Lump-sum fine for driving without insurance

If you are the owner or driver of a land motor vehicle circulating in France, you must be covered at least by third party liability insurance.

The fact of putting or maintaining in circulation a motor land vehicle without being insured is a offense sanctioned by a fine up to €3,750. A report shall be drawn up and sent to public prosecutor who decides on the continuation of the legal proceedings. Your vehicle can be immobilized and impounded.

You also risk additional penalties following:

• Sentence of community service
• Sentence of fine days
• Suspension of driving licensefor a maximum period of 3 years (with a possible arrangement outside the professional activity)
• Cancelation of driving licenseand prohibition to apply for a new license for up to 3 years
• Prohibition to drive certain vehicles, including vehicles without a license, for a maximum period of 5 years
• Obligation to perform, at your expense, a road safety awareness course
• Confiscation of the vehicle if you own it

However, a procedure of a flat-rate fine can be implemented if the following 4 conditions are met :

• The offense of uninsured driving has been recorded by electronic record after interception of your vehicle
• You commit the offense uninsured driving for the 1^re times
• You're an adult
• If you have committed several offenses, they are all punishable by a lump sum fine.

Following the establishment of the offense, a infringement notice, a payment notice and one waiver application form, are sent to your home by letter. Your vehicle can be immobilized and impounded.

The amount of the flat-rate fine is set to €500. This amount is increased by 50% in favor of the Guarantee Fund for Compulsory Damage Insurance (FGAO). In total, you have to pay €750.

You have to pay the flat-rate fine in a 45 days (60 days in the event of electronic payment by credit card of the infringement notice). The deadline is short either from the finding of the infringement or, if notice is sent, from this shipment.

The amount of the flat-rate fine is minus in the following 2 cases:

• You pay immediately the fine in the hands of the officer. In this case, you will receive a notice of offense with the words “fine paid” at your home.
• You pay within 15 days (30 days in case of telepayment by credit card of the infringement notice). The payment period shall run from the time when the infringement is found to have occurred or, if a notice is sent, from that time.

The amount of the lump sum fine minus is set to €400. This amount is increased by 50% in favor of the Guarantee Fund for Compulsory Damage Insurance (FGAO). In total, you have to pay €600.

The amount of the flat-rate fine is increased if you don't pay the flat-rate fine within a period of 45 days (60 days in the event of electronic payment by credit card of the infringement notice). The period for payment shall run either from the finding of the infringement or, if a notice is sent, from that sending. You receive a notices inviting you to pay the amount plus the fine.

If you have difficulty paying a flat-rate fine increased, you can request a payment term or a graceful discount.

You must send your request to Public Treasury Accounting Officer. Your request must be reasoned : Explain why you need a time to pay or a discount. Join them supporting documents of your expenses and resources in particular.

If he considers your request justified, the Public Treasury Accountant can grant you either a payment period, or a graceful discount partial or total (if necessary by applying a 20 % decrease).

You can pay the flat-rate fine in many ways.