A Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) in the UK is a fine issued by police or local councils for minor offenses, allowing individuals to avoid prosecution. Common examples include traffic violations (speeding), littering, dog fouling, and fly-tipping. FPNs are often referred to as on-the-spot fines, penalty notices, or administrative penalties. FPNs are available as a means for dealing with various environmental crimes. The first was introduced in 1990 for leaving litter, and since then numerous others have followed, particularly as a result of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003, and the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.
An FPN allows you to discharge your liability for a minor offence without going to court, they can cover a wide range of offences, but for the purpose of the council, they cover environmental crimes such as litter, fly tipping, breaching either household or commercial Duty of Care as respects to waste, breaching a Public Space Protection Order, failing to produce documentation relating to waste carrier licences, and waste transfer notes.
Payment must be made online as South Cambridgeshire District Council have no facilities to pay over the telephone or by cash, and all FPN’s must be paid within 14 calendar days, although if you pay them within 10 calendar days you can pay a lesser amount – usually 40% less.
Paying does not necessarily mean an admission of guilt, but it stops further action. Ignoring an FPN can result in prosecution, a court hearing, and if found guilty, a higher fine, and a criminal record.
Fees
Fees vary depending on what area they cover. See below for a list of fees:
When paid within 10 days
- Fly tipping £420
- Duty of care £360
- Depositing litter £240
- Littering from a vehicle £240
- Failure to produce Waste Transfer Note £180
- Failure to produce waste carriers licence £180
- Abandoning a motor vehicle £120
- Exposing 2 or more vehicles for sale on a road £60
- Repairing a vehicle on the road £60
- Deface any property by painting, writing, etc. (Fly posting, Graffiti) £240
- Failure to place waste in prescribed container (Domestic) £75
- Failure to place waste in prescribed container (Commercial) £75
- Smoking ban £30
- Smoking in a public place & failure to display 'no smoking' signs £150
- Breach of a public community protection notice £75
- Breach of a public spaces protection order £75
- Unauthorised distribution of literature on designated land £75
- Noise from dwellings £75
- Noise from Licensed premises £300
When paid after 10 days
- Fly tipping £700
- Duty of care £600
- Depositing litter £400
- Littering from a vehicle £400
- Failure to produce Waste Transfer Note £300
- Failure to produce waste carriers licence £300
- Abandoning a motor vehicle £200
- Exposing 2 or more vehicles for sale on a road £100
- Repairing a vehicle on the road £100
- Deface any property by painting, writing, etc. (Fly posting, Graffiti) £400
- Failure to place waste in prescribed container (Domestic) £150
- Failure to place waste in prescribed container (Commercial) £150
- Smoking ban £50
- Smoking in a public place & failure to display 'no smoking' signs £200
- Breach of a public community protection notice £100
- Breach of a public spaces protection order £100
- Unauthorised distribution of literature on designated land £150
- Noise from dwellings £150
- Noise from Licensed premises £500