Additional penalties in criminal matters - Contravention

Verified 14 mars 2024 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

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In principle, the main penalty for a contravention is the fine.

Additional penalties may add to the principal sanction.

In some cases, the police court may decide to replace the main penalty with one or more additional penalties.

Additional penalties are closely related to the type of contraventions clerk (for example, a road safety awareness course for a speeding).

Some additional penalties apply to all contraventions. Others can only be imposed on the perpetrators of a fifth-class ticket (for example, the perpetrator of a slap may be fined and may perform community service).

In all cases, additional penalties are divided according to their purpose.

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Additional penalties applicable to all contraventions

Withdrawal of a right

Some additional penalties are intended to deprive the convicted person of a right. These include:

  • Suspension driving licenses for a maximum period of 3 years
  • Prohibition of driving certain land motor vehicles, including those for which a driving license is not required, for a period of not more than 3 years
  • Withdrawal of the hunting license, with a ban on applying for a new license for 3 years
  • Prohibition of possession of a weapon
Confiscation of property or animal

Certain additional penalties are intended to deprive the offender of a contravention of the right to benefit from a property or an animal:

  • Confiscation of a weapon
  • Confiscation of the object (e.g. vehicle) or animal (e.g. attack dog) that was used to commit the offense
Obligation to complete an internship

There are additional penalties, the purpose of which is to force the convicted person to take training. In the area of criminal offenses, the main courses are as follows:

  • Road Safety Awareness Course
  • Citizenship Internship
  • Internship in parental responsibility

Additional Penalties Applicable to the Fifth Class Contravention

Withdrawal of a right

Some additional penalties are intended to deprive the convicted person of a right. These include:

  • Suspension driving licenses for a maximum period of 3 years
  • Prohibition of driving certain land motor vehicles, including those for which a driving license is not required, for a period of not more than 3 years
  • Withdrawal of the hunting license, with a ban on applying for a new license for 3 years
  • Prohibition of possession of a weapon
Confiscation of an animal or property

Certain additional penalties are intended to deprive the offender of a contravention of the right to benefit from a property or an animal:

  • Confiscation of a weapon
  • Confiscation of the object (e.g. vehicle) or animal (e.g. attack dog) that was used to commit the offense
Obligation to complete an internship

There are additional penalties, the purpose of which is to force the convicted person to take training. In the area of criminal offenses, the main courses are as follows:

  • Road Safety Awareness Course
  • Citizenship Internship
  • Internship in parental responsibility
Work of general interest

If the court imposes this additional penalty, the sentenced person must carry out a work of general interest for a period of between 20 and 120 hours.

Sanction and reparation

The court may impose a penalty and reparation. This sentence allows the offender to make amends for the harm he has caused the victim. This may involve paying money or repairing damaged property.

Prohibition on issuing checks

The court can order a ban on writing checks. In this case, the author of the act is entered in the Central Check File maintained by the Banque de France and cannot pay by check.

The offender who fails to comply with the additional penalty imposed on him may be subject to new penalties. They differ depending on the role of the complementary penalty.

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The additional penalty is in addition to the main penalty

A convicted person who fails to comply with the obligations imposed on him by the additional penalty may be sentenced to up to two years in prison and €30,000 of fine.

The supplementary sentence replaces the principal sentence

The penalty for non-compliance with the additional penalty shall be fixed at the initial trial. This sentence may not exceed the principal penalty for the contravention.

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