User Guide for Fine Payments Online

1. Introduction
2. Login Screen
3. Account Details Screen
4. Payer Details Screen
5. Select Address Screen
6. Payment Details Screen
7. Confirmation Screen
8. Receipt Screen

1. Introduction

If you have been fined on or after 22 January 2010, you can now pay your fine online. The term "fine" is used to cover court-imposed monetary penalties, juror fines and fixed penalties which have been registered with the court.

If your fine can be paid online, the court documentation, fine notice or letter, you have received will contain a Case Reference and an Online Account Reference. You will need both of these in order to pay your fine online.

A sample fine notice is shown below to help you find these details.

You can pay your fine online through our website at www.courtsni.gov.uk 7 days a week between the hours of 6am and midnight.

At present, we only accept MasterCard and Visa credit and debit cards for online payments.

Note that failure to pay your fine within the time allowed may result in a warrant being issued, committing you to prison or a young offenders centre. The issue of a warrant may also increase the amount you are due to pay.

No fine payment can be made online once a warrant has been issued.

If you are having problems using the fine payments online service or if you are having difficulty in paying your fine by the due date, please contact the Customer Service Centre on 028 7126 1329.

At present, only MasterCard and Visa credit and debit cards are accepted.

2. Login Screen

If your fine can be paid online then your court documentation will contain a Case Reference and an Online Account Reference. These two items are linked and are unique to your fine. This helps to ensure that the details of your online fine account are kept secure and that no-one else can access your account.

• Enter the Case Reference
• Enter the Online Account Reference
• Click on the 'Next' button

Online help is available by clicking on the 'Help' button.

3. Account Details Screen

If a payment can be made, the Account Details screen will be displayed. This screen will show you the details of your account, including details of any payments already made. The payment terms will also be shown and this will indicate either the date by which your balance must be paid or any applicable instalment terms. If there is an outstanding balance figure shown then you can make a payment up to that amount.

If a payment cannot be made, then a message will be displayed explaining why and indicating any appropriate action that you may be required to take.

Failure to clear your balance by the due date, or maintain instalments will result in a warrant being issued committing you to Prison/Young Offenders Centre. No payment can be made online, or will be accepted by a court office once a warrant is issued.

• Enter the Amount which you wish to pay
• Click on the 'Next' button

4. Payer Details Screen

This screen allows you to enter the details of the person making the payment. Name and address details are mandatory. The email address is optional, however providing one will enable the system to send you a receipt by email. If you do not provide an email address you will still be able to print out a receipt after you have successfully made your payment.

• Enter the Payer Title - select a title from the list available
• Enter the Payer Forename(s)
• Enter the Payer Surname
• Enter the Payer Email Address if you want a receipt to be emailed
• Enter the Payer House Number and Postcode – e.g. House Number - 23, Postcode - BT1 3LA
• Click on the 'Next' button

5. Select Address Screen

If the House Number and Postcode entered are accepted by the system as valid then an address or list of addresses will be displayed. You should select the address which matches the address of the payer.
Click on the 'Select' link shown against the address required.

If the address list displayed does not contain the address expected, click on the 'Enter Address' button.

Type in the:

• house number
• street name
• town or city name
• postcode

A new search will be carried out using the information entered and a list of possible matches will be displayed that you can select from.

6. Payment Details Screen

This screen allows you to enter the card details against which the payment will be charged. At present, only MasterCard and Visa credit and debit cards are accepted online.

• Enter the Payment Method - select Credit Card or Debit Card as appropriate
• Enter the Card Number - enter the card number without spaces
• Enter the Expiry Date - enter the expiry month and expiry year in the appropriate fields
• Enter the Security Code - enter the three digit security code from the back of the card
• Click on the 'Next' button

7. Confirmation Screen

This screen allows you to review the details you have entered before submitting the payment.

You should check all the details shown and ensure that you have entered them correctly. If any of the details shown are incorrect, you can click links in the Payer Details, Payment Details or Email Details sections to return you to the appropriate screen to make any amendments. If you have entered an email address on the Payer Details Screen, once you click on the 'Confirm' button, a receipt will be emailed to you.

• Check that all details have been entered correctly before clicking on the 'Confirm' button.
• Click on the 'Confirm' button to make the payment against your account.

If the payer, payment or email details are incorrect, you can click on the relevant links to amend the details.

8. Receipt Screen

This screen confirms that your payment has been processed successfully.

Your payment is immediately allocated to your account and if there is an outstanding balance, this will be updated and shown on screen.

You can print out the information on this screen using the Print button on screen.