In Western Australia you can ask the Department of Transport for a free review of a traffic infringement notice — but only on one ground, special or extraordinary circumstances, generally within 28 days of the notice. You can also nominate the actual driver or elect to have the matter heard in the Magistrates Court instead of applying for a review.
Check your Western Australian 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 elseTraffic infringement processing in WA changed hands in October 2024: it moved from WA Police Force to the Department of Transport and Major Infrastructure (DTMI), specifically its Infringement Services team. If your notice or any past correspondence still mentions WA Police, that's why — the WA Police website now points people straight to Transport WA for anything to do with an infringement notice, including requesting a review.
WA's process sits between the two other approaches in this series. It's a genuine, named review (unlike Queensland, which has no formal review at all), but it's only available on one specific ground rather than the broader list Victoria and NSW allow. Read the notice on your infringement carefully — WA's review request form can only be used for a fine issued by a police officer or detected by an automated traffic camera.
Whatever kind of traffic infringement you've received, you generally have 28 days from the date on the notice to act. Your options are:
Once you've made a full or part payment, you lose the ability to apply for a review, contest the infringement in court, nominate another driver, or dispute demerit points — so decide on your path before you pay anything.
A WA review isn't a general "I think this is wrong" mechanism — it's built around one specific ground: that special or extraordinary circumstances led to the alleged offence occurring. Think a genuine medical emergency, a sudden and unavoidable event, or something similarly out of the ordinary that explains why the offence happened.
You'll need to back it up. Transport WA asks for supporting documents such as a report from a medical practitioner, a supporting agency, a government department, or evidence of a medical emergency. A vague explanation without documentation is unlikely to succeed.
What doesn't work: Transport WA's own guidance is explicit that a good driving record isn't considered in the review — penalties and demerit points are set and can't be varied simply because you don't usually get fined. If your situation is more about the fine feeling harsh than about extraordinary circumstances explaining the offence, our guide to asking for leniency in WA covers that request instead.
You can request a review, or ask for a new copy of your notice, using Transport WA's online form, by emailing infringementservices@transport.wa.gov.au, or by mail to Infringement Services, GPO Box R1290, Perth WA 6844. Attach your supporting documents and set out plainly what happened and why it was out of the ordinary and unavoidable.
Once it's lodged, Infringement Services investigates and no further action is taken until a decision is made. You'll be told the outcome by your preferred contact method — email or letter — as one of three results: the infringement stands (you'll need to pay or manage it by the due date), no action (it was issued in error and is cancelled, with nothing owing and nothing on your record), or withdrawn (the issuing authority has requested the infringement be withdrawn).
Miss the 28-day window without paying, nominating a driver, requesting a review, or electing court, and a final demand notice follows with extra fees. If that's not paid either, the matter is registered with the Fines Enforcement Registry, which can lead to further fees and possible suspension of your vehicle registration or driver's licence.
Electing for a Magistrates Court hearing is a bigger step than a review — once you start the court process it replaces your infringement and can't be stopped, and it's the court, not Transport WA, that decides the outcome. If you're unsuccessful, a conviction is recorded and further court fees can apply. That's a genuinely different process to a written review, so for anything heading to court it's worth speaking with a qualified lawyer or a free service such as Legal Aid WA.
Because WA only accepts one ground, the strongest requests state plainly what the special or extraordinary circumstance was, attach the specific document that supports it, and ask clearly for the infringement to be withdrawn or cancelled. 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 Infringement Services. If your grounds come back rated Strong and the fine is still not overturned, we refund your fee in full — full details are in our guarantee terms.
A printable one-pager covering the deadlines, 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.
Yes. Since October 2024 the Department of Transport (formerly WA Police) has run the review process. Unlike Victoria's five grounds, Western Australia accepts a review on only one ground — special or extraordinary circumstances — generally within 28 days of your infringement notice.
Generally 28 days from the date on your traffic infringement notice — the same window you have to pay, nominate the actual driver, or elect to have the matter heard in the Magistrates Court. Once you pay any part of the fine, you can no longer apply for a review.
Something genuinely out of the ordinary and unavoidable that led to the offence — for example a medical emergency — backed by supporting documents such as a report from a medical practitioner, a supporting agency or a government department. A good driving record on its own is not considered.
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, or the court, makes the final decision on any fine, nothing here is a prediction or guarantee. For serious matters or court, speak with a qualified lawyer or a free legal service such as Legal Aid WA.