Payment of Fines for "Unattended Vehicle" Violations

When a driver cannot be held liable for a parking violation they have committed, due to the fact that

• they have not paid the imposed fine
• they have not been prosecuted for the violation; or
• they have not been investigated by a family court (in the case of juveniles),

Public Safety Commission has the authority to order the *vehicle user to pay the fine for the parking violation.

* The term “vehicle user” refers to the individual or company described as the user on the vehicle inspection certificate (Shaken-sho). The vehicle user may differ from the actual owner (if the vehicle is subject to loan repayments or a lease contract). In the case of motorbikes of 250cc displacement or less, the vehicle user is the registered tax payer.

Frequently Asked Questions regarding payment of parking violation fines

(in relation to payment order issued by the Kyoto Prefecture Public Safety Commission)

Questions on payment

Q1 The payment deadline has passed. What can I do?

A1

＞ If you have an "Explanatory Notification (Benmei Tsuchi-sho)";

(The last digit of the payment slip number is "1".)

A payment slip, having the last digit of "2", will be sent to you three weeks from the day following the original deadline. You then have 10 days to comply with the payment order.

＞ If you have "Parking Violation Payment Order Form (Hochi Ihan-kin Nofu Meirei-sho)";

(The last digit of the payment slip number is "2".)　

A payment slip, having the last digit of "3", will be sent to you 15 days from the day following the original deadline. You then have 10 days to comply with the payment order.

＞ If you have a "Reminder Form (Tokusoku-jyo)";

(The last digit of the payment slip number is "3".)　

You are required to make payment using the Reminder Form, as this is the final order. However, if more than 3 weeks have past since the payment deadline please call the Parking Division at Kyoto Prefectural Police Headquarters, as the slip may no longer be valid.

Q2 Can I pay the fine even if I have lost the slip?

A2

You can pay the fine at the Parking Division of the Kyoto Prefectural Police Headquarters.

For further information please calll our Parking Division. The division's business hours are from 9am to 5:45pm on weekdays, except national holidays, Christmas, New Year holidays.

Q3 Can I be fined for arrears?

A3

The Public Safety Commission is entitled to collect arrears at a rate of 14.5% per year from anybody who has failed to make payment for parking fines within the specified deadline.

If the amount of arrears leaves fractions less than 100 yen, the fractions are omitted. If the amount of arrears is less than 1,000 yen, the whole amount is omitted.

Q4 What happens if I don’t pay my parking fine?

A4

If you have received a reminder of payment by the Public Safety Commission, you will not be allowed to have your vehicle inspected, and your financial assets could be seized unless you pay the fine.

Q5 What kind of assets could be seized?

A5

Land, houses, automobiles, bank savings, salary, and the life insurance payouts could be seized, based on the decision of the Public Safety Commission.

Q6 Can parking fines be paid by installments?

A6

No.

Other questions

Q7 What exactly is an "unattended vehicle”?

A7

"Unattended vehicle" means a vehicle that is illegally parked, with its driver away from the car, and which cannot be started immediately. This is regardless of the length of parking time, or whether the vehicle engine is turned on or off, or whether the emergency flashing lights on or off.

Q8 Will I accumulate demerit points on my driving record due to the parking violation?

A8

Penalties for parking violations are to be paid by the vehicle user (owner), not by the driver who committed the violation. Therefore, as the vehicle user (owner), you will not accumulate demerit points by having paid the fine.

Q9 What if I believe that I am not guilty of the parking violation?

A9

Please present yourself at any police station in Kyoto Prefecture. You will have an opportunity to explain yourself.

Q10 What is a “restrictions on vehicle usage”?

A10

This is a kind of penalty imposed by the local Public Safety Commission on a vehicle owner who has been repeatedly ordered to pay parking fines within a certain period of time. The penalty consists of imposed restricitons on vehicle usage for a certain period of time.

Failing to comply with payment orders issued by a public safety commission outside Kyoto Prefecture could also be a cause for such a penalty.

Q11 Is this kind of restriction still applied if I have paid all the parking fines?

A11

You could still be issued with a vehicle usage restriction if you have been repeatedly ordered to pay fines within a certain period of time.

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