Pay the fine: Plea of guilty
(Option one on the back of your ticket)
This option is available if you wish to pay the fine. A conviction will be registered according to the offence indicated on the face of your ticket with the Ministry of Transportation and demerit points are registered accordingly.
Plead guilty with an explanation
(Option two on the back of your ticket)
This option is available if you do not wish to dispute the charge, but wish to plead guilty before a Justice of the Peace and make a submission about sentence.
You or an agent must attend in person at the court office designated on the back of your ticket (Offence Notice). Time and dates are also listed. Upon your arrival at the designated court, you must register your name with our counter staff. Staff will instruct you accordingly after you sign in.
A Justice of the Peace will read the charge to the defendant/agent and register a conviction. The defendant's submissions can only result in a possible reduction in the fine, or an extension of the time to pay. The conviction is registered with the Ministry of Transportation and demerit points are registered accordingly.
Requesting a trial
(Option three on the back of your ticket)
You an agent or representative over the age of 16 must file a Notice of Intention to Appear (NIA) in person at any POA court location in the GTA within 15 days of receiving the ticket. After 15 days, the request must be made at the POA court location indicated on the back of the ticket. Please bring a pen in order to complete your paperwork.
Once the NIA has been filed, a trial date will be scheduled and mailed to you (if an agent is representing you at trial, you must authorize the POA court location, in writing, to mail the Notice of Trial to the representative.)
Early resolution at first attendance
If you receive an Offence Notice (commonly called a "ticket") for an offence indicated on the chart below other than parking, stopping or standing of a vehicle, you may have a First Attendance meeting with a prosecutor. At this meeting you can discuss the charge(s) on the ticket(s) and possibly reach a satisfactory result without a trial.
If your only charge is failing to surrender your driver's licence, permit or insurance card and you bring proof that you had the valid document(s) at the time of the offence the prosecutor may withdraw the charge.
If you have been charged with another offence, you may enter into a plea negotiation and complete the process then instead of going to trial.
If your concern is over the penalty, you can discuss your concerns with the prosecutor and perhaps reach an agreement for a joint submission, whereby you and the prosecutor agree on an appropriate penalty for recommendation to the Justice of the Peace. It will be up to the Justice of the Peace whether to accept the recommendation.
First attendance meetings are available by appointment only and must be requested in person at the court office address indicated on the back of your ticket. Court rulings require that you must file a trial request at the same time you request a first attendance meeting. If the first attendance meeting is not successful, then a trial will automatically be set.
Charges eligible for a first attendance meeting
Note: The charges of careless driving or charges resulting from an accident are not eligible for walk-in first attendance meetings.
| Charge |
Statutory Provision |
| Multiple charges issued at the same time (other than Careless Driving) |
|
| Colour Coating Obstructing Interior (bring proof problem corrected) |
H.T.A. 73(3) |
| Defective Horn |
H.T.A. 75(5) |
| Drive - display screen visible to driver |
H.T.A. 78(1) |
| Drive - hand-held communication device |
H.T.A. 78.1(1) |
| Drive - hand-held entertainment device |
H.T.A. 78.1(2) |
| Disobey Stop Sign |
H.T.A. 136(1)(a) |
| Drive with colour coated lights (bring receipt showing problem corrected) |
H.T.A. 62(1) |
| Drive Wrong Way- One Way Traffic |
H.T.A. 153 |
| Fail to Display two Plates |
H.T.A. 7(1)(b) |
| Fail to Notify Change of address- Licence |
H.T.A. Sch 46 s.33(1) |
| Fail to Notify Change of Name address (owner of vehicle or plate) |
H.T.A. 9 |
| Fail to notify change o f name (owner of vehicle or plate) |
H.T.A. 9 |
| Fail to surrender driver's licence |
H.T.A. 33(1) |
| Fail to surrender insurance card |
C.A.I.A. 3(1) |
| Fail to surrender permit |
H.T.A. 7(5)(a) |
| Improper headlight (bring receipt to show work done) |
H.T.A. 62(1) |
| Improper tail light (bring receipt to show work done) |
H.T.A. 62(1) |
| Licence holder fail to sign driver's licence in ink |
H.T.A. Sch. 46, s. 34 |
| Permit holder fail to sign permit in ink |
O.Reg 628 s. 8(1) |
| Proceed contrary to sign |
H.T.A. 144(9) |
| Disobey Red light (if turn involved) |
H.T.A. 144(18) |
| Red light camera |
H.T.A. 144(18.1) |
| Speeding |
H.T.A. 128 |
| Unnecessary noise (Improper muffler) |
H.T.A. 75(1) |
| Unsafe lane change/Fail to drive in marked lane |
H.T.A. 154(1)(a) |
| Unsafe tires |
H.T.A. 70(3) |
| POA Part I offence(s) under the City of Toronto Municipal Code or City By-law |
|
| POA Part I offence(s) under a provincial statute other than the Highway Traffic Act |
|
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