Pay a fixed penalty notice
A Fixed Penalty Notice is an 'on the spot' fine for committing offences such as:
- littering
- dog fouling
- businesses not having a waste removal contract
- distributing free printed materials (leaflets, flyers) without consent
- putting your household rubbish out too soon (sooner than 3:30pm the day before collection)
If you’ve been issued a fixed penalty for such offences you should pay the fine within the timescale shown on the notice. Failure to pay will likely result in criminal prosecution in court.
Pay your littering penalty online
Alternatively, you can pay by phone: 0330 333 4382. This a 24-hour automated service.
Calls to 0333 numbers will cost you no more than 01 or 02 numbers from landlines and mobiles. If you get "inclusive minutes" with your package, calls to 0333 numbers should be included as part of these.
To pay any other type of fixed penalty, phone 0121 303 6007 from 8:45am to 4:00pm, Monday to Friday.
Appealing a fixed penalty notice
Paying the fine will remove all rights you have to appeal.
If you believe your fixed penalty notice was issued incorrectly and choose not to pay it, the matter will be sent to court as a formal prosecution.
It will then be up to the court to determine whether or not an offence was committed and whether or not you should pay a penalty. If the matter goes to court and you are found to have committed an offence, the court can impose a maximum penalty of £2,500.
Domestic littering
A fixed penalty of £150 will be issued if you are caught littering. The amount due will not be reduced if you pay within 14 days.
Littering includes dropping cigarette stubs and chewing gum.
You must still pay the fine if:
- there are no warning signs around about the penalty for littering
- you cannot find a litter bin
- you offer to clear away the litter
Read our frequently asked questions about fixed penalty notices issued for domestic littering.
Dog Fouling
A fixed penalty of £100 will be issued if you are caught failing to clear up after your dog. It is not a defence to say that you did not see the dog foul or that you had no means to clear up.
Commercial littering
We can issue Street Litter Control Notices to businesses who fail to clear their litter.
This includes:
- food and drink outlets
- service stations
- recreational venues
- banks and building societies
- betting shops
- mobile service vehicles
- market stalls