It is generally a letter that can be recognized directly from the envelope by its “French Republic” logo attached to it. Tickets are always difficult to open, especially when you have not noticed that you have committed an offense. This letter received at home then explains the procedure to follow to pay the fine, it is generally sufficient to connect to the www.amendes.gouv.fr, fill in the information on the ticket and pay. However, it happens that you receive increased fixed fines, the amount of which is higher than that of the initial fine. This happens when the payment of the first fine was not made on time, but it can also be a mistake.
How to pay an increased fine?
If you received an initial fixed fine but were unable to pay it or if you forgot, then you will have to pay the increased fine. To do this, follow the same procedure as for traditional and reduced fixed fines. You have several options.
- Pay with your computer or phone online
If you are comfortable using the internet, then this is certainly the easiest way to go about paying an increased fine.
You also have the option of paying with your bank card, but by telephone. To do this, you must call the non-premium rate number on the website www.amendes.gouv.fr at 0806 20 30 40.
If you do not want to pay by credit card, then you can do so by check. Just send it by mail.
- Pay your fine at a public finance center counter
Finally, you can pay by bank card directly at the counter of a public finance center.
How to contest the increase in a fine?
If you received an increased fine even though you did not receive the notice of violation, then you can contest it. “If you have not received the notice of violation, the main reason is that you have not had the vehicle’s registration document modified following a change of address“, indicates the French administration website. If so, then you need to regularize this. “Within 3 months from the date of sending the notice of increased fine, you must justify that you have declared your change of address to the service in charge of gray cards“, it is indicated on the site.
In this context, you have 45 days to pay the unincreased fixed fine. You must also send the request form for cancellation of the increase, completed, dated and signed, the payment stub which is at the bottom of the letter and a copy of the registration document, which indicates the new address.