North Cowichan bylaw fines and how tickets work
What are the common bylaw fines in North Cowichan?
Short answer
North Cowichan uses two ticket systems side by side: bylaw offence notices and municipal tickets. Common fines are $100 to $250 by bylaw notice and $100 to $500 by municipal ticket. Pay a bylaw notice within 14 days for the lower early amount.
Key facts
| How tickets work | Two systems. (1) Bylaw Offence Notice (BON): a less formal ticket for simple contraventions; issued by bylaw compliance officers, peace officers, animal control officers, the Municipal Forester, the Chief Building Inspector, business licence inspector and certain fire chiefs; disputes go to a Screening Officer then the Nanaimo Bylaw Dispute Adjudication Registry. (2) Municipal Ticket (MTI): resembles a provincial violation ticket, max $1,000, disputes go to Provincial Court. Serious cases can go to court under the Offence Act (up to $50,000 and 6 months).Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021, ss. 4, 10, 13; Tickets and notices, Municipal Ticket; Bylaw Offence Notice; Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 3464, ss. 1, 4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingPersons acting as any of the following are designated as Bylaw Enforcement Officers The Registry, with an address of 411 Dunsmuir Street, Nanaimo A municipal ticket (MTI) resembles a provincial violation ticket The penalty for a contravention enforced through a MTI may not exceed $1,000 A bylaw offence notice (BON) is a less formal process may be enforced by means of a ticket |
|---|---|
| Common fines | Parking (RV over 4 hours etc.): $200, notice or ticket. No dog licence: $100. Dog off leash, first offence: $100. Noise: $100 notice, $200 ticket. Nuisance property: $200. Open burning without permit: $250 notice, $500 ticket. Stage 1 sprinkling: $100 notice, $200 ticket. Carts out before 5 a.m. or left after 10 p.m.: $100 notice.Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021, Schedule A; Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 3464, Schedule 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingFail to obtain a Dog licence $100.00 $50.00 $120.00 YES 2 Allow noise to cause disturbance $100 $50 $120 YES 4.1 Cause a nuisance $200 $100 $220 YES Collection carts set out before 5 AM on collection day or collection carts left at collection point after $100 $75 $125 YES Park trailer or creational vehicle on highway for more than 4 hours 7 (3) 200 Noise which Disturbs 2 $200 |
| Paying early | Bylaw notice: pay within 14 days of receiving it to pay the lower Early Payment Penalty in Column A2 (usually half the penalty, e.g. $50 instead of $100, $125 instead of $250; waste cart offences $75 instead of $100). Municipal ticket: no early discount found.Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021, s. 11(2)(a); Tickets and notices, Paying a BON · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingwithin 14 days of the person receiving or being presumed to have received the bylaw the applicable penalty is the Early Payment Penalty set out in Column A2 If paid within 14 days, some offences are eligible for early payment reductions |
| Paying late | Bylaw notice: full penalty from day 15 to 28. After 28 days the Column A3 Late Payment Penalty applies, usually penalty plus $20 ($120 for $100) but $125 for a $100 waste cart offence; unpaid notices may go to collections. Municipal ticket: unpaid tickets go to court for conviction in absence.Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021, s. 11(2)(c); Tickets and notices, Failing to respond · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingmore than 28 days after the person received or is presumed to have received the bylaw a late payment surcharge of $20 day or collection carts left at collection point after $100 $75 $125 YES Tickets that remain unpaid thirty (30) days after being deemed guilty will be sent to collections |
| Disputing a ticket | Bylaw notice: you have 14 days to dispute (form to Bylaw Services). A Screening Officer reviews it, may cancel it, offer a compliance agreement (penalty cut by 35%) or send it to an adjudication hearing (in person, phone/video or writing). If you lose you pay the full penalty plus a $25 adjudication fee. Municipal ticket: tell the Municipality within 14 days; a disputed ticket goes to Provincial Court.Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021, ss. 12, 15; Tickets and notices, Disputing a BON; Disputing a MTI · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingno person may dispute the bylaw notice after 14 days of receiving it must pay the Registry an adjudication fee of $25 You have 14 days to dispute a BON You have 14 days to notify North Cowichan that you wish to dispute the ticket |
| Bylaw | Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021 (consolidated to April 15, 2026) and Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 3464 (consolidated to April 15, 2026).Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021, s. 1; Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 3464, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingBylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021 MUNICIPAL TICKET INFORMATION SYSTEM Bylaw 3464 |
How it works
North Cowichan has two ticket systems, and both are normal.
- Bylaw Offence Notice (BON): a less formal ticket for simple contraventions, issued by bylaw compliance officers, peace officers, animal control officers and certain other officials. Under the Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw, disputes go to a Screening Officer and then the Nanaimo Bylaw Dispute Adjudication Registry.
- Municipal Ticket (MTI): resembles a provincial violation ticket, with a maximum of $1,000 under the Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw. Disputes go to Provincial Court.
Serious cases can go to court under the Offence Act (up to $50,000 and 6 months).
Common fines (bylaw notice / municipal ticket)
- Parking an RV over 4 hours and similar: $200 / $200
- No dog licence: $100 / $100
- Dog off leash, first offence: $100 / $100
- Noise: $100 / $200
- Nuisance property: $200 / $200
- Open burning without a permit: $250 / $500 (the burning web page gives escalating amounts; confirm)
- Stage 1 sprinkling: $100 / $200
- Carts out before 5 a.m. or left after 10 p.m.: $100 notice
Steps
- Bylaw notice: pay within 14 days to pay the lower early amount (usually half, for example $50 instead of $100; waste cart offences $75 instead of $100).
- Days 15 to 28: the full penalty. After 28 days the late amount applies, usually the penalty plus $20, but $125 for a $100 waste cart offence. Unpaid notices may go to collections.
- To dispute a bylaw notice, send the form to Bylaw Services within 14 days. A Screening Officer may cancel it, offer a compliance agreement (penalty cut by 35%) or send it to an adjudication hearing (in person, phone/video or writing). If you lose, you pay the full penalty plus a $25 adjudication fee.
- Municipal ticket: tell the Municipality within 14 days if you dispute it. A disputed ticket goes to Provincial Court.
Good to know
- No early-payment discount was found for municipal tickets. Unpaid tickets go to court for conviction in absence.
- Each topic's answer gives the detail for its own fines.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Duncan · Ladysmith · North Saanich · Sidney · Central Saanich · Highlands
Bylaw tickets in British Columbia: early payment, late payment and disputes by municipality →
Sources
- Tickets and notices, Municipality of North Cowichan (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Offence Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 3677, 2021 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 3464 (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 6 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.