How to Check and Pay a Fine in France

30.09.2026, 11:52 visitukraine.today

Received a fine in France? Learn how to check the notice, pay it or submit an appeal through the official ANTAI website.

If you receive an offence notice — avis de contravention — while driving in France, you can complete most of the main procedures online through ANTAI’s official services.

The website allows you to view the case file, check the amount and payment deadlines, pay the fine, appeal it or designate another driver.

ANTAI is France’s National Agency for the Automated Processing of Offences. It processes notices issued for offences recorded by cameras, automated systems and electronic ticketing procedures.

To check a case, you need the details from the notice you received. A vehicle registration number alone is not enough to view all possible fines associated with a vehicle.

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The official ANTAI website offers the following main functions:

To check your case, enter the details shown on the avis de contravention. Depending on the type of notice, this may include the fine number, date of issue, verification key or other information from the document.

The ANTAI website also has separate sections for private individuals, professionals and partners. Drivers should select the section for people who have received an offence notice and then proceed to check their case, pay the fine or submit an appeal.

The date on which the notice was issued appears at the top of the avis de contravention. Payment and appeal deadlines are calculated from this date.

The document usually contains the date and location of the offence, a description of the violation, vehicle details, the amount of the fine, the payment deadline and information about any possible reduction. If a camera recorded the offence, the notice may show the speed limit, the recorded speed and the speed used for the penalty.

ANTAI may also send notices by email. This can happen if the driver provided an email address to a police officer, if a rental company supplied it or if it is linked to the vehicle’s registration records.

If you receive an email from ANTAI, check the sender’s address. The official procedure portal should begin with https://usagers.antai.gouv.fr/. After opening the notice, download the PDF file and follow the deadlines stated in the document. If you do not view the electronic notice within seven days or refuse to receive it, a paper version may be sent by post.

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French law divides offences into five classes. The most common traffic and parking violations are generally treated as contraventions and result in a fixed fine.

A fixed fine allows the offender to avoid criminal prosecution by paying a specified amount. It applies to most first- to fourth-class offences and to certain fifth-class offences.

Common violations include speeding, improper parking, using a phone while driving, failing to wear a seat belt, running a red light, failing to give way, crossing a solid line, driving in an emergency lane and failing to complete a technical inspection.

Additional penalties may apply to some offences, including the deduction of points from a driving licence. The French service responsible for the national driving licence register sends a separate notice specifying how many points were deducted and how many remain.

The amount of a fixed fine depends on when it is paid. If you pay within 15 days of the date shown on the notice, a reduced amount may apply. In some cases, an additional 15 days is granted for payments made online or by telephone.

ANTAI gives the following examples of reduced amounts: EUR 22 instead of EUR 35 for a second-class offence, EUR 45 instead of EUR 68 for a third-class offence and EUR 90 instead of EUR 135 for a fourth-class offence. There is no reduced amount for first-class offences. Depending on the type of violation, the fine may be EUR 11 or EUR 17.

An increased fixed fine, or amende forfaitaire majorée, may be issued if the driver does not pay within the required deadline, pays only part of the fine, misses the appeal deadline or pays the reduced amount after the reduction period has ended.

If an increased fine is issued, the amount may be reduced by 20% if it is paid within 30 days of the date on which the notice was sent. For online or telephone payments, this period may be extended to 45 days. The notice itself must state whether this reduction applies.

You can pay the fine online at amendes.gouv.fr or through the Amendes application. ANTAI also provides payment by telephone, post, at a public finance centre, through authorised newsagents or by bank transfer.

For telephone payments, ANTAI lists the number +33 1 49 35 36 92. For information about automatic speed cameras, call 0806 606 606. For offences issued through electronic ticketing, the relevant number is 0806 609 625.

The notice may also contain a QR code. Genuine ANTAI QR codes lead only to the official amendes.gouv.fr or stationnement.gouv.fr portals when the matter concerns a parking charge. Check the website address in your browser before entering card details.

Bank transfers are available to foreign drivers. Take the payment details and payment reference only from the notice you received or from an official ANTAI service. Entering the wrong case number may prevent the payment from being correctly allocated.

ANTAI also allows instalment payments for certain fixed fines when paying remotely by card. The full amount must still be paid within the legal deadline. If the remaining balance is not paid on time, the fine may be increased. Instalment payments do not apply to a deposit paid before an appeal.

Remember that paying a fixed fine is considered an admission of the offence. Depending on the violation, it may also result in points being deducted from the driving licence.

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You can appeal online through the ANTAI website or by post. Postal appeals use the requête en exonération form attached to the offence notice. For an increased fixed fine, a complaint form may be attached to the relevant document.

An appeal may be appropriate if you were not driving at the time of the offence, the vehicle was stolen, the vehicle had been sold or transferred to another person, the registration plates were used unlawfully or you disagree with the circumstances of the violation.

If another person was driving, you must provide that person’s identity, contact details and driving licence number. Attach a copy of the notice and documents supporting your statement.

If you are disputing the offence itself, explain your reasons and provide evidence. In some situations, you must pay a deposit. This payment is not an admission of guilt and is not the same as paying the fine.

If you send the documents by post, ANTAI recommends using registered mail with proof of delivery. The address of the relevant prosecution officer or authority is shown on the notice.

ANTAI does not determine whether an appeal is justified and does not cancel fines. The matter is handled by the prosecution officer under the supervision of the public prosecutor. The officer may accept the appeal, reject it or refer the case to court. Any refund is handled by the French Public Treasury, not ANTAI.

The deadline for appealing a standard avis de contravention is 45 days. The appeal can be submitted online or sent by post.

The deadline for appealing an increased fixed fine is three months. If the notice is sent abroad, the relevant deadlines are extended by one month.

Despite these general rules, always follow the date and instructions stated in your own notice. Missing the deadline may result in the appeal being rejected and the amount increasing.

If you intend to appeal, do not pay the fine immediately. Payment generally means that you acknowledge the offence, and an appeal may no longer be possible after the first partial payment.

If the appeal is accepted for consideration, the prosecution officer may close the case. If a deposit was paid before the appeal, the notice will explain how it may be refunded.

The case may also be referred to a local court. The court decides whether the person is guilty, whether a fine should be imposed or whether additional penalties should apply. If the person is acquitted, the deposit should be refunded according to the applicable procedure.

If the appeal is deemed inadmissible, the applicant will be informed. The rejection itself does not extend the general deadline for submitting a new appeal.

Foreign drivers should keep copies of the notice, receipts, correspondence, evidence and confirmation that the appeal was submitted. This is especially important if the vehicle was rented or registered to someone else.

After driving in France, check the mailbox at the address you provided when renting the vehicle or registering it. If you used a rental car, the rental company may receive the notice first and then provide ANTAI with the driver’s details. As a result, the fine may arrive later.

Do not rely only on the vehicle registration number. It is not possible to check all potential violations using the registration number alone. Use the details from the paper or electronic notice.

If you receive a message claiming to be from ANTAI, check the sender’s address. Do not enter your bank details on a page opened from a suspicious message. For payment, go directly to the official ANTAI website or amendes.gouv.fr.

If you are planning a road trip through France, check the toll-road rules and payment methods along your route in advance. You can arrange an electronic road vignette for travelling abroad online through Visit Ukraine. This will help you prepare the necessary travel documents before departure.

After receiving a fine in France, first check the notice, amount, deadlines and payment details on the official ANTAI website. If you accept the offence, pay the fine within the required