When a traffic fine is issued to a vehicle rather than to a driver who was stopped, it goes to whoever the record says owns that vehicle. If somebody else was driving, that is not the end of the matter, but it does mean the responsibility for sorting it out starts with the registered owner.
This guide covers nominating another driver, which people often search for as proxy fines. It explains when nomination applies, how it generally works, why the deadline matters, and how the equivalent works for company and fleet vehicles where a proxy is formally appointed.
Forms, deadlines and terminology differ between the two legal routes and between authorities. TrafficDepartment.co.za is an independent information resource, so confirm the specifics with the authority named on your notice.
Why the fine came to you
Camera enforcement identifies a vehicle, not a person. The notice therefore goes to the registered owner or titleholder on the record. This is also why fines follow people who sold a vehicle without the transfer being registered, and why the record being accurate matters more than it appears.
If you have sold the vehicle, the underlying problem is the registration rather than the fine. See selling a car and change of ownership.
Nominating the driver
Where someone else was driving, there is a route to redirect the fine to them. It generally requires you to identify the driver formally, with their details, and to submit that within a set period. It is not simply a matter of telling the authority verbally that it was not you.
- Establish who was driving on that date, and confirm it against the evidence if you are unsure. See viewing the fine photo.
- Ask the issuing authority which form or process applies, since this differs between the two routes.
- Complete the nomination with the driver’s full details, including identity number and address.
- Submit within the period stated. This is the step that most often fails.
- Keep proof of submission and a copy of what you sent.
- Follow up to confirm the fine has been reassigned rather than assuming it has.
Do not simply pay it
Paying a fine you did not incur is generally treated as accepting responsibility for it. Where a demerit point system applies, that can have consequences beyond the money. If someone else was driving, use the nomination route even when paying would be quicker and cheaper than the paperwork.
Company and fleet vehicles
Vehicles registered to a business receive fines against the business, and someone must identify the driver. Many companies formally appoint a proxy, a named person authorised to act for the business on vehicle matters, so that notices have a clear route to a responsible individual.
- Appoint a proxy so notices do not sit unattended in a general inbox.
- Run regular checks rather than discovering fines at renewal time. See checking by ID or BRN.
- Keep vehicle allocation records, since nomination requires knowing who had which vehicle on a given date.
- Nominate promptly, because a backlog usually cannot be reassigned once the windows have passed. See business and fleet fines.
If the deadline has passed
Late nomination is often not accepted, which leaves the registered owner or the business carrying the fine. Where that happens, ask the authority what remains possible rather than assuming nothing is. If the fine simply has to be settled, the remaining question is whether a reduction is worth requesting.
Keeping the record straight
Most nomination problems trace back to a record that was already wrong before the fine arrived. A vehicle sold but never transferred, an address never updated, or a company vehicle with no allocation log all produce the same outcome: a notice reaching someone who cannot easily prove who was driving.
Fixing the record is dull and it prevents a category of problem that is otherwise very hard to unwind after the fact.
- Register a change of ownership promptly on both sides of a sale.
- Keep the address on the vehicle record current, since notices go where the record points.
- For shared vehicles, keep a simple log of who had the car and when.
- Check for fines periodically rather than waiting for post that may never arrive.
- Deal with a notice when it arrives, because nomination windows are shorter than people expect.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
What is a proxy in this context?
For a company, a proxy is a formally appointed person authorised to act for the business on vehicle matters, including receiving and dealing with notices. For an individual, the equivalent concept is nominating the driver who was actually responsible.
How long do I have to nominate someone?
A set period applies, and it differs between routes and authorities. Confirm the applicable deadline as soon as the notice arrives, because it is short relative to how long notices take to reach people.
What if I do not know who was driving?
That is a genuine difficulty, particularly for shared or company vehicles. Check the evidence, check your own records, and speak to the authority. Without a nomination the fine generally remains with the registered owner.
Can I nominate someone who refuses to accept it?
You submit the nomination based on the facts. What follows is between the authority and the nominated driver, though you should expect to be able to support the nomination if it is questioned.
Does nominating cost anything?
Official routes do not normally charge for a nomination, though the form and process vary. Confirm with the authority.
The car was sold before the fine date. What then?
The issue is that the transfer was never registered, so deal with the registration record as well as the fine. See change of ownership.