Fines for criminal offences
- Introduction
- Maximum fines on summary conviction
- Maximum fines for conviction on indictment
- How to pay a fine
- Further information
Introduction
A fine is the amount of money a judge decides you have to pay as punishment for an offence.
The court decides the amount to be paid and the number of days allowed for payment. However, the amount of the fine is limited for some convictions.
Your financial situation
The court must take into account your financial circumstances when deciding how much to fine you. You must also provide details of your financial circumstances to the court.
If you fail to give accurate information about your or anyone else’s financial circumstances it is a criminal offence. You can read more about the classification of crimes in criminal cases.
This document gives information on the maximum fines allowable if you are:
- Summarily convicted in the District Court, or
- Convicted on indictment in the Circuit Court or the Central Criminal Court (High Court).
It also includes information on how to pay a fine and the potential consequences if you do not pay the fine.
Maximum fines on summary conviction
If you are charged with a summary offence it can only be dealt with by a judge sitting without a jury in the District Court.
There are 5 categories or classes of maximum fine for summary convictions under the Fines Act 2010.
If you are convicted of a summary offence linked to a certain class of fine, the maximum fine is given below.
For example, the maximum fine for a class B fine is €4,000. A court will often have the option of giving a term of imprisonment instead of or in addition to a fine.
| Fine Class | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum fine | €5,000 | €4,000 | €2,500 | €1,000 | €500 |
Maximum fines enacted before 2011
If the maximum fine was set before January 2011, it will now fit into one of the fine classes. The fine class it belongs to depends on when the fine was set and the amount the maximum fine was set at.
For example, if legislation (an act or statutory instrument) set the maximum fine on summary conviction for a particular offence at the equivalent of €500 in 1992, a class D fine now applies. See table below. fence at the equivalent of €500 in 1992, a class D fine now applies. See table below.
| Fine Class | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Set in period | Fine (€) | Fine (€) | Fine (€) | Fine (€) | Fine (€) |
| 1997 - 2010 | 4,001 - 5,000 | 2,501 - 4,000 | 1,001 - 2,500 | 501 – 1,000 | 1 - 500 |
| 1990 - 1996 | 2,770 - 5,000 | 1,732 - 2,769 | 693 - 1,731 | 347 - 692 | 1 - 346 |
| 1980 - 1989 | 2,329 - 5,000 | 1,456 - 2,328 | 583 - 1,455 | 292 - 582 | 1 - 291 |
| 1975 - 1979 | 971 - 5,000 | 607 - 970 | 243 - 606 | 122 - 242 | 1 - 121 |
| 1965 - 1974 | 492 - 5,000 | 308 - 491 | 124 - 307 | 62 - 123 | 1 - 61 |
| 1945 - 1964 | 235 - 5,000 | 148 - 234 | 60 - 147 | 30 - 59 | 1 - 29 |
| 1915 - 1944 | 128 - 5,000 | 80 - 127 | 33 – 79 | 17 - 32 | 1 - 16 |
| Up to 1914 | 101 - 5,000 | 51 - 100 | 26 - 50 | 7 - 25 | 1 - 6 |
Maximum fines for conviction on indictment
An indictable offence is one which could be tried before a judge and jury in the Circuit Court or the Central Criminal Court.
Where an indictable offence is tried summarily the maximum fine that applies is a class A fine.
Maximum fines if convicted on indictment
If the maximum fine for conviction on indictment for a particular offence was set on or after 1997, it is still the maximum fine for that offence.
Calculating fines set before 1997
If the maximum fine was set before 1997, the value it was set at then is multiplied by the multiplier for that decade listed in the table below, to find the current value of the maximum fine.
For example, if the maximum fine was set at €5,000 in 1984, you multiply by 2 to get the current value of €10,000.
| Set in period | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| 1990 - 1996 | 1.75 |
| 1980 - 1989 | 2 |
| 1975 - 1979 | 5 |
| 1965 - 1974 | 10 |
| 1945 - 1964 | 21 |
| 1915 - 1944 | 39 |
| Up to 1914 | 50 |
How to pay a fine
If you are ordered to pay a fine, you can pay in full or by instalments. You can find detailed information about paying a fine on the Courts Service website.
Payment in full can be made at any court office, An Post office, or online within the time allowed by the judge.
Paying a fine by instalments
You can pay by instalment only if the fine exceeds €100. Instalment payments should be made through An Post.
- You must pay the first instalment payment must be made within 42 days of the fine being imposed by the court. It must be 10% of the fine. You then have 1 year and 42 days to pay the full fine.
- After the first instalment, each subsequent payment except the final instalment is due within 30 days of the previous due date. Each instalment is 7.5% of the fine.
- The 13th and final instalment must be paid within 35 days of the previous (12th) due date. Again, it is 7.5% of the fine.
You will receive a payment plan after you pay the first instalment.
What happens if I don’t pay my fine?
If your fine remains unpaid or if you do not pay an instalment by the due date, you should get a fines enforcement notice.
The fines enforcement notice will tell you the date and time you must attend for another hearing and you will need to provide a written statement of your financial circumstances.
At that hearing, you will be given an opportunity to pay the outstanding fine in full or the judge may opt for one of the following (in order):
- Attachment of earnings - your employer will deduct a specified sum from your pay
- Recovery order – only for fines over €500 or corporate fines
- Community service
- Imprisonment