Victoria Legal Aid

Penalty units

Penalty units and fee units are used in Victoria’s Acts and Regulations to describe the amount of a fine for an offence.

Penalty and fee units are used in Victoria’s Acts and Regulations to describe the amount of a fine or a fee.

The way that penalty and fee units are set and calculated is set out in the Monetary Units Act 2004External Link .

Penalty units

Penalty units are used to define the amount payable for fines for many offences. For example, the fine for selling a tobacco product to a person aged under 18 is four penalty units.

One penalty unit is currently $192.31, from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.

The rate for penalty units is indexed each financial year so that it is raised in line with inflation. Any change to the value of a penalty unit will happen on 1 July each year.

Fee units

Fee units are used to calculate the cost of a certificate, registration or licence that is set out in an Act or Regulation. For example, the cost of depositing a Will with the supreme court registrar of probates is 1.6 fee units.

The value of one fee unit is currently $15.90. This value may increase at the beginning of a financial year, at the same time as penalty units.

The cost of fees and penalties is calculated by multiplying the number of units by the current value of the fee or unit. The exact cost may be rounded up or down.

Other support

Find out how you can get other support for fines and infringements.

More information

Monetary Units Act 2004 (Vic)External Link

Monetary Units Amendment Act 2012 (Vic)External Link

Treasury and Finance—Indexation of fees and penaltiesExternal Link

Disclaimer: The material in this print-out relates to the law as it applies in the state of Victoria. It is intended as a general guide only. Readers should not act on the basis of any material in this print-out without getting legal advice about their own particular situations. Victoria Legal Aid disclaims any liability howsoever caused to any person in respect of any action taken in reliance on the contents of the publication.

We help Victorians with their legal problems and represent those who need it most. Find legal answers, chat with us online, or call us. You can speak to us in English or ask for an interpreter. You can also find more legal information at www.legalaid.vic.gov.au

Reviewed 07 July 2023

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