At a glance
- Who it’s for
- Anyone who has received a Sunshine Coast Council infringement notice, including a parking fine
- What to do now
- Within 28 days of the date the notice was issued, pay it, request a court hearing, apply for instalments, lodge a statutory declaration or ask for a withdrawal
- Ways to pay
- MyCouncil online, phone (07) 5475 7272, a Customer Contact Centre, a post office (not ParkSmart infringements) or a posted cheque or money order
- Instalments
- Only for larger infringements (the page says “$200 or more” in one place and “over $200” in others), starting with a first instalment of $60 and then run by SPER on 1300 365 635
- Last checked
- 7 November 2026, on the council’s Infringement notices and payments page
- Not yet confirmed
- The page does not list fine amounts, so none are given here
A Sunshine Coast Council infringement notice has to be dealt with within 28 days of the date it was issued, and the council’s page sets out four ways to do it: pay in full, ask for a magistrates court hearing, apply to pay by instalments, or lodge a statutory declaration if you were not responsible for the vehicle. You can also ask the council to withdraw the notice, but only in limited circumstances.
The council’s Infringement notices and payments page is the source for everything below, as checked on 7 November 2026. It does not list fine amounts, so this guide does not either; the amount is on your notice.
What can the council fine you for?
The council says it can issue infringement notices, which it describes as fines, for parking, animals, parks and reserves, signage, vegetation, illegal dumping and littering. It says it issues them under local laws and state laws, including the following.
- Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995
- Transport Operations (Road Use Management – Road Rules) Regulation 2009
- Animal Management (Cats and Dogs) Act 2008
- Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011
The council adds that the list is not complete (“including but not limited to”), and it points readers to the Queensland Legislation website for the state laws.
How do you pay a Sunshine Coast Council infringement?
| Way to pay | What the council’s page says |
|---|---|
| Online | Through MyCouncil, with Visa or MasterCard |
| Phone | (07) 5475 7272, with Visa or MasterCard |
| In person | At any Customer Contact Centre |
| Post office | At any post office by the due date; ParkSmart infringements are excluded |
| By post | A cheque or money order to Locked Bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre, QLD 4560, with a copy of the infringement notice |
You must pay the infringement amount and any extra charges by the due date. If an infringement is not paid by then, the council says it will search for the vehicle owner, and the search fee is passed on to the owner when the reminder notice is sent.
What happens if you do not pay on time?
The council says that if you do not pay the amount and any extra charges by the due date, it will refer the infringement to the State Penalties Enforcement Registry (SPER), and additional fees apply. Once an infringement is with SPER, the council says you must contact SPER for all enquiries. SPER’s number on the page is 1300 365 635.
What are your four options?
The council’s page lists four payment options. Each one carries a 28-day window counted from the date the infringement notice was issued.
| Option | How it works, as the council describes it |
|---|---|
| 1. Pay in full | Pay within 28 days after the date the notice was issued. The matter is finished and no further enforcement action is taken. |
| 2. Magistrates court | Fill in the details on the back of the notice and return it to the Chief Executive Officer, Sunshine Coast Council, Locked Bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre QLD 4560. If the request arrives within 28 days, the council may begin to prosecute in a magistrates court. |
| 3. Instalments | Only for amounts of $200 or more. Return the back of the notice, or the Application for Voluntary Instalment Plan form, with a first instalment of $60. |
| 4. Statutory declaration | For vehicle-related offences only, when you were not responsible for the vehicle at the time. |
How does the instalment plan work?
The council says an instalment plan is only available for infringement amounts of $200 or more. Elsewhere on the same page it says “over $200”, so the page is not consistent about a fine of exactly $200. You fill in the back of the notice or complete the Application for Voluntary Instalment Plan form, and send it with your first instalment of $60 to the Chief Executive Officer at Locked Bag 72, Sunshine Coast Mail Centre QLD 4560.
After you apply, SPER sends you an instalment plan. The page says that if you do not comply with it, SPER will take enforcement action, which may attract other fees. Once the plan is in place, the council asks you to direct all enquiries to SPER on 1300 365 635.
