---
title: Courtenay bylaw fines and how tickets work
question: "What are the common bylaw fines?"
place: Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/courtenay
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Courtenay
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/bylaw-fines/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/bylaw-fines.json"
---

# Courtenay bylaw fines and how tickets work

**Question:** What are the common bylaw fines?

**Short answer:** The City of Courtenay's fines are set in Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185. Less serious offences get a bylaw notice, for example $100 for no dog licence or $500 for noise which disturbs. Serious offences get a municipal ticket. Paying early costs less, and you have 14 days to dispute.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Courtenay, https://www.courtenay.ca)  
**Cost:** See the list below. The full schedule is in Appendices A and B of Bylaw 3185.  
**Where:**
- In person: City Hall (pay or dispute), 830 Cliffe Avenue, Courtenay, BC V9N 2J7 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement, bylaw@courtenay.ca

## Key facts

- **How tickets work:** Two systems under Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185. Less serious offences get a Bylaw Offence Notice (BON), disputed through the City's bylaw adjudication system. More serious offences get a Municipal Ticket Information (MTI), disputed in Provincial Court. Bylaw officers issue them; enforcement is complaint-based.
  - Source: [Municipal tickets](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/municipal-tickets)
  - Official wording: "a bylaw officer may issue a Municipal Ticket Information (MTI) under the Community Charter" … "a Bylaw Offence Notice (BON) under the Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act"
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, Part 2](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
  - Official wording: "the City Bylaw Notice Dispute Adjudication System is established as a dispute adjudication system to resolve disputes in relation to bylaw"
  - Source: [Bylaws](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws)
  - Official wording: "Bylaw enforcement is complaint-based."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Common fines:** Bylaw notice full amounts: no dog licence $100; dog at large $200; noise which disturbs $500; unsightly property $100; park truck off truck route $500; storage of unauthorized vehicles $500. Street time-limit parking is not in the schedule.
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, Appendix A](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
  - Official wording: "No dog licence III.4 $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 Yes" … "Dog at large IV.16 $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 Yes" … "Noise which disturbs 5(a) $500.00 $375.00 $500.00 No" … "Unsightly property 3(a) $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 Yes" … "Park truck off truck route" … "Failure to remain on truck route"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Paying early:** Bylaw notice: pay within 14 days of receiving it for the discounted early amount (for example $100 becomes $75). Municipal ticket: the early amount applies if the City receives payment on or before the 30th day after service (for example $1,000 becomes $750).
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, s. 11(b), s. 27(b)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
  - Official wording: "if received by the City within 14 days of the person receiving or being presumed to have received the bylaw notice, the discounted penalty for early payment" … "If received by the City on or before the 30th day from the date on which the municipal ticket is served, the discounted penalty"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Paying late:** Bylaw notice: if paid more than 30 days after receipt, the higher late amount applies (for example $100 becomes $125). The City also says that if you do not pay or dispute within 14 days you are deemed to have pleaded guilty and the full fine is payable.
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, s. 11(c)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
  - Official wording: "if more than 30 days after the person received or is presumed to have received the bylaw notice, the penalty for late payment"
  - Source: [Municipal tickets, What happens if you do nothing?](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/municipal-tickets)
  - Official wording: "If you don’t pay the fine or dispute the ticket within 14 calendar days:" … "The full fine becomes immediately payable."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Disputing a ticket:** Within 14 days of receiving the notice or ticket. Bylaw notice: complete the dispute section on the back of the notice and deliver it in person, by mail or by email; it cannot be disputed after 14 days. If the dispute fails you pay a $25 adjudication fee on top of the penalty. Municipal ticket: submit the dispute form; it goes to Provincial Court.
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, s. 12, 13, 17](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
  - Official wording: "no person may dispute the notice after 14 days of receiving or being presumed to have received the bylaw notice" … "must pay the City a fee of $25.00 in addition to the penalty set out in section 11"
  - Source: [Municipal tickets, If you receive a ticket](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/municipal-tickets)
  - Official wording: "You must respond within 14 calendar days from the Date of Service shown on the front of the ticket." … "If you choose to dispute the ticket, you (or your representative) must attend a hearing at the Provincial Court of British Columbia."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185
  - Source: [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185, s. 1](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
  - Official wording: "Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Courtenay uses two ticket systems under [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf). Less serious offences get a Bylaw Offence Notice (BON), disputed through the City's bylaw adjudication system. More serious offences get a Municipal Ticket Information (MTI), disputed in Provincial Court. Bylaw officers issue them, and enforcement is complaint-based. The City says most violations are first resolved through education and voluntary compliance.

## Good to know

- Bylaw notice amounts (full): no dog licence $100; dog at large $200; noise which disturbs $500; unsightly property $100; park truck off truck route $500; storage of unauthorized vehicles $500. Street time-limit parking is not in the schedule.
- Each bylaw notice line also has an early and a late amount. Pay within 14 days of receiving it for the early amount (for example $100 becomes $75). If paid more than 30 days after receipt, the late amount applies (for example $100 becomes $125).
- Municipal tickets cover signs, pool fences, fill and soil, and tree protection at $1,000. The early amount applies if the City receives payment on or before the 30th day after service (for example $1,000 becomes $750).
- Dispute within 14 days of receiving the notice or ticket. For a bylaw notice, complete the dispute section on the back and deliver it in person, by mail or by email; it cannot be disputed after 14 days. If you lose, you pay a $25 adjudication fee on top of the penalty. For a municipal ticket, submit the dispute form; it goes to Provincial Court.
- The City says that if you do not pay or dispute within 14 days, you are deemed to have pleaded guilty and the full fine is payable.
- Screening officers can offer a compliance agreement (50% off the penalty) for some bylaw notice offences.

## Official forms and pages

- [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw 3185 (PDF)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf)
- [Municipal tickets, City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/municipal-tickets)

## Related questions

- [Courtenay noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/noise-rules.md)
- [Courtenay dog licences: fees and how to get one](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/dog-licence.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Bylaw tickets in British Columbia: early payment, late payment and disputes by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Powell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/powell-river/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Qualicum Beach](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/qualicum-beach/bylaw-fines.md)

## Sources

- [Municipal tickets, City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws/municipal-tickets) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Enforcement Bylaw No. 3185 (PDF)](https://www.courtenay.ca/media/file/3185-municipal-enforcement-bylaw-no-3185pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaws, City of Courtenay](https://www.courtenay.ca/services/bylaws) (read 2026-11-05)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Courtenay. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/bylaw-fines/_