Traffic Offence Notice: Sign It or Not? What Your Signature Actually Means and When a Written Remark Makes Sense
A police officer hands you a traffic offence notice and says: “Sign here.” At that moment, many drivers hesitate because they have heard somewhere that signing means admitting guilt. Others sign without reading, simply because they want to get on their way as quickly as possible. Both reactions come from the same place: nobody has ever properly explained what that piece of paper actually is.
The rules are clear and set out in the Law on Misdemeanours. But the most important decision is not made at the roadside — it is made during the following eight days. In this article, we go through both moments: what to do while the police officer is waiting for your signature, and what to do once you get home.
IN SHORT
› Your signature on a traffic offence notice only confirms that you received the notice; it does not mean that you admit the offence.
› Refusing to sign does not stop anything: the notice is still deemed to have been served, and the eight-day deadline runs in exactly the same way.
› To challenge the notice, you must sign it and submit it to the misdemeanour court within eight days.
› A written remark has legal significance when entered into an official record, particularly in alcohol-testing cases, and in the written defence you submit to the court.
What Is a Traffic Offence Notice — and What Is It Not?
A traffic offence notice is issued for offences for which only a fixed monetary fine is prescribed (Article 168 of the Law on Misdemeanours). These are the most common traffic offences: lower-level speeding offences, failure to wear a seat belt, using a handheld phone while driving, or a defective light. The police may issue a notice when the offence is detected through direct observation, by checking official records, or through monitoring and measuring devices such as speed cameras or other cameras (Article 169).
For more serious offences, where the law provides for a range of fines, imprisonment, or a driving ban, the police do not issue a traffic offence notice. Instead, they file a request to initiate misdemeanour proceedings with the court, and the court decides on the penalty after giving you an opportunity to present your defence. Everything that follows in this article concerns traffic offence notices — in other words, less serious offences.
Myth: “If I Sign It, I Have Admitted the Offence”
The law is very clear on this point. By signing the notice, the person against whom it has been issued confirms receipt of the notice (Article 172, paragraph 2). The signature is proof that the document was served on you and on what date. Nothing more.
Accepting responsibility is something entirely different and happens later, in one of two ways: when you pay the fine, or when you allow the eight-day deadline to expire without taking any action (Article 173).
What Happens If You Refuse to Sign
The officer will inform you of the consequences, enter a note in the notice stating that you refused to accept it, together with the date and time, and the notice will then be deemed served (Article 172, paragraph 6). The eight-day deadline starts running exactly as if you had signed it.
In other words, refusing to sign gains you nothing, while you may lose two things:
■ The document itself. The notice contains information about your rights, payment details and instructions on how to request that the court decide on the matter (Article 171).
■ The simplest route to court. A request for a court decision is submitted by delivering the signed notice to the court. If you did not receive the original, you will first have to request a certified copy from the authority that issued it (Article 172, paragraph 4), while the deadline is already running.
Conclusion: refusing to sign does not protect you from the fine and makes your defence more difficult.
The Paradox: To Challenge the Notice, You Have to Sign It
If you disagree with the notice, you must submit the signed traffic offence notice to the competent misdemeanour court within eight days of receipt, either in person or by post. That signed notice itself constitutes your request for a court decision (Article 174, paragraph 1).
The court will dismiss an unsigned or late request, and the notice then becomes final and enforceable (Article 176). The very signature that many drivers fear as an admission of guilt is actually the first step in defending yourself.
Eight Days, Three Options
Once you receive the notice, you have three options. Each has its own consequences, so it is better to consider them calmly at home rather than at the roadside.
1. Pay Half of the Fine
If you pay half of the imposed fine within eight days, you are released from paying the remaining half (Article 173, paragraph 1). That brings the matter to an end. Bear in mind that by paying, you accept responsibility, so any penalty points prescribed for that offence remain on your record.
2. Ask the Court to Decide
You submit the signed notice in person or send it by registered mail to the court specified in the instructions. If you send it by post, you may attach a written defence and evidence to the notice (Article 174, paragraph 4). Once the court initiates proceedings, the fine stated in the notice is treated as not yet imposed, and the authority that issued the notice has eight days to submit its evidence (Article 174, paragraphs 5 and 6).
There is a risk, and you should be aware of it in advance: if the court finds you responsible, you must pay the full amount of the fine and the court costs, without the option of paying only half (Article 174, paragraph 7). If you fail to appear at the first hearing without justification, you are deemed to have withdrawn your request (Article 175).
3. Do Nothing
Once the deadline expires, the notice becomes final and enforceable, and you are deemed to have accepted responsibility by failing to act (Article 173, paragraph 2). You may still voluntarily pay the full amount before enforcement begins (paragraph 4). If you still do not pay, compulsory enforcement follows, together with enforcement costs, and the court may replace the unpaid fine with imprisonment or community service (Article 41).
How the Eight-Day Deadline Is Calculated
■ The day on which you receive the notice is not counted; the deadline starts on the following day (Article 137).
■ If the last day falls on a Sunday, a public holiday, or a day when the court is not working, the deadline expires on the next working day.
■ If you send the request by registered mail, the date on which you hand it over to the post office is deemed to be the date of submission to the court (Article 136). Keep your proof of postage.
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Written Remarks: When They Help and When They Are Just Ink on Paper
Many drivers want to write “I disagree” on the notice. The notice contains a designated section for remarks (Article 170, paragraph 1, item 16), but the original remains with you while copies are retained by the authority that issued it (Article 172, paragraph 1). If the officer does not enter your objection into the notice, a sentence you write only on your own copy remains solely on your copy and does not initiate any procedure.
