Complaints about fines

The Public Transport Ombudsman (PTO) can help with complaints about public transport fines in some situations. 

If you request a review of your public transport fine, and the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) doesn’t withdraw the fine, we can help in some circumstances. These circumstances include:

• Personal circumstances such as disability, homelessness, mental illness, family violence or serious addiction to alcohol or other drugs.
• Unexpected or extraordinary circumstances that have resulted in a fine

If DTP doesn’t withdraw your fine you can make a complaint to the PTO. We’ll speak with you about your circumstances and see if we can help. If we can help, we will independently look at DTP’s decision to fine you. If we can’t help, we’ll explain why, and give you other options for assistance if you need them.

How to request a review of your public transport fine

Before you complain to the PTO, you need to ask the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) to review it decision to fine you. Here’s how to do this, and what you can expect.

1. Apply for an internal review

Applying for an internal review means asking DTP to withdraw your fine, based on the grounds and evidence you provide. Go to the Victorian Government’s transport and road fines web page to apply for an internal review. It’s important to apply before the due date on your Infringement Notice. If you don’t, you may be charged extra penalty costs.

2. Get an outcome

DTP will make a decision about your internal review application within 90 days and respond to you in writing. There are two possible outcomes:

• DTP withdraws your fine or replaces it with an official warning. This means you don’t have to pay the fine or take any further action.
• DTP does not withdraw your fine. This means you must take further action. See step 3 for your options. It’s important to take action before the new due date on your Infringement Notice, to avoid extra penalty costs.

3. Take further action, if you need to

If DTP does not withdraw your fine, you can choose to:

• Pay the fine by the new due date
• Ask DTP for more time to pay the fine
• Make a complaint to the Public Transport Ombudsman (PTO). We’ll speak with you about your fine and see if we can help you further.
• Challenge your fine in the Magistrates Court. Read more about going to court to challenge a fine at Victoria Legal Aid.

How will the PTO help me, if my fine isn’t withdrawn after internal review?

We will make a time to speak with you about your fine, and your circumstances, and see if we can help.

If we can help

We will independently look at the Department of Transport and Planning’s (DTP’s) decision to fine you. We can look at the information and evidence that informed DTP’s decision, such as the Authorised Officer’s report and your internal review application. We might also:

• Ask you for more information or evidence. For example, a medical report or a bank statement.
• Ask DTP to provide any extra information we think is relevant. For example, a myki device error report or a myki travel history report.

If we can’t help

We’ll explain why, and give you other options for assistance if you need them.

If the PTO helps me with a fines complaint, what outcome(s) can I expect?

It’s important to understand that the PTO can’t withdraw your fine, only the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) is able to do this. What the PTO can do is:

• Make recommendations to DTP about the fairness of your fine 
• Provide DTP with new information or evidence to consider

DTP may re-consider its decision to fine you, and withdraw your fine, based on new information or recommendations from the PTO. In some cases, your fine may be withdrawn and replaced with a warning.

The PTO can support case workers (and their clients) with fines matters.

If your client’s application for internal review is not successful, you can:

• Contact and work with the PTO as your client’s Authorised Representative
• Have your client work directly with us

Our trained staff will speak to you and/or your client so that the PTO can:

• Understand any circumstances that may have contributed your client’s offence.
• Help you gather information, documentation or other evidence

Not sure where to get help with a public transport fine?

Submit your complaint online. 

Our complaint form takes around 5-10 minutes to complete.

Prefer to talk?

Call us on 1800 466 865 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

You can also connect with us through your preferred National Relay Service or Translation and Interpreting Service