Why is a victim surcharge imposed?
When an offender is convicted of a crime for which imprisonment can be sentenced, they are ordered to pay a victim surcharge. The surcharge is collected by the Legal Register Centre (LRC).
The Act on Victim Surcharges obliges adult offenders to pay a victim surcharge regardless of whether the crime had a victim or not. The surcharge is determined according to the possible sentences for the crime.
Legal entities, that is, companies or corporations, sentenced to a corporate fine must also pay a victim surcharge.
The victim surcharge is used to fund victim support services.
Amount of the victim surcharge
The victim surcharge is determined according to the possible sentences for the crime.
The surcharge is
- 40 euros if the maximum punishment for the act is no more than six months of imprisonment; and
- 80 euros if the maximum punishment for the act is more than six months of imprisonment.
For a company or corporation, the surcharge is 800 euros.
Who imposes the victim surcharge?
A victim surcharge can be imposed by:
- a court
- a police officer, customs official, border guard or game and fisheries warden when issuing a fine order in a fine procedure; and
- a prosecutor when issuing a penal order in a fine procedure.
Paying the victim surcharge
A victim surcharge imposed by a court must be paid without delay. A victim surcharge imposed in a fine procedure must be paid by the due date. Use the indicated reference number.
If you have not paid the victim surcharge by the time it is transferred to the LRC for collection, we will send you a reminder for payment. Depending on the matter, the information can take anything from a few days to a few months to be conveyed to our debt-collection system and electronic service.
Pay the reminder by the due date, or the matter will be moved to Enforcement Authority. The matter will then be managed by the enforcement authorities, and you will no longer be able to apply for payment time from the LRC. So be prompt!
Can I get more time for payment?
You can apply for more time for paying the victim surcharge when the matter is listed in the electronic service or the LRC has sent you a reminder for payment. Payment time will only be granted for a justified reason.
Read more about applying for and granting payment time.
Further information:
Published 20.6.2024