Who issues parking fines? What is the difference between a municipal fine (GAS) and a police fine, and how do I contest one?
In short
A parking fine can be issued by the police or by the municipality. A municipal fine (GAS) is a fixed amount: 58 € or 116 €. You can contest both, but the procedures differ.
Video transcript
A letter from the municipality arrives: a parking fine, 58 €. You think it's unfair and put the letter aside. It depends: Both the police and the municipality can issue parking fines. The municipal fine is fixed: 58 € or 116 €. You have 30 days to pay. The right way: Within 30 days, pay or send a written defence. How to challenge a police fine is explained in the letter you receive. Amounts: Municipal fine: 58 € or 116 €; Police fine: 64 € or 128 €; On top of police fine: + 10,67 € fee.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- The police record parking and stopping offences. The municipality can also make these offences subject to an administrative fine (GAS-boete / amende SAC). In that case, municipal officers and parking company staff can also record offences.
- The GAS amount is fixed: category 1 58 €, category 2 116 €. The police fine (on-the-spot fine) is 64 € for a 1st-degree offence and 128 € for a 2nd-degree offence, plus 10,67 € in costs.
- With a GAS fine, the municipality's sanctioning officer (sanctionerend ambtenaar / fonctionnaire sanctionnateur) sends you a letter within 15 days. You have 30 days to pay, and during this time you can also send a written defence.
- If your defence is rejected, a new 30-day payment period starts. You can appeal against the decision in writing to the police court (politierechtbank / tribunal de police) within 1 month.
- You contest a police fine through the online system of the Federal Public Service Justice (FOD Justitie / SPF Justice) or by post. The letter you receive explains how.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- GAS: 58 € (category 1) or 116 € (category 2). Police (on-the-spot fine): 64 € or 128 € (+10,67 € administrative costs). In paid parking areas and blue zones, the notice you receive is often a parking charge (retributie), not a fine.
Legal basis:Decreet aanvullende reglementen 16.5.2008, art. 10/1 + KB 19.4.2014, art. 2KB 9.3.2014, art. 2 §1-2 (Justel)
- Court / prison
- No prison sentence. For a parking offence, community service or mediation cannot replace the GAS fine; only a fine is imposed.
Legal basis:GAS-wet 24.6.2013, art. 4 §4 (Justel)
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- If the driver is not present, the registered keeper is presumed to have committed the offence. If someone else was using the vehicle, report this
Legal basis:GAS-wet 24.6.2013, art. 33 (Justel)
- If you do not pay the police fine and your challenge is rejected, the case goes to the public prosecutor; a higher amount or a court case may follow
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §2, 65/1Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65/1 §1 (Justel)
- Parking offences on the motorway are not covered by GAS; only the police and the public prosecutor deal with them
Legal basis:GAS-wet 24.6.2013, art. 3, 3° (Justel)
What do these terms mean?
- GAS fine
- An administrative fine imposed by the municipality itself. It is not a criminal sentence. The maximum is €500 for adults and €175 for minors. You can appeal within 1 month to the police court (the youth court for minors).
- On-the-spot payment
- A fixed amount offered by the police. If you pay, the case is closed and does not go to court. If not, the prosecutor takes over; the amount can rise and the case can go to court.
- Police court
- The court for traffic offences and appeals against GAS fines. Despite the name, it is not part of the police; an independent judge decides.
Why does this rule exist?
Parking offences are very common. The GAS system lets the municipality deal with these minor offences quickly and with a fixed amount, which leaves the courts more time for serious cases. The right to contest a fine protects you against wrongful fines.
Where can you go?
- Municipal driving licence serviceExchanging a foreign driving licence and other licence matters
- Free first-line legal adviceIf you have been summoned to the police court (juridische eerstelijnsbijstand / aide juridique de première ligne)
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 20 / 20 statements in an official source
- Checked: 16.10.2026
- Last checked
- 16.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 20 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Belediye, KB ile belirlenen durma/park ihlalleri için GAS öngörebilir
Wet 24.6.2013 (GAS-wet), art. 3, 3° (Justel) - Found in an official source
Polis tespit eder
GAS-wet, art. 20 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Belediye görevlileri, otonom belediye işletmesi ve Brüksel park ajansı personeli park ihlalini tespit edebilir
GAS-wet, art. 21 §4, 2°–4° (Justel) - Found in an official source
GAS 1. kategori 58 €, 2. kategori 116 €
KB 9.3.2014, art. 2 §1-2 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Polis anında ödeme 64 € / 128 € + 10,67 €
wegcode.be – Overtredingen per graad (derece ve anında ödeme tutarları Justel KB 30.9.2005 ve KB 19.4.2014 ile karşılaştırıldı, 16.10.2026; 10,67 €, uzlaşma ve mahkeme tutarları bekliyor) - Found in an official source
Yaptırım görevlisi tespitten sonra 15 gün içinde mektup gönderir
GAS-wet, art. 29 §1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Ödeme süresi bildirimden itibaren 30 gün; bu sürede savunma gönderilebilir
GAS-wet, art. 29 §1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Savunma reddedilirse yeni 30 gün
GAS-wet, art. 29 §2 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Polis mahkemesine 1 ay içinde yazılı başvuru
GAS-wet, art. 31 §1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Polis cezasına itiraz FOD Justitie çevrimiçi sistemi (justonweb.be/fines) veya posta ile
police.be – Vous contestez l'amende ? - Found in an official source
Ücretli park/mavi bölge bildirimi çoğu zaman retributie (ceza değil)
Decreet aanvullende reglementen 16.5.2008, art. 10/1 + KB 19.4.2014, art. 2 - Found in an official source
Park ihlallerinde yalnızca idari para cezası (alternatif yok)
GAS-wet 24.6.2013, art. 4 §4 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Sürücü yokken ihlali plaka sahibi yapmış sayılır
GAS-wet 24.6.2013, art. 33 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Ödenmeyen/itirazı reddedilen polis cezası savcılığa; minnelijke schikking veya mahkeme
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §2, 65/1 - Found in an official source
Otoyoldaki ihlaller GAS dışında
GAS-wet 24.6.2013, art. 3, 3° (Justel) - Found in an official source
GAS park cezası 1. kategori 58 €, 2. kategori 116 €
KB 9.3.2014, art. 2 §1-2 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Polis anında ödeme 2. derece 128 €, diğer (1. derece) ihlaller 64 €
KB 19.4.2014, art. 2 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Anında ödemeye idari ek ücret eklenir (8,84 €, her yıl endekslenir; 2026: 10,67 €)
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Ödenmezse savcı %35 artırılmış ödeme emri (bevel tot betalen) verebilir; itirazda mahkeme
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65/1 §1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Ödeme emrine 30 gün içinde polis mahkemesine itiraz
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65/1 §2 (GwH 161/2023)
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?