Penalty Appeals and Payments
Penalty notices are issued for violations of City of Vaughan by-laws. Recipients may either pay their penalty notice within the prescribed timelines or dispute the penalty by requesting an appeal.
Important Notice
The City of Vaughan does not send text messages or email reminders about penalties or parking tickets. If you receive one, do not click on the links.
The City of Vaughan issues penalty notices for contraventions of City by-laws
It is important that you review and take appropriate action on your penalty notice to avoid any additional fees or administrative action.
Penalty payment and appeal deadlines are outlined in the chart below.
| Penalty Type | Payment Due Date | Appeal Deadlinie |
|---|---|---|
| City of Vaughan Penalty Notice | 30 days from date of service | 15 days from date of service |
Penalty Payment Options
Click on the items below for more information on how to pay your penalty
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Click Here to pay your penalty online now using VISA, MasterCard or American Express.
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Pay by Mail using a cheque or money order payable to the City of Vaughan.
Write the Penalty Notice Number on the front of your cheque or money order or enclose this notice. Address mail to:
City of Vaughan – By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services
2141 Major Mackenzie Drive, Vaughan, ON L6A 1T1.Do not send cash by mail. The contravener assumes all consequences if payments sent by mail are not received by the payment due date. Post dated cheques or payment by installments will not be accepted. Dishonored cheques will be subject to an administrative fee. Payments received after the Payment Due Date will be returned.
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Pay In-person using credit or debit at Vaughan City Hall (2141 Major Mackenzie Drive) during regular business hours.
Penalty Appeal Options
The City of Vaughan uses the Administrative Penalties System (APS) to resolve penalty appeals for contraventions of City by-laws. APS is a more time efficient and accessible alternative to the provincial court system. APS is administered by By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services (BCLPS). You can appeal your penalty online or in person with a Screening Officer. Screenings a conducted by phone or by an online form (no attendance is necessary) or by phone. If you require accessibility accommodations, please contact screenings@vaughan.ca.
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Within 15 days of receiving your penalty notice, submit an online Administrative Penalty Screening appeal of your Automated Speed Enforcement penalty.
Complete the online form and upload any supporting documents or photos. You will need the Penalty Notice Number to complete the form. If you are not the registered vehicle owner or the contravener named on the penalty notice, you will need to submit a completed Agent Authorization Form to appeal on the owner’s behalf.
The Screening Officer will review your online submission and either affirm, vary or cancel the penalty amount based on the parameters outlined in the Administrative Monetary Penalties By-law (PDF).
You will receive the outcome of your appeal by email. Check your junk mail folder to ensure you receive your response.
If you are not satisfied with the decision, you may request a Hearing Review. A request must be made within 15 days following the receipt of the Screening Officer's decision.
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Within 15 days of receiving your penalty notice, email bylaw@vaughan.ca or call 905-832-2281 to request a telephone screening appointment..
You will need the Penalty Notice Number to schedule the appointment. If you are not the registered vehicle owner or the contravener named on the penalty notice, you will need to submit a completed Agent Authorization Form to appeal on the owner’s behalf.
The person appearing at the Screening must be available 10 minutes before, and 10 minutes after, the scheduled Screening appointment time. The Screening Officer will call you at the number you provided at the time of booking the appointment. The Screening Officer will call you at the scheduled appointment time, discuss the matter with you and either affirm, vary or cancel the penalty amount based on the parameters outlined in the Administrative Monetary Penalties By-law (PDF).
If you are not satisfied with the decision, you may request a Hearing Review. A request must be made within 15 days following the receipt of the Screening Officer's decision.
About Penalty Notices
Penalty Notices are the physical notices that are issued to persons or businesses who contravene a municipal by-law or to a vehicle. They provide information about the offence, as well as payment and appeal options. It is important that anyone who receives a Penalty Notice reviews the document carefully.
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City of Vaughan Provincial Offences Officers (a.k.a. By-law or Municipal Law Enforcement Officers) can issue Penalty Notices for contraventions of City by-laws in the following ways:
- In person
- On a vehicle
- By facsimile
- By email
- By mail
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The penalty notice number is the 7-digit number printed at the top of the Penalty Notice.
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You can get your Penalty Notice number in the following ways:
- Email bylaw@vaughan.ca
- Call 905-832-2281
- Visit the By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services department at Vaughan City Hall, 2141 Major Mackenzie Avenue
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If no action is taken on a penalty notice within the prescribed timelines, additional fees will be added and the ability to appeal will be lost. If the penalty was issued for a parking violation, the matter will be referred to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the Vehicle Owner will be unable to renew the vehicles licence plates until the penalty amount, and any additional fees are paid. For non-vehicle related matters, unpaid penalty notices will be subject to the City’s collections process.
More Information About Penalty Appeals
The City of Vaughan has developed an easy-to-navigate appeals process to assist penalty recipients in resolving their appeals in a timely manner.
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Whether your screening is conducted via online form or online, you have the opportunity to make your appeal to the Screening Officer. The Screening Officer will review your submission and either affirm, vary or cancel the penalty, or extend the time to pay the penalty, in accordance with the provisions of the Administrative Penalties By-law.
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Yes. A contravener may appoint someone to act on their behalf by completing the Agent Authorization Form and submitting it at least 1 business day prior to the scheduled Screening appointment.
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Screenings a conducted by phone or by an online form (no attendance is necessary). Telephone screening appointments are available from 9am – 7:45pm, Monday to Friday.
If you require accessibility accommodations, please contact screenings@vaughan.ca.
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If you are unhappy with the outcome of the Screening, you may request for a review by a Hearing Officer within 15 days of the decision. For more information about Hearings, please visit Adjudicative Services.
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No. There is no fee to request a Screening.
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If you do not attend a scheduled Screening appointment, the penalty will be affirmed, a failure to attend fee will be added to the total penalty amount owning and there will be no further options for appealing the penalty.
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If there were extenuating circumstances that caused you to miss the deadline to request a screening, you may complete the Extension of Time to Request a Screening Form and submit to By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services. The request will be reviewed by a Screening Officer and may or may not be granted.
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Contact screenings@vaughan.ca or call 905-832-2281 at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled Screening.
About Vaughan’s Administrative Penalties System (APS)
The Administrative Penalty System (APS) is an effective and efficient approach to dealing with by-law offences. The APS system has been adopted by numerous municipalities across Ontario, as well as by some provincial and federal agencies, and is designed to resolve penalty appeals in a timely manner and increase compliance with City of Vaughan by-laws.
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By using APS rather than the traditional Provincial Offences, contraveners can have their appeal heard and decided upon more quickly than through the court system. APS also assists in reducing the caseload in the courts, making it a more accessible, cost effective, and local dispute resolution process.
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The City of Vaughan has implemented various policies to ensure the integrity, fairness, and transparency of the APS system.
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The authority of the City of Vaughan to implement APS comes from two pieces of Provincial legislation: