The Regional Municipality of Durham has a Provincial Offences Office that handles charges under the Provincial Offences Act.
Types of tickets
The type of ticket you get decides what options you have.
We deal with three types of tickets:
- Parking tickets
- Offence notices
- Summons
Parking tickets
Parking tickets vary by municipality. Review the instructions on the back of the ticket. Not all parking tickets are payable at our office. Contact the municipality that issued the ticket for information on how and where to pay.
We do not have access to your parking ticket data until the municipality notifies our court. This can take between 35 to 75 days after you get the ticket.
Offence notice
This ticket is issued by police or by-law officers. The front of the ticket shows you how much you owe in dollars.
Offence notice options
You need to choose one of the options on the back of the ticket. You have 15 days from the date you received the ticket to move forward with an option.
| Option 1: Plead guilty by paying the whole fine |
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This is an admission of guilt. You must pay the 'total payable' in full. Once you pay, the conviction is on your driver's record. Demerit points apply to some Highway Traffic Act offences. There are a number of options for you to pay your fine. |
| Option 2: Early resolution - meet with prosecutor |
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You can speak with a prosecutor and come to an agreement about your offence(s) without going to trial. If so, you and the prosecutor go before the Justice of the Peace to record the agreement. If you do not come to an agreement, you can request a future trial date. If you request a trial, you will receive your trial date by mail. If you do not wish to continue to trial, you can pay the ticket on the day of your meeting. To select Option 2Check off the first box under Option 2 on the back of the ticket. Either mail or bring your ticket to the address on the back of your ticket. We will mail you a notice with a date, time and place to meet with the prosecutor. If you live more than 75-kilometres from our office, you can request a meeting over the phone. Check off the second box under Option 2. Either mail or go to the address on the back of your ticket. If you live closer than 75-kilometres, you must go in person. If you do not get a letter, it is your responsibility to follow up with our office. The Justice of the Peace can find you guilty if no one comes to your meeting. You have to tell us if your address changes. If you need to change the date of your early resolution meeting, you must contact us in writing at least four business days before your meeting date. You can complete the Request to Reschedule form. |
| Option 3: Plead not guilty |
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You or your representative must go to court in person and complete a Notice of Intention to Appear form. We will mail you a Notice of Trial. It will tell you when to appear to challenge your charge. At trial, you will enter a not guilty plea before a Justice of the Peace in a formal courtroom. The Guide for Defendants in Provincial Offences Cases is available to assist you. If you do not get a Notice of Trial letter, it is your responsibility to follow up with our office. The Justice of the Peace can find you guilty if no one comes to your trial hearing. You have to tell us if your address changes. |
Summons
An officer will issue a summons for more serious offences. It has no set fine amount. You can go to jail and the Justice of the Peace can issue a warrant for your arrest.
You might not be able to attend court. If so, you must send someone in your place.
If neither you nor a representative comes to your trial date, the Justice of the Peace can issue a warrant for your arrest.
| What you need to do if you get a summons |
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If you receive a summons, you or your representative will have to come to court. There is a date and time on your notice. If no one appears, your trial may go ahead without you. If so, a Justice of the Peace can find you guilty. You do not need to be in court to be found guilty. The Justice of the Peace can also sentence you. If no one attends on your behalf, you can be charged with another offence. If no one attends, you must contact us and find out the outcome of that court appearance. If it is not a trial date and no one shows up, a trial date can be set. You will not receive further notice. If the Justice of the Peace finds you guilty and you do not agree, you can file an appeal. |
| Change your court date |
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You must file a Notice of Motion to change your court date. It must be filed at least five business days before your trial date. You must then give a copy to the prosecutor. Contact our office to learn which prosecution's office to serve your Motion form. Lastly, you must file the paperwork at our office. In emergencies, you can send someone to appear for you. The person has to be at least 16 years old and needs your written consent. You can give consent in writing to speak to the prosecutor. They will then discuss a possible resolution to the charge(s). Possible resolutions include:
The court is not bound to accept a plea resolution or fine proposal. The court may or may not grant a change of trial date. A new date will be set if the adjournment is granted. If the adjournment request is denied, the court will deal with your matter in your absence. |
What if I do not choose an option?
You have 15 days to respond to your ticket. After that, the Justice of the Peace will review your ticket. Once reviewed, the Justice of the Peace may find you guilty in your absence. Additional costs will be added.
Once found guilty, you will be mailed a courtesy letter called a Notice of Fine and Due Date. Once you have been convicted, it is too late to choose one of the options on the back of the ticket.
