A Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) offers a simple and swift
way for the police to deal with low-level anti-social and nuisance
offending. Here you can find out more about how the system works,
and what you can expect if you are issued with a PND.
If your question relates to a specific ticket issued to you by
British Transport Police, please email pnd.enquiries@btp.pnn.police.uk
(quoting your ticket number)
What is a PND?
Why is a PND given?
How can I pay my
PND?
How long do I have to pay my
PND?
What happens if I
do not pay on time?
What can I do if I don’t
agree that I should have been given a PND and would rather have
been given a court hearing?
Will the PND give me a
criminal record?
Who has the authority to
give me a PND?
Once issued with a PND,
can the officer ask me to attend a police station?
Why has my payment been
returned?
A Bailiff’s letter or
Court Summon regarding a PND has been sent out to my address, but I
don’t know the person that it’s addressed to. What shall I
do?
What is a
PND?
Penalty Notices for Disorder (PNDs) are tickets that an officer
issues at the scene of an incident or, in some cases, it will be
issued in custody. They are set at two levels:
- upper tier offences at £80.00
- lower tier offences at £50.00
Why is a PND given?
A PND is given at the discretion of an issuing officer. The
officer has to have a reason to believe that the person has
committed an offence for which a PND is suitable, that the offender
is an appropriate person and that they have no history of similar
offences. The details of the offence are stated in Part 1 of the
notice.
How can I pay my
PND?
You can pay your Penalty Notice fine by any of the following
methods:
- credit/debit card via the 24 hour automated phone service on
08459 400 101
- online via our secure web page: http://www.britishtransportfines.latestinfo.co.uk/
- by cheque or postal order made payable to HMCS. If you choose
this method, please send Part 2 of your ticket along with your
cheque to:
HMCS Central Accounting Office BTP
(Fixed Penalty)
PO Box 31093
London SW1 3WT
- by cash, sending the exact amount payable along with Part 2 of
your ticket to the above address
How long do I have to pay
my PND?
You have 21 days starting from the date of issue, this can be
found on the ticket.
What happens if I do not pay the penalty on
time?
If you fail to pay the full amount of your PND within 21 days of
the issue date, the fine will increase by 50% and you may be
charged with the offence for which the notice had been issued. If
you don’t pay the PND at all, it will be registered as a fine, in
which case you may have to pay additional bailiff’s fees or you may
be arrested. If you are charged and convicted you will receive a
criminal record and may have to pay court costs in addition to any
fine imposed. You may also be given a custodial sentence.
What can I do if I
don’t agree that I should have been given a PND and would rather
have been given a court hearing?
If you believe you should not have been given a PND, you have
the right to request a court hearing within 21 days of the date of
issue. You can do this by filling out Part 3 of your ticket and
sending it to:
The Manager
Central Ticket Office
Freepost RLYC-ZEKH-XSYZ
British Transport Police
London NW1 9LN
You can also request a hearing by writing to us at the above
address giving your details and an address on which a summons may
be served to you. The summons will tell you when and where to
attend court. Please note: only the recipient named in Part 1 of
the PND may request a hearing.
Will the PND give
me a criminal record?
A PND is not a conviction therefore it will not result in a
criminal record. A record of the notice will be kept for
administration purposes. The information may be used to help decide
whether or not to issue you with another PND in relation to any
subsequent offences for which such notices may be issued. However,
please note that if you fail to pay the PND or request a hearing,
legal action taken against you can result in a criminal record.
Who has authority to
give me a PND?
All police officers can issue you with a PND if they have reason
to believe you have committed an offence. Police community support
officers and accredited officers also have powers to issue PNDs.
You have the right to ask the issuing officer for identification.
The officer who issues the ticket will write their name and warrant
number in Part 1 of your PND.
Once issued with a
PND, can the officer ask me to attend a police
station?
Police officers have the right to request that you attend a
police station for fingerprints, DNA samples and photographs. They
may also request that you attend a police station to be issued with
the PND.
Why has my payment been returned?
Your payment may have been returned for any of the following
reasons:
- your payment may have been made too late (after 21 days of
issue)
- you may not have paid the full amount
- you may already have requested a court hearing and a summons is
being prepared
- the penalty has been increased i.e. due to late payment and you
have not paid enough
If a payment is returned, a letter will accompany the payment
explaining the reason for this. In individual cases, if further
information is needed, please call the Central Accounting Office on
08459 400 101 and select Option 2 on the automated service. Please
have your PND issue/notice number ready.
A bailiff’s letter
or court summon regarding a PND has been sent out to my address,
but I don’t know the person that it’s addressed to. What shall I
do?
If the person named on the bailiff’s letter of court summons is
either not known at the address or has moved away please send the
following information:
- your full name and address
- daytime contact telephone number
The forwarding address of the person named on the fine (if this is
available)
Please also enclose:
- the notice of PND fine
- a copy of a recent utility bill (e.g an electricity or gas
bill) to confirm your name and address
Please send this information to:
The Central Accounting Office
PO Box 31093
London SW1P 3WT