Guidance

DVSA roadside checks: fines and financial deposits

How fines and financial deposits issued by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) for offences found at roadside checks work.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

HTML

DVSA has the power to carry out spot checks on your vehicle, and can issue fines (called ‘fixed penalties’) if you commit an offence.

Some of these are graduated depending on the circumstances and seriousness of the offence.

This guide explains:

when you can get a fine for drivers’ hours offences, roadworthiness offences or driving an overweight vehicle
how much you can be fined
what to do if you’re given a fine
how to complain if you think you should not have been fined

Published 18 February 2013
Last updated 29 January 2019 + show all updates

29 January 2019
The guide has been updated with details of a new online service for the payment of roadside fines.
5 March 2018
Updated the guidance as DVSA traffic examiners can now issue on-the-spot fines for any drivers’ hours offences committed in the last 28 days.
16 August 2013
Updated to include new Fixed Penalty Notice levels.
18 February 2013
First published.