Payments
There are a number of options for you to pay your fine.
| Pay online |
| You can pay your fine with VISA or MasterCard on the Paytickets website. An additional service fee applies. |
| Pay in-person |
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Go to our Provincial Offences Office at 605 Rossland Road East in Whitby, Ontario from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A drop-off box is available. It accepts non-cash payments after business hours. This box is located on the left-hand side of the south entrance doors. You can pay at any Provincial Offences Court in Ontario. For a list of other court locations, visit the Ministry of the Attorney General website. |
| Pay by telephone |
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You can pay by telephone with VISA or MasterCard from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Call us at 905-668-3130 or toll-free at 1-866-779-8839. |
| Pay by mail |
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Mail your payment to 605 Rossland Road East, PO Box 740, Whitby, Ontario L1N 0B3. Send your Offence Notice (ticket) or Notice of Fine and Due Date. Cheques should be made payable to 'The Regional Municipality of Durham'. Dishonoured cheques collect more fees. We may go to a private collection agency. |
| Victim Fine Surcharge |
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You have to pay a Victim Fine Surcharge on every fine except parking. This is a fee added by the Province of Ontario. It is collected to help victims of crime. This amount varies based on the amount of the set fine. |
| Failure to pay |
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Failure to pay your fine can cause:
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| What if I cannot pay by the due date on my notice? |
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You may apply for more time to pay your fine. To do this, file an Extension of Time to Pay form. Once we receive your form, a Justice of the Peace will review it. You will need to include:
You must call us three business days later, and we can tell you the outcome of your application. |
| Collections Department |
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You might receive notice from our Collections Department. This means your fine is past due. You will then need to contact our Collections Department by email or telephone at 905-666-6243 or toll free at 1-866-223-3315. Your driver's licence may be suspended. Additional fees will be added. The collections office may:
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Disclosure requests
Disclosure is a copy of the officer's notes. It includes other important evidence that may exist. How you order disclosure depends on the type of ticket or summons you receive.
| Disclosure for a traffic ticket |
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| Disclosure for summonses |
| If you received a summons from DRPS or OPP, contact the local Crown Attorney's Office by telephone at 905-743-2700. |
| Disclosure for other charges |
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For charges, including parking, laid by other agencies, such as the City of Oshawa, Ministry of Transportation or GO Transit, contact the original agency who issued the ticket. If necessary, we can tell you which agency gave you your ticket. |
What can I expect when I come to the courthouse?
Courthouses have certain rules and customs that you are expected to follow.
At court, you should:
- Realize that all Ontario courtrooms are open to public, unless a judicial order exists.
- Be prepared to identify yourself.
- Expect to provide information requested by a security officer.
- Refrain from using scented personal items.
- Know that you cannot use recording devices, cell phones or pagers, or have food, drinks or gum.
- Arrive 15 to 30 minutes before your scheduled court appearance to meet with the prosecutor.
Accessibility
We provide accessibility assistance and services, including:
- Accessible formats of documents.
- Assistive listening devices.
- Visual language interpretation support (American Sign Language).
- Rooms that can accommodate an individual with a disability.
- Scheduling meetings or proceedings at times that allows a person to deal with their disability or medical related needs.
- Phone or email support in order to meet a disability related need.
To request these services, contact us by email or telephone at 905-668-3130 or toll-free at 1-866-779-8839 before your visit or court date.
Reopening
Don't miss your trial date or your early resolution meeting. You can be convicted in your absence.
Facts for reopening:
- If you were initially given an Offence Notice (ticket), attend our office and complete reopening papers. You have 15 days after becoming aware of the conviction.
- Your file will be reviewed by a Justice of the Peace. The reopening may or may not be granted. You must call us three business days later, and we'll tell you the outcome.
- If a reopening is granted, you will receive a new Notice of Trial or early resolution meeting notice by mail. You must notify us if your address changes.
- If the reopening is not granted, the conviction will remain. You may file an appeal.
Appeals
Read the Guide to Appeals in Provincial Offences Cases. You must fill out and file appeal forms within 30 days of your conviction. Go to the Appeal Court located at 150 Bond Street East in Oshawa.
You might need transcripts to complete the process. It depends on the type of charge you are appealing.
Transcripts
A transcript is a typed-written record of the court proceeding.
To order a transcript, you must contact us in writing for an estimation. You can complete the Transcript Order Form. The coordinator can give you an estimate and deposit requirements.
Forms, requests and resources
| Forms |
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We want to speed up the administrative process. We made some forms available online. Please print out the form you need, fill it out, and bring it to the court office. |
| Change of address |
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The Address Change form changes your address on active files in Durham Region only. |
| Request an interpreter |
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Court interpreters assist you with translation. All requests must be made in advance. Sign language is also available. To request an interpreter:
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| Guide for Defendants |
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The Guide for Defendants in Provincial Offences Cases provides defendants with general information about the court process for Provincial Offences. It does not provide legal advice. It does not cover every circumstance that might arise in your case. |
| Probation |
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You can contact a probation office through the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services website. |
| Acts and legislation |
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Many laws and statutes are available on the e-Laws website. |
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