The infringement is finalised, and no further enforcement action is taken, if two things happen: the council receives your application within 28 days after the date the notice was issued, and you make all the monthly payments.
What if you were not the person using the vehicle?
The council says all infringement notices are sent to vehicle owners, and owners are considered to have committed the offence. If you were not responsible for the vehicle at the time, you may be able to remove your responsibility by filling out a statutory declaration. The declaration must show that the vehicle:
- was being used by another person nominated by you (the page links a sample statutory declaration);
- was being used illegally (stolen);
- was being used by another person who cannot be identified; or
- has been sold or otherwise disposed of, in which case proof of sale is also required.
The declaration must reach the council within 28 days after the date the notice was issued. It must state the legal name and address of the person in control of the vehicle, except where the vehicle was stolen, and it must be witnessed. For a witness, the council points to the Queensland Government website to find your nearest JP (Qual) or CDec.
The council says that when a complete, witnessed declaration is received it may reissue the infringement to the nominated person. If it does not receive a declaration, or the declaration is incorrect or lacks enough information about the nominated driver, it says it may prosecute the owner of the vehicle.
When will the council withdraw an infringement?
The council says it may consider withdrawing an infringement notice in extenuating circumstances. Its examples, which it says are not the only ones, are medical emergencies, vehicle malfunction and circumstances leading up to the notice that were unavoidable.
It says it will not withdraw an infringement for any of these reasons:
| Considered | Not withdrawn for |
|---|---|
| Medical emergencies | Financial hardship |
| Vehicle malfunction | Being unaware of the law or not seeing the sign |
| Unavoidable circumstances leading up to the notice | Disagreeing with the law, or feeling the offence is trivial or did not cause a hazard |
| Running out of petrol | |
| Not having adequate coins for the meter | |
| Stopping briefly in a restricted zone |
How do you ask for a withdrawal?
The council says lodging through MyCouncil is the fastest way. Its steps are:
- Register or log in as a registered user.
- Once logged in, select + Submit a new application on the Applications tile.
- Read the terms and conditions, tick to agree and select Continue.
- Locate Issued infringement notice options.
- Select Request for withdrawal (appeal/review of decision).
- Follow the loading screens to complete the application, attaching evidence where required.
You can instead lodge a hard copy by mail or email, using the Request for withdrawal form (DOCX, 231KB) linked on the page. A request must be submitted within 28 days of the infringement issue date and must include supporting evidence. The council says that once it receives a request it places the infringement on hold pending investigation, and it tells you the outcome by your preferred method of correspondence.
What evidence should go with a withdrawal request?
The council says supporting evidence helps it make an informed decision, and lists the following, where applicable.
- Photographs or diagrams.
- A vehicle repair receipt.
- A statutory declaration. If you sold the vehicle, attach a copy of the transfer papers or the receipt of sale. If it was used illegally, attach written advice or a crime report from the Queensland Police Service. If you were not the driver, give the name and contact details of the driver at the time.
- Copies of permits, or an Australian Disability Parking Permit, that were not displayed at the time of the offence.
- Copies of medical certificates or other proof to support your request.
Where can you read more about parking rules?
The council’s page links to its parking legislation and parking fact sheets. For the council car parks, rates and street signs, see our guide to Sunshine Coast parking rules and council car parks.
Quick checklist
- Find the date the notice was issued; every option above runs 28 days from it.
- Pay in full through MyCouncil, by phone on (07) 5475 7272, in person or by post.
- For a larger fine (the page gives $200 or more, and elsewhere over $200), an instalment plan starts with a first instalment of $60 and SPER handles it afterwards.
- If you were not responsible for the vehicle, a witnessed statutory declaration is the route the council describes.
- A withdrawal request needs evidence, and the infringement is on hold while it is investigated.
Sources
- Sunshine Coast Council — Infringement notices and payments (checked 7 November 2026)
Featured image: Kings Beach, Caloundra (photo: thinboyfatter / CC BY 2.0) (text added)
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Sunshine Coast Council or SPER. Rules and fees can change; check the council’s page and your notice.