Littering and penalties

What are the penalties?

We will issue fixed penalty notice (FPNs) fines to people we see littering. We have to witness littering taking place before we can take formal action.

If we see someone littering from a car, we will record the vehicle registration number and obtain the registered keeper's name/address from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). We will contact the registered keeper to find out who threw the litter and issue a fixed penalty notice where the offender can reasonably be identified.

Fixed penalty notice fines are £500 to be paid within 14 days. These are reduced to £250 if paid within 10 days. Offenders are not expected to pay the fine 'on the spot', and have up to 14 days to pay.

Offenders who fail to pay a FPN will be issued with a summons and taken to court - this could lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £2,500.