If you accept what happened but believe a caution or reduction is fairer, you can ask Revenue NSW for leniency as part of a request for a review — usually within 28 days. You set out your circumstances honestly (for example a long clean record or a genuine one-off situation) and ask them to consider a caution instead of the penalty. It’s free to ask.
Check your fine in minutes →Free case-strength check first — if your grounds are weak, we'll tell you · letters from $10.50, capped at $49.50You don’t have to work this out yourself. Once you’ve entered your case details, Fight My Fine recommends the stronger path for your situation — and you choose. Disputing means arguing the fine shouldn’t stand (for example an error or unclear signage). Asking for leniency means accepting what happened but asking for a caution or reduction based on your circumstances.
You can go with our recommendation or switch to the other path — it’s always your call.
These are examples; what matters is your genuine situation:
Lodge a request for a review with Revenue NSW — online via myPenalty with your penalty notice number, or by letter — within the window on your notice (commonly 28 days). Be honest and respectful, set out your circumstances, attach anything that supports them, and clearly ask for a caution or reduction.
A good leniency request is honest, specific and well-structured: it acknowledges the situation, explains your circumstances, references any supporting material, and makes a clear, reasonable ask. Fight My Fine drafts exactly this from a few plain-English questions — tailored to NSW and addressed to the right authority, as an editable Word document you review and send.
Yes. As part of a request for a review to Revenue NSW (usually within 28 days), you can accept what happened and ask them to consider a caution or reduction instead of the penalty, setting out your circumstances honestly. It is free to ask.
Disputing argues the fine should not stand (for example an error or misidentification). Leniency accepts what happened but asks for a caution or reduction based on your circumstances. The best path depends on your situation.
A long, clean record is one of the circumstances people commonly raise when asking for leniency. It does not guarantee an outcome — Revenue NSW decides on the merits — but it is relevant context for a caution request.
Lodge a request for a review with Revenue NSW online through the myPenalty portal using your penalty notice number, or by letter to the address on your notice, within the window shown (commonly 28 days).
From $10.50 — 10% of your fine, GST included, with a $10.50 minimum and a $49.50 cap. There is a free case-strength check before you pay.
Fight My Fine is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and this page 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. For serious matters or court, speak with a qualified lawyer or a free service such as LawAccess NSW.