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

# Merritt bylaw fines and how tickets work

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

**Short answer:** Merritt enforces most bylaws with bylaw notices under Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424. Most are $100, with a lower amount if you pay within 14 days and a higher one after 28 days. Examples: noise $200, no dog licence $200, dog at large $100, watering violation $100.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Merritt, https://www.merritt.ca)  
**Cost:** See the list in the body. Pay within 14 days for the discounted amount; after 28 days the late amount applies.  
**How long:** Pay or ask for dispute adjudication within 14 days of receiving the notice.  
**Where:**
- In person: City Hall, 2185 Voght Street, Merritt, BC V1K 1B8 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; closed 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.)
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 250-378-4224 ext. 216
- Email: Bylaw Services, bylaw@merritt.ca

## Key facts

- **How tickets work:** The City enforces by bylaw notice under the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026. Designated officers (RCMP members, Directors of Corporate Services, bylaw enforcement officers, building inspectors and others) issue them. Offences listed in Schedule A carry a set penalty. The City can also enforce in court.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026, ss. 4, 16, 17](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The Bylaws and bylaw contraventions designated in Schedule A may be enforced by bylaw notice." … "Sworn members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police;" … "Nothing herein shall limit the City from enforcing any of the bylaws referred to herein in any other manner authorized by law."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Common fines:** Bylaw notice amounts: dog at large $100; no dog licence $200; noise $200; construction noise outside hours $200; unsightly property $100 (first), $250, $450; parking time limit $100; trailer parking $100; watering violation $100; garbage cart violation $100.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026, Schedule A](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Dog or other animal found at large 6 $100.00 $50.00 $125.00 No" … "No dog licence 15 $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 No" … "Cause or permit noise or sound 7.1a $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 No" … "Time Limit Violation 502 $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 No" … "Watering Violation 62 $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 No" … "Cause or permit an unsightly property 10.1 $100.00 for"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Paying early:** Yes. Pay within 14 days of receiving the notice for the lower early-payment amount in the schedule, usually $25 to $75 less (for example, dog at large $100 becomes $50; noise $200 becomes $150). Some offences have no discount.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026, s. 7](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "if received by the City within 14 days of the person receiving or being presumed to have received the notice, is the Early Payment Penalty set out in column A2 of Schedule A"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026, Schedule A](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Obstruct or interfere with a Bylaw Services 4.1 or $500.00 $500.00 $500.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Paying late:** Yes. More than 28 days after receiving the notice, a late payment surcharge applies and the penalty becomes the late amount in the schedule (for example, $100 becomes $125; $200 becomes $250; $450 becomes $500).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026, s. 7](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "if more than 28 days after the person received or is presumed to have received the bylaw notice, is subject to a late payment surcharge in addition to the penalty"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Disputing a ticket:** Within 14 days of receiving the notice, pay it or request dispute adjudication using the notice's instructions: complete the notice and deliver it in person, by email or by mail to the City. Screening officers can cancel notices or, for some offences, make a compliance agreement (up to one year). The registry address is PO Box 189, 2185 Voght Street, Merritt, BC V1K 1B8. An unsuccessful dispute adds a $25 fee.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026, ss. 5, 6, 9, 10, 15](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "must, within 14 days of the date on which the person received or is presumed to have received the bylaw notice" … "complete the appropriate portion of the bylaw notice and deliver it, either in person, by email, or by mail" … "The address of the Registry is: PO Box 189, 2185 Voght Street, Merritt, BC V1K 1B8" … "an additional fee of $25.00 for the purpose of the Municipality recovering the costs of the Registry" … "The maximum duration of a compliance agreement is one year."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** City of Merritt Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2424, 2026 (Schedule A). Older Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 2044, 2009 also on the City list.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026, s. 1](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw shall be cited as the “Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2424, 2026”."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The City of Merritt enforces most bylaws with a bylaw notice under [Bylaw 2424](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf), adopted July 21, 2026. Designated officers, including RCMP members and bylaw enforcement officers, issue them. Schedule A lists, for each offence, the full penalty, a discounted penalty if the City receives payment within 14 days, and a late penalty if payment comes more than 28 days after you received the notice. The City can also enforce in court. The Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw 2044 is still on the City's bylaw list, but its schedule names older, repealed bylaws, so it is not used here.

## Common fines (full / within 14 days / after 28 days)

- Noise disturbing the neighbourhood: $200 / $150 / $250
- Construction noise outside permitted hours: $200 / $150 / $250
- Animal or bird noise: $100 / $75 / $125
- Unsightly property (first offence): $100 / $75 / $125; second $250 / $200 / $300; third $450 / $375 / $500
- Failure to remove snow or ice from a residence: $100 / $75 / $125
- Dog at large: $100 / $50 / $125
- No dog licence: $200 / $150 / $250
- More than 2 dogs: $200 / $150 / $250
- Business operating without a licence: $100 / $75 / $150
- Most parking violations (time limit, prohibited, double parking, trailer): $100 / $75 / $125
- Watering violation: $100 / $75 / $125
- Solid waste cart or curbside collection violation: $100 / $75 / $125
- Obstructing a Bylaw Services Officer: $500 at every stage

## Good to know

- Within 14 days of receiving a notice you must pay it or ask for dispute adjudication, using the instructions on the notice. Deliver the request in person, by email or by mail to the City. A person who loses a dispute pays an extra $25.
- Screening officers can cancel notices or, for some offences, set up a compliance agreement of up to one year.
- Some offences have no bylaw notice amount, for example fire, fireworks and aggressive or dangerous dog offences. Only court fines apply to them.

## Official forms and pages

- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424 (PDF)](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Merritt noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/noise-rules.md)
- [Merritt unsightly property rules and how to report](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/unsightly-property.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)
- [Logan Lake](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/logan-lake/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Princeton](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/princeton/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Peachland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/peachland/bylaw-fines.md)
- [West Kelowna](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-kelowna/bylaw-fines.md)

## Sources

- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2424, 2026 (PDF), City of Merritt](http://www.merritt.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/BNE-Bylaw-2424-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Contact, City of Merritt](https://www.merritt.ca/contact/) (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 Merritt. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/merritt/bylaw-fines/_