Disputing a traffic violation ticket

Traffic violation tickets can be disputed by mail or in person. First, you must register the dispute, then wait for a traffic court date.

Steps to dispute a traffic violation ticket

You can dispute any traffic violation ticket within 30 days of receiving it if you feel it was unfairly issued or you have been charged the wrong amount. If you agree that you committed the offence but wish to reduce the amount of the fine, or you wish to request time to pay the fine, then you may dispute the fine. The dispute process is managed by the B.C. Ministry of the Attorney General, and you should be prepared to present your case in court. ICBC is not part of the dispute process.

You must register the dispute then wait for your traffic court date to dispute a ticket.

Got a parking ticket?

Any parking tickets from municipalities or private lots should be settled by following instructions on the ticket. If you’re unsure what to do next, contact the organization that issued the ticket.

Are you disputing the fine or the allegation?

• If you feel the ticket was unfairly issued, then you are disputing the allegation that you committed an offence.
• If you agree that you committed the offence but wish to seek a reduction in the fine, or you wish to request time to pay the fine, then you may dispute the fine.

Registering the dispute in person

You or someone on your behalf can register a dispute in person. Please bring your ticket to:

• A driver licensing office or 
  
• Provincial Court Registry

Once you have registered the dispute, wait for your traffic court date in order to dispute a ticket.

Register the dispute by mail

If you would like to register your dispute by mail, you must write a cover letter first. In this letter please tell us:

• Whether you're disputing the allegation of an offence or the amount of the fine
• The traffic violation ticket number and date of the offence
• Your full name, address, driver's licence number and date of birth
• The Act and Section number of the offence (this information will be written on the ticket)

Then, send your cover letter along with a photocopy of the front of your ticket to:

Ticket Dispute Processing
Bag #3510
Victoria, V8W 3P7

Please note: You have 30 days from the date of issue to dispute your ticket by mail. Your dispute must be post-marked within 30 calendar days from the date it was served to you. There is no need to include court evidence such as videos or pictures with your dispute.

Disputing a red light camera (Intersection Safety camera) ticket

If you received your red light camera ticket in the mail, you have 45 days from the date on the ticket to dispute the allegation or fine. If you received your ticket in person, you have 30 days to dispute it.

Follow the steps above to dispute the red light camera ticket in the same way that you would dispute a traffic ticket.

You can also nominate another driver if it wasn’t you driving at the time. 

What happens next?

After you have registered your dispute, you’ll receive a traffic court date to dispute a ticket.