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Where is Judicial Fine Paid? Payment Procedure, Installment and Consequences of Non-Payment Calculation, Collection and Execution of Judicial Fines within the Scope of Turkish Penal Code Article 52 and Law No. 5275 Article 106
This guide has been updated as of 2026, based on the Turkish Penal Code, Law No. 5275 on the Execution of Penalties and Security Measures, and the Supreme Court case law.
Judicial fine is calculated by multiplying the number of full days determined by the court by the amount assessed for one day and is paid to the State Treasury. As a rule, the number of days is determined between five and seven hundred and thirty days, and the amount for one day is determined between one hundred and five hundred Turkish liras. After the verdict is finalized, the decision is given to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; The enforcement office notifies the payment order and the payment is made to the tax office upon the direction of the enforcement office. If payment is not made within thirty days from the notification of the payment order, the number of days corresponding to the unpaid part will be converted into a prison sentence and it will be decided to work in a public useful job, two hours of work equal to one day. Judicial fine cannot be postponed; Judicial fines imposed on children cannot be converted into imprisonment.
1. Payment Order Arrived, What Happens Next?
The first question faced by people sentenced to a judicial fine is usually: where, when and with what document will this money be paid? Although the question seems simple, incorrect answers in practice have serious consequences. The time spent thinking that the payment will be made to the courthouse cashier or directly to the court may be the beginning of a chain that extends to the sentence being commuted to imprisonment.
Another common misconception is that a judicial fine is an administrative sanction like a traffic fine. However, a judicial fine is a sentence of conviction; It is recorded in the criminal record and if not paid, it has consequences that directly restrict freedom. The guide covers how the fine is calculated, where and when it will be paid, installment opportunities and the consequences of non-payment.
2. How is Judicial Fine Calculated?
Article 52 of the Turkish Penal Code adopts a day-based system for judicial fines. The judge first determines the exact number of days according to the severity of the act, and then determines the amount for one day, taking into account the economic and personal circumstances of the perpetrator. The resulting penalty is the product of these two values.
The number of days cannot be less than five days and more than seven hundred and thirty days, unless otherwise provided by law. The amount for one day cannot be less than one hundred Turkish liras and cannot be more than five hundred Turkish liras. It is mandatory to show the exact number of days and the amount for one day separately in the decision; This obligation forms the basis of the rollover calculation to be made in case of non-payment.
The two-stage structure allows for personalized punishment. Two people sentenced to the same number of days for the same crime may pay different amounts because their economic situations are different. For this reason, submitting documents regarding income status to the file during the trial is a defense activity that directly affects the final amount.
There are two different types of judicial fines. The first is the judicial fine that is directly stipulated as a sanction in the article of law. Secondly, the short-term prison sentence is converted into a judicial fine as an alternative sanction in accordance with Article 50 of the Turkish Penal Code. Since the distinction affects the enforcement regime to be applied in case of non-payment of the penalty and the authority of the court that gives the sentence, it is necessary to determine which type the decision falls into.
source Criminal court decision Administrative authority decision (law enforcement, municipality, institution)
Consequence of non-payment Converted to prison, forced to work for public benefit It cannot be converted into imprisonment, it is collected through compulsory enforcement.
appeal authority Appeal or appeal against the decision Application to the criminal judgeship of peace
This distinction is not merely theoretical. While the person does not face the risk of imprisonment if the traffic fine is not paid, failure to pay the judicial fine has consequences that directly restrict freedom.
4. Where is the Judicial Fine Paid?
Payment is made to the State Treasury, not to the court or to the person injured by the crime. The flow in the application is as follows.
Sending the verdict to the prosecutor's office: After the verdict is finalized, the verdict is sent to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office where the court that gave the verdict is located and a file is opened in the enforcement office.
Notification of the payment order: The public prosecutor shall notify the convict with the payment order within thirty days from the date the order is given to him. In practice, it may take several months for this notification to arrive after it is finalized.
Application to the execution office: The convict who receives the payment order applies to the execution office of the relevant Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The office issues the document containing the file information and the amount to be paid.
Payment to the tax office: Payment is made to the relevant tax office upon the guidance of the enforcement office. Since the collection is carried out on behalf of the Treasury, the transaction is carried out through this unit.
Delivery of the receipt to the enforcement office: After the payment is completed, the receipt received is submitted to the enforcement office. If this step is skipped, the file will not be closed and enforcement proceedings may continue even though payment has been made.
The last step is particularly overlooked. Payment alone is not enough; In order for the execution file to be closed, the payment must be documented. Keeping a copy of the receipt will be the only basis for any disputes that may arise in the future.
The status of the file can be learned from the convict execution file inquiry service on e-Government or directly from the execution office. These channels, as a rule, serve the purpose of viewing and querying; The actual collection process is carried out through the relevant unit.
The issue of installments comes to the agenda in two separate stages and these two possibilities should not be confused with each other.
In accordance with the fourth paragraph of Article 52 of the Turkish Penal Code, the judge may grant a payment period not exceeding one year from the date of finalization of the sentence, or decide to pay the penalty in installments, taking into account the economic and personal circumstances of the person. The installment period cannot exceed two years and the number of installments cannot be less than four. The decision also states that if one of the installments is not paid on time, the remaining part will be collected in full and the unpaid part will be converted into imprisonment.
If installments are not foreseen in the judgment, payment facility may also be requested during the execution phase. The convict who pays one-third of the penalty within a month may be ordered to pay the remaining part in two installments. This request must be submitted to