Important Notice
Customer Alert:
The City of Toronto does not send text messages or email reminders about parking tickets or violations. The City also does not issue reminders through third-party organizations. If you receive such a message, do not click any links and delete it immediately.
Description of Service/Summary:
The City of Toronto Court Services handles tickets and fines issued under the Provincial Offences Act (POA), which covers non-criminal offences such as speeding, parking, and by-law violations.
Residents can use online, mail-in, or in-person options to:
- Pay fines and penalties.
- Request an early resolution meeting with a prosecutor.
- Request a trial.
- Reopen a conviction.
- Apply for an extension of time to pay.
General information is available on the City’s website: Tickets, Fines and Penalties.
Types of Provincial Offence Notices
- Part I - Ticket issued to an individual (green).
- Part II - Parking ticket, including GO Transit parking (bright yellow).
- Part III Summons including a court date (pale yellow).
Provincial Offences may include violations under:
- Highway Traffic Act: speeding, careless driving, seat belt infractions, red-light camera tickets.
- Compulsory Automobile Insurance Act: failing to surrender or carrying invalid insurance.
- Liquor Licence Act: public intoxication or selling alcohol to a minor.
- Trespass to Property Act: entering prohibited premises or failing to leave when directed.
- City By-laws: noise, taxi, and animal care violations.
- Other Acts: Occupational Health and Safety or Ministry of the Environment offences.
- Note: A police officer has 7 days to file a ticket, and it could take up to 15 days for the POA court to show a record offence.
Court Case Look-Up
The Court Case Look-Up tool allows you to:
- Pay a provincial offence fine
- View images from red-light or automated speed enforcement cameras
- Request an early resolution meeting with a prosecutor
- Request a trial
- Check the status of your ticket or court case
- If you cannot find your case, it could be that the ticket has not yet been filed with the court. You will need to try again later.
- Note: For best results, use browsers such as Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Internet Explorer 9 or higher, or Safari, at a resolution of 1280 × 1024.
Responding to a Ticket
If you receive a ticket, you have 15 calendar days to choose one of the following options (found on the back of your ticket):
Important:
- If you do not exercise one of the above options within 15 days of receiving the ticket, you will be deemed not to dispute the charges, and a justice of the peace may enter a conviction against you. Upon conviction, additional costs will be added the court may enter a conviction.
- If the fine goes into default, an administrative fee will be added, and steps will be taken to enforce our defaulted fine. For example, information may be provided to a consumer reporting agency and for certain offences, including speeding, your driver’s licence may be suspended.
- Court office will not accept documentation for other locations. To avoid delays, please be sure to deliver your documentation to the correct court office.
Reopening a Conviction
If you were convicted without a hearing, you may apply to reopen your case.
- Complete the application for reopening a conviction notice.
- Send it by email to POACourt@toronto.ca or by mail to the address on your ticket
- Note: The Ontario Court of Justice determines reopening applications. Once a decision is made, you can check the outcome online through Court Case Look-Up.
Requesting More Time to Pay
If you need more time to pay a fine:
- Visit the court office noted on the back of your ticket.
- Complete an Extension of Time to Pay form.
- Submit it by email to POACourt@toronto.ca or by mail.
- A justice of the peace will review your request and approve or deny it based on the information provided.
Payment Options
- In Person: at any Provincial Offences Office in Ontario
- Online: through the City of Toronto's online payment portal
- Only tickets issued within the City of Toronto can be paid on the City website)
- By Mail: send a cheque or money (do not send cash) order payable to Toronto Court Services to the court office listed on your ticket.
- Payments can be made by Visa, MasterCard, American Express, debit card, cheque, or money order.
- If your fine is in default, only certified funds or electronic payments are accepted.
- Note: It may take up to 10 days for tickets to appear online.
- Payments can take up to 4 business days to be reflected with the Ministry of Transportation.
- A web payment fee of $3.50 applies to online transactions.
Refunds
You may qualify for a refund if:
- You overpaid your fine.
- You paid the fine more than once.
- Your appeal was granted.
- Refunds typically take 5 to 6 weeks to process.
Unpaid Fines
Failure to pay your fine in full could result in the following:
- Conviction being entered against you.
- Upon conviction you will be required to pay the set fine, including court costs and applicable victim fine surcharge.
Failure to pay the fine imposed upon conviction by the due date will result in one or more of the following:
- Suspension of your driver’s licence.
- Refusal to issue or renew vehicle permits.
- Additional administrative fees.
- Referral to a collection agency.
- Reporting of the default to a credit bureau.
Victim Fine Surcharge and Court Costs
- Victim Fine Surcharge (VFS) is added to all fines (except parking tickets) under the Provincial Offences Act. Funds support services for victims of crime.
- The amount of the Victim Fine Surcharge is variable, and is based on the amount of the fine.
- Failure to pay your fine in full could result in a conviction being entered against you. Upon conviction you will be required to pay the set fine including court costs and the applicable victim fine surcharge by the due date.
- Court costs depend on when payment is made and may include service, witness, restitution or failure-to-appear costs.
- The costs are authorized by Section 60 of the Provincial Offences Act and the amount is set by regulation.
Safety and Accessibility
If you are unable to attend court in person or use online services, contact the Accessibility Coordinator for assistance.
Additional Information
- Lost Tickets: Court Services can locate your ticket using your driver’s licence or personal details.
- Book an In Person appointment at a Toronto Court Services Counter. The appointment booking link is available 24/7 for our convenience.
- Licence Validity Check: The Ontario Ministry of Transportation offers a free online service to confirm your licence status.
