You have 30 days to pay or contest a statement of offence. After 30 days have passed, the court can declare you guilty of the infraction. You will then receive a notice with a deadline for making your payment.

If you can’t pay by the due date on the notice, the court will send a notice of unpaid fines to the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), which will then suspend your license.

Consequences of a license suspension for unpaid fines

Your license will be suspended on the date provided by the SAAQ and will remain suspended until your debt is paid.

During this time:

• Your vehicle registration is also suspended.
• You cannot buy or sell a vehicle.
• You cannot register a new vehicle.
• No one can drive a car registered in your name.

How to have a driver’s license suspension lifted

For your license to be reinstated, you must pay the statements of offence that are linked to the suspension.

You can pay a statement of offence in full.

If you pay online, you will receive a document that you will have to print and take to a SAAQ service location to reinstate your license immediately, provided it was not suspended for other reasons.

You can also make a payment agreement to pay off the debt related to your license suspension, thus avoiding legal proceedings and additional fees. However, your license will remain suspended until all related fees and fines are paid in full.

Processing times

As soon as we receive payment in full from you, we will notify the SAAQ, who can then lift the suspension on your license.Give the SAAQ a few days to update your file. Contact the SAAQ to find out if your driver’s license has been reinstated.