I don't have enough money to pay the traffic fine; can I get a reduction?

Many people who receive traffic violation notices find themselves in a dilemma: they know the offense and the amount of the fine, but the offender themselves faces financial difficulties. In most cases, offenders tend to think, "Since I've received a fine, I have to pay the full amount."

However, current law still provides a special "window of opportunity" for truly difficult cases, allowing for temporary suspension or consideration of reducing fines as stipulated in the Law on Handling Administrative Violations.

According to Article 76 of the amended Law on Handling Administrative Violations of 2020, individuals fined 2 million VND or more, if facing economic difficulties due to natural disasters, calamities, fires, epidemics, serious illnesses, or accidents, may submit a request to postpone the enforcement of the penalty decision.

For a postponement request to be approved, the offender must include a confirmation document from the People's Committee of the commune where they reside, or from the agency or organization where they study or work. In cases involving serious illness or accident, additional confirmation from a medical facility is required.

The request must be submitted to the authority responsible for issuing the penalty within the prescribed time limit. Within 5 working days of receiving a complete and valid application, the competent authority will review it and may issue a decision to postpone the enforcement. The maximum postponement period is 3 months. During this time, the individual may receive back the temporarily seized documents or vehicles.

However, what few people know is that after the postponement period, if the offender still has not overcome their economic difficulties, they can continue to apply for a reduction in part of the fine. This is specifically stipulated in Clause 1, Article 77 of the aforementioned law.

Accordingly, individuals who have had their fines postponed may be considered for a partial reduction if they continue to face hardship due to natural disasters, epidemics, accidents, or serious illnesses. The application for reduction must include confirmation of circumstances from the local authorities, the workplace, and, in cases related to health, a certificate from a hospital.

The law does not specify a particular reduction amount; instead, it is considered based on the severity of the offender's circumstances. In practice, the reduction can range from a few hundred thousand to several million dong, depending on the specific circumstances and the penalty for the initial violation. While not all cases are accepted, this is a legitimate right and reflects the humane nature of the law.

It is crucial that law violators are aware of their eligibility to apply and proactively complete their applications according to the correct procedures. They should not, due to fear or lack of information, delay payment of fines, leading to enforcement actions, refusal of vehicle inspection, registration, driver's license renewal, or inability to complete other related administrative procedures.