In Victoria, you can ask Fines Victoria for a free internal review of an infringement notice or penalty reminder notice — generally within 28 days of the notice — but only on one of five specific grounds. Pick one that genuinely fits, attach evidence, and the fine is put on hold while it's considered.
Check your Victorian fine in minutes →Free case-strength check first — if your grounds are weak, we’ll tell you · one flat price, $10 parking & toll, $15 everything elseAnyone who has received a Victorian infringement notice or penalty reminder notice can request an internal review, provided it's for an eligible fine and made on an eligible ground. Lodge it as early as you can within the window on your notice — commonly 28 days from the date of the notice — and let Fines Victoria know before the payment due date. Don't sit on the notice while you decide.
Internal review isn't available for every fine. It doesn't cover excessive speeding, drink-driving, drug-driving or alcohol/drug-related boating offences, or fines already ordered by a court — those follow a different, court-based path. If your fine has moved past the infringement stage to a Notice of Final Demand or an Enforcement Warrant, the equivalent step is called an "enforcement review" and has its own rules.
By law, Fines Victoria can only accept a review request on one of five grounds. Choosing the wrong one is one of the most common reasons a review fails, so it's worth reading these properly before you apply:
Whichever ground you use, back it up: medical reports, travel documents, a removalist invoice, a police report, or photos of the alleged offence all count as supporting evidence.
Once you lodge a review, the fine is put on hold while Fines Victoria considers it. A decision is generally made within 90 days, and you'll get the outcome by mail — Fines Victoria may ask for more information first, so respond quickly if they do. If your application succeeds, the enforcement agency can choose to withdraw the fine outright, withdraw it and issue an official warning instead, approve a payment arrangement, waive or vary fees, or still confirm its original decision. Some outcomes — like a return to court — are also possible in specific circumstances.
An internal review doesn't increase your fine. If it's declined, you still owe the original amount and can look at your other options, including paying by instalments. Taking the matter to the Magistrates' Court is a separate, later step with its own process and costs — that's out of scope for this tool, and for serious matters you should speak with a qualified lawyer or a free service such as Victoria Legal Aid.
The strongest requests name the correct ground up front, state the facts plainly, attach the specific evidence that ground needs, and ask clearly for what you want — withdrawal, a warning instead, or a payment arrangement. Fight My Fine drafts this for you: you answer a few plain-English questions about your fine and circumstances, we give you a free, honest read on how strong your grounds are, and then draft an editable letter addressed to Fines Victoria. If your grounds come back rated Strong and the fine is still rejected in full, we refund your fee — full details are in our guarantee terms.
A printable one-pager covering the deadlines, the grounds to tick, the evidence to gather, who reviews your fine in each state, and what to put in your letter. Pop in your email and it's yours.
It's a free request asking Fines Victoria to look again at an infringement notice or penalty reminder notice, made on one of five specific grounds. The outcome can be the fine withdrawn, an official warning instead, a payment arrangement, or the fine confirmed.
Generally 28 days from the date on your infringement notice or penalty reminder notice, and you must let Fines Victoria know before the payment due date. Different timeframes apply if you're applying because you only just found out about the fine.
There are five: person unaware, contrary to law, mistake of identity, exceptional circumstances, and special circumstances. You must pick one that genuinely fits and provide evidence — a review made on the wrong ground is unlikely to succeed.
One flat price per letter: $10 for parking and unpaid-toll fines, $15 for all other fine types. No percentage of your fine. There is a free case-strength check before you pay, so if your grounds are weak we tell you first.
Fight My Fine is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and this article is general information, not legal advice. You are the author and sender of every letter. The issuing authority makes the final decision on any review — nothing here is a prediction or guarantee. For serious matters or court, speak with a qualified lawyer or a free legal service such as Victoria Legal Aid.