Most Australian traffic and camera fines arrive about two weeks after the offence. NSW can take up to 28 days, Tasmania sometimes just a few days, and over holiday periods it can stretch to a month or more. If a notice turns up much later than that, it is worth checking the dates, because authorities cannot pursue an alleged offence forever.
For a speed, red light, mobile phone or seatbelt camera fine, the usual wait is around two weeks from the date of the offence. There is real variation around that. NSW can take up to 28 days and does not publicly commit to a timeframe. Tasmania can issue an electronic notice in as little as a few days. During busy periods such as Easter, Christmas and New Year, a notice can take a month or more to reach you. And while it is not the norm, plenty of drivers report waiting much longer, occasionally several months.
A fine written by a police officer is different again. You often have it in your hand at the roadside, or it follows shortly after by post. On-the-spot police fines can also be delivered electronically by SMS or email. In NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT, an officer can issue the infringement by text or email at the time, if you agree and give your mobile number or email (Victoria calls these e-PINs). An electronic notice is treated as served the moment it is sent, so it can reach you the same day, though that still depends on when the officer actually sends it. Two things to keep in mind: this mainly applies to on-the-spot fines, since camera fines still generally come by post, and not every state offers it. In WA, for instance, the initial fine always arrives by post or in person, with SMS or email used only for reminders once a fine is overdue.
A camera fine is not issued the instant the shutter clicks. The image is reviewed, the vehicle and registered operator are identified, the notice is produced, and then it goes into the post. Each step adds time, and the back end gets slower when volumes spike around public holidays. Postage and your own address details do the rest. In several states a posted notice is also treated as served a set number of days after it was sent, not when you actually open it, which matters for the deadlines below.
This trips people up. The clock to pay, seek a review, or elect to go to court generally runs from the date on the notice, not the day it arrives. That window is commonly 21 to 28 days depending on the state. So a slow-arriving notice quietly eats into your time to act.
Because real fines can now arrive by SMS or email, scammers copy them. A genuine message has a few tells:
There is no single national rule setting the exact number of days an authority has to issue a notice, so be wary of anyone who quotes one with confidence. In practice it rarely matters, because camera fines are posted within weeks, so a long delay is unusual to begin with.
A few things are worth knowing if yours did arrive late. South Australia is the clearest case: an expiation notice must be issued within six months of the offence (Expiation of Offences Act 1996, s 6). Most other states do not publish a separate deadline for posting the notice. Instead, the real backstop is the limitation period for taking the matter to court, generally around 6 to 12 months from the offence depending on the state and the offence. Because an infringement notice is the alternative to that prosecution, a notice issued well outside that window may be open to challenge. Keep in mind that this is a limit on prosecution, not a guaranteed deadline for posting the notice, and that these periods can carry offence-specific exceptions, so check the current rule for your state.
If a notice turns up long after the offence, do not just assume it is valid, and do not assume it is automatically void either. Do this instead: find the offence date and the date of issue on the notice and compare them. If the gap is within the normal few weeks, it is simply a slow delivery and the fine stands. If the notice was issued well outside the limitation period for your state, that can be a genuine basis to ask for it to be withdrawn, and if it merely arrived late and cost you time to respond, that supports a request for an extension or a review. Either way, raise the dates clearly and in writing. The authority, and ultimately a court, makes the final decision.
Most arrive about two weeks after the offence. NSW can take up to 28 days and doesn't commit to a timeframe, Tasmania can send an electronic notice in a few days, and holiday periods can push it out to a month or more.
There is no single national rule, and in practice most camera fines arrive within weeks. South Australia requires an expiation notice to be issued within 6 months of the offence. Most other states do not publish a separate deadline for posting a notice, but they cannot pursue the matter in court indefinitely: a limitation period of generally 6 to 12 months from the offence applies, and an infringement notice is the alternative to that prosecution, so a notice issued well outside that window may be challengeable. Check your own dates and the current rule.
Yes, but mainly for on-the-spot police fines. In NSW, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT, an officer can issue a penalty notice by SMS or email at the time if you consent and give your details (Victoria calls these e-PINs), and it counts as served the moment it is sent. Camera fines still generally come by post. Some states, like WA, use SMS or email only for reminders after a fine is overdue, not for the original fine. Scammers also send fake fine texts, so check a message is genuine before paying.
Usually from the date on the notice, not when it lands in your letterbox, and in many states a posted notice is treated as served a set number of days after it was sent. A slow-arriving notice can eat into your window, so if it reaches you late you can ask for an extension or lodge a review.
Possibly. If the notice was issued outside your state's limitation period, that can be a basis to ask for it to be withdrawn. Compare the offence date and the issue date, raise it clearly, and remember the authority or a court decides. For anything serious, get legal advice.
Sources: typical arrival times from WhichCar and CarsGuide (about two weeks in most states, up to 28 days in NSW, as little as a few days in Tasmania, longer over holidays). The one firm deadline to issue a notice is South Australia's, within 6 months of the offence (Expiation of Offences Act 1996, s 6). Most states do not publish a separate deadline for posting a notice; the backstop is instead the limitation period for commencing court proceedings, generally 6 to 12 months from the offence (for example Criminal Procedure Act 2009 (Vic) s 7 and Criminal Procedure Act 2004 (WA) s 21, with summary-offence limitation guidance for other states from legal-practice sources such as Armstrong Legal and Go To Court). That is a limit on prosecution, not on posting the notice, and it can carry offence-specific exceptions, so always check the current provisions and your own notice. Payment and response windows are commonly 21 to 28 days from the date on the notice. Electronic service of on-the-spot police penalty notices by SMS or email, with the recipient's consent, operates in NSW (Fines Act 1996 and Road Transport Act 2013), Victoria (e-PINs, per Victoria Police and Victoria Legal Aid), Queensland (State Penalties Enforcement Regulation, s 19A) and the ACT (2017 notifiable instrument). WA does not send initial infringements electronically; its Fines Enforcement Registry uses SMS or email only as reminders after a fine is overdue. Always check the dates and options on your own notice.
Fight My Fine is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and this page is general information, not legal advice. Timeframes and limitation periods vary by state and offence and can change. The issuing authority and the courts make the final decision on any review or challenge. For serious matters or court, speak with a qualified lawyer or a free service such as your state's Legal Aid or community legal centre.