A disagreement that has legal effect should be expressed in two places: in the official record, where one is presented to you for signature, and in the written defence you submit to the court together with your request for a court decision.
Alcohol Testing Record: This Is Where the Written Remark Matters
If you dispute the result of a breathalyser or a test for psychoactive substances, you may request an analysis of blood, or blood and urine, at an authorised healthcare institution and at your own expense. The request must be made in writing, immediately at the scene, and entered into the official record containing the test results (Article 280 of the Road Traffic Safety Act). Later is too late, because alcohol in the body is metabolised over time.
You bear the cost of the analysis if it is established that you were under the influence of alcohol or psychoactive substances. Do not refuse the initial test itself: refusal constitutes a separate and serious offence for which the law prescribes strict penalties and detention of the driver.
Other Official Records: Read Before Signing
You have the right to read the record or ask for it to be read to you. If you disagree with anything in it, request that your objection be entered into the record. Under the Law on Misdemeanours, objections to the contents of records in proceedings are entered into the record, and if someone refuses to sign it, that fact is recorded together with the reason (Articles 133 and 134). Never sign a blank or incomplete form.
What a Good Written Remark Looks Like
■ Facts, not opinions. “There was no speed limit sign in my direction of travel” instead of “This is a setup.”
■ What you are requesting. A blood analysis, access to video footage, or proof of certification of the device used to measure speed.
■ Evidence you have. Dashcam footage, photographs of the location and road signs, names and contact details of witnesses.
■ No insults or emotional language. Everything you write becomes part of the case file read by the judge.
Penalty Points: The Discount Does Not Remove the Points
■ Penalty points are entered into the official records on the basis of a final or legally binding decision. Paying half of the fine constitutes acceptance of responsibility.
■ At 18 penalty points, a driving licence ceases to be valid. For drivers with a probationary licence, the limit is 9 points.
■ Penalty points are deleted from the records once 24 months have passed from the date the decision became legally binding.
■ You can check your current number of penalty points through the eGovernment portal.
The Notice Arrived by Post
If you were recorded by a device and were not stopped by the police, the notice is delivered to you by post or through the authority’s delivery service, in accordance with the rules of general administrative procedure (Article 172, paragraph 5). The eight-day deadline then starts on the day you receive the item, and the same three options are available to you.
Your vehicle cannot continue after the roadside inspection?
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Are the Rules Changing?
Since late 2025, there have been public announcements of a new, stricter Road Traffic Safety Act, with higher fines and the loss of the right to pay half of the fine for repeat offences. At the time of writing, these amendments have not been adopted. The Road Traffic Safety Act remains in force with amendments up to and including “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia” No. 19/2025, while the rules governing signatures, deadlines and requests for a court decision are regulated by the Law on Misdemeanours. When the regulations change, we will update this article.
At the Roadside: A Quick Reminder
1. Stay calm and read the notice: date, location, description of the offence and registration number.
2. Sign to confirm receipt and keep the original.
3. If you disagree, say so calmly, and as soon as you can, write down the relevant facts and photograph the location and road signs.
4. In the case of an alcohol test: if you dispute the result, request a blood analysis and have that request entered into the official record immediately.
5. Once you are home, within eight days: either pay half of the fine or send the signed notice to the court by registered mail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does signing a traffic offence notice mean that I admit the offence?
No. By signing, you only confirm that you received the notice (Article 172 of the Law on Misdemeanours). You accept responsibility only when you pay the fine or allow the eight-day deadline to expire without taking action.
What happens if I refuse to sign a traffic offence notice?
The officer enters a note stating that you refused to accept it, and the notice is deemed to have been served. The eight-day deadline runs in the same way, while requesting a court decision becomes more complicated because you do not have the original notice.
How can I challenge a traffic offence notice?
Within eight days of receipt, submit the signed traffic offence notice to the competent misdemeanour court, either in person or by post. The notice itself constitutes your request for a court decision. If sending it by post, attach your written defence and evidence.
Can I still pay half of the fine if I lose in court?
No. If the court finds you responsible, you must pay the full amount stated in the notice as well as the court costs.
Does paying half of the fine remove penalty points?
No. By paying, you accept responsibility, so any penalty points prescribed for the offence remain on your record and are deleted after 24 months from the date the decision became legally binding.
Can I request a blood analysis if I disagree with the breathalyser result?
Yes. The request must be submitted in writing, immediately at the scene, and entered into the official record containing the test results. You bear the cost of the analysis if it is established that you were under the influence of alcohol.
What if the eighth day of the deadline falls on a Sunday or public holiday?
The deadline then expires on the next working day. If you send the request by registered mail, the date you hand it over to the post office counts as the date of submission.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For a specific case, particularly in relation to more serious offences or a road traffic accident, consult a lawyer specialising in misdemeanour law. Legal framework reviewed on 26 September 2026.
LEGAL SOURCES
■ Law on Misdemeanours (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, Nos. 65/2013, 13/2016, 98/2016 – Constitutional Court Decision, 91/2019, 91/2019 – other law, and 112/2022 – Constitutional Court Decision), Articles 41, 133–134, 136–137, 168–176
■ Road Traffic Safety Act (“Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 41/2009 … 76/2023 and 19/2025), Article 280 and provisions governing penalty points
■ Rulebook on the Manner of Conducting Traffic Control and Direct Traffic Regulation on Roads and on Keeping Mandatory Records on the Application of Special Measures and Powers
