{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-and-police-act-2001/section-3",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-and-police-act-2001/section-3.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/2001/16",
  "legislation_title": "Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/criminal-justice-and-police-act-2001",
  "path": "section/3",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "3",
  "heading": "Amount of penalty and form of penalty notice",
  "text": "(1) The penalty payable in respect of a penalty offence is such amount as the Secretary of State may specify by order.\n(1A) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(2) But the Secretary of State may not specify an amount which is more than a quarter of the amount of the maximum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction of the offence plus a half of the relevant surcharge.\n(2A) The “relevant surcharge”, in relation to a person of a given age, is the amount payable by way of surcharge under section 42 of the Sentencing Code by a person of that age who is fined the maximum amount for the offence.\n(3) A penalty notice must—\n(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(b) state the alleged offence;\n(c) give such particulars of the circumstances alleged to constitute the offence as are necessary to provide reasonable information about it;\n(d) specify the suspended enforcement period (as to which see section 5) and explain its effect;\n(e) state the amount of the penalty;\n(f) state the designated officer for a local justice area to whom, and the address at which, the penalty may be paid; and\n(g) inform the person to whom it is given of his right to ask to be tried for the alleged offence and explain how that right may be exercised.\n(3A) The Secretary of State may by regulations require information in addition to that mentioned in subsection (3) to be included in, or to be provided with, a penalty notice with an education option.\n(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 3(1A) omitted (8.4.2013) by virtue of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 23 para. 5(2); S.I. 2013/453, art. 4(e)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Word in s. 3(2) inserted (1.11.2004) by The Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 (Amendment) and Police Reform Act 2002 (Modification) Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/2540), arts. 1(4), 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 3(2) inserted (1.10.2012) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 15(2), 60; S.I. 2012/1697, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 3(2A) inserted (1.10.2012) by Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (c. 28), ss. 15(3), 60; S.I. 2012/1697, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 3(2A) substituted (1.12.2020) by Sentencing Act 2020 (c. 17), s. 416(1), Sch. 24 para. 178 (with Sch. 27); S.I. 2020/1236, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "S. 3(3)(a) omitted (13.1.2010) by virtue of The Legislative Reform (Revocation of Prescribed Form of Penalty Notice for Disorderly Behaviour) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/64), arts. 1(1), 2(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 3(3)(f) substituted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 397; S.I. 2005/910, art. 3"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "S. 3(3A) inserted (8.4.2013) by Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 23 para. 5(3); S.I. 2013/453, art. 4(e)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "S. 3(4) omitted (13.1.2010) by virtue of The Legislative Reform (Revocation of Prescribed Form of Penalty Notice for Disorderly Behaviour) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/64), arts. 1(1), 2(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "S. 3(5)(6) omitted (8.4.2013) by virtue of Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (c. 10), s. 151(1), Sch. 23 para. 5(4); S.I. 2013/453, art. 4(e)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/16/section/3",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:20:02.518965+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}