Fines are monetary penalties. Judges and magistrates can impose a fine with or without recording a conviction. They can also combine fines with other orders, for example, imprisonment.
Judges and magistrates have the discretion to impose a fine up to the maximum penalty for the offence.
The maximum amount of a fine is described in penalty units. A penalty unit is an amount of money set by parliament each year. For the period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023, the value of a penalty unit is set at $184.92.
The values of penalty units for each financial year from 2004–05 to 2022–23 are outlined in Figure 1. These values can be searched in the Victorian Government Gazette.
Figure 1: Penalty unit values in Victoria, 2004–05 to 2022–23
In Victoria, the penalty scale for fines has 11 levels. The penalty units for each level and the corresponding monetary value for 2022–23 are outlined in Table 1.
Table 1: Penalty scale for fines in Victoria
| Level | Penalty units | Monetary value 2022-23 |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | There is no provision for a fine to be given for a Level 1 offence | |
| Level 2 | 3,000 | $554,760.00 |
| Level 3 | 2,400 | $443,808.00 |
| Level 4 | 1,800 | $332,856.00 |
| Level 5 | 1,200 | $221,904.00 |
| Level 6 | 600 | $110,952.00 |
| Level 7 | 240 | $44,380.80 |
| Level 8 | 120 | $22,190.40 |
| Level 9 | 60 | $11,095.20 |
| Level 10 | 10 | $1,849.20 |
| Level 11 | 5 | $924.60 |
| Level 12 | 1 | $184.92 |
The historical penalty unit values in Table 2 can assist practitioners and courts to understand the maximum financial penalty applicable at the time of the offending.
Table 2: Penalty unit values in Victoria, by financial year
| Year | Penalty unit value |
|---|---|
| 2004–05 | $102.25 |
| 2005–06 | $104.81 |
| 2006–07 | $107.43 |
| 2007–08 | $110.12 |
| 2008–09 | $113.42 |
| 2009–10 | $116.82 |
| 2010–11 | $119.45 |
| 2011–12 | $122.14 |
| 2012–13 | $125.19 |
| 2013–14 | $144.36 |
| 2014–15 | $147.61 |
| 2015–16 | $151.67 |
| 2016–17 | $155.46 |
| 2017–18 | $158.57 |
| 2018–19 | $161.19 |
| 2019–20 | $165.22 |
| 2020–21 | $165.22 |
| 2021–22 | $181.74 |
| 2022–23 | $184.92 |
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