Statement of offence

Statements of offence are issued when municipal by-laws are violated. These by-laws involve parking, traffic, waste collection, pets and animals, permits, public works, sanitation, public transportation and fire safety, to name a few.

Montréal’s municipal court handles infractions that occurred in the Montréal agglomeration, meaning in one of the city’s 19 boroughs or one of the neighbouring municipalities.

After receiving a statement of offence

A number of options are available after you receive a statement of offence.

Pay a statement of offence

You must pay the full amount of the infraction within 30 days of receiving it. By paying your statement of offence, you automatically plead guilty to the offence of which you have been accused.

Contest a statement of offence

You can plead not guilty and contest the infraction of which you were accused. You must plead not guilty within 30 days after receiving the statement of offence.

Ask for a payment agreement for your statement of offence

If you can’t pay the full amount of your statement of offence, you can ask for a payment agreement to pay the statement(s) of offence in instalments.

If your financial situation prevents you from paying your statement of offence, the municipal court may agree to give you hours of compensatory work to pay off your debt.