQs on ways you can pay your traffic violations.

When receiving traffic fines in the post, we usually ask the following three questions: “Where did I get this? This can’t be right, and I wonder where I can pay it quickly?”

Paying a speeding fine has become a lot easier and many portals have popped up to help the driver pay off their fines as soon as possible.

This is where you can pay your traffic fine offline

  1. Pick n Pay
  2. South African Post Office (SAPO) – Hand over original fine and pay cashier
  3. Absa – Hand over original fine and pay cashier or ATMs
  4. Shoprite Checkers
  5. Engen Quickshops
  6. Some Woolworths Stores
  7. Lewis
  8. Spar
  9. Boxer

This is where you can pay your traffic fine online

What you need to pay your fines

  • The original receipt, if you are paying offline
  • The 16-digit notice number, if you are paying online

How long do I have to pay my fines?

There are two kinds of traffic fines:

  1. Section 56 Notice – issued to you by a traffic officer (speeding and other traffic violations), which has a court date prescribed. You need to pay prior to that date.
  2. Section 341 Notice – sent to a motorist by post for violations caught on camera, or traffic tickets issued in the absence of the motorist for an expired licence disk, or parking illegally. This notice does not have a court date but failure to pay the fine will result in a second notice, after which a summons with a court date will be issued by the traffic department.

What if I don’t pay my traffic fine?

If you don’t pay or contest your traffic fine by the due date, and do not appear in court to present your case, a warrant for your arrest will automatically be issued when the case goes to court.

What if I can’t afford my traffic fine?

If you are unable to pay your fine, the traffic department will come up with a payment programme whereby you pay the traffic fine off using a monthly payment method.

Do I have to pay a traffic fine on the spot at the time of the offence?

If a traffic officer is insisting that you pay a fine then and there, they are breaking the law. No traffic officer should accept cash on the road and the fee for the fine needs to be paid to the traffic department. An official receipt should be issued.

The only time you may have the option of paying on the road is at a roadblock where there is a formal cash facility. If this is the case, you can choose to pay your traffic fines there.

Saying that, police officers cannot legally force you to pay your traffic fines on the spot but they can issue you with a summons.

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