Fixed petty fine order, fine order and penal order

In a fine procedure, the authorities make three kinds of decisions: fixed petty fine orders, fine orders and penal orders.

Fixed petty fine order

The fixed petty fine order is a fine of a fixed amount imposed by a police officer, customs officer, border guard, wilderness inspector or prosecutor for an act that has been made punishable by the Fixed Petty Fine Act. A fixed petty fine is the only punishment that can be imposed for the offences laid down in the Fixed Petty Fine Act.

Fine order

The police, a customs officer, a border guard and a wilderness inspector can impose a fine (fine order) for separately defined acts with a maximum amount of 20 day fines. 

A fine order can be imposed for the majority of traffic offences, operation of a vehicle without a licence, and petty theft.

Penal order

Penal orders fall under the prosecutor's exclusive jurisdiction. A penal order is always preceded by a fine request issued by the police. The prosecutor imposes the fine in the electronic system and may also make any changes he or she deems necessary to the fine request. After this the penal order is sent to the recipient by post. 

The prosecutor imposes the fine for acts for which over 20 day fines must imposed or for an act that does not fall under the jurisdiction of the pre-trial investigation authority. The prosecutor will also impose a fine when the person fined and the authority imposing the fine disagree on the income of the person fined, and the person fined wants to submit an account to the authority regarding a material change in their solvency. In such a case, the police will issue a fine request to the suspect.