Collection of unpaid fines

When an administrative monetary penalty is not paid within the prescribed time limits, either for reduced payment or after a Prefect’s decision, a forced collection procedure is initiated. At this stage, it is no longer possible to freely choose ordinary payment methods, and the recovery of the amount follows specific legal rules.

The collection of the amounts due is carried out according to the general rules governing administrative sanctions. This means that the debt may be recovered through enforcement procedures, such as registration in official collection lists and other legal recovery actions.

To start the collection process, official lists called “roles” are prepared, containing the names of debtors and the amounts to be collected. If the proceeds of the fine belong to the State, these roles are prepared by the Prefect of the place where the violation occurred. If the proceeds belong to another authority, such as a region, province, or municipality, the roles are prepared by the administration to which the enforcing authority belongs.

Once prepared, these roles are sent to the competent authority responsible for collection, which assigns the task to a collection agent. At this stage, the payment is required in full, generally without instalments, unless otherwise provided by law.

In practice, if the fine is not paid on time, the process moves to a stricter phase in which the State or the competent authority uses legal tools to enforce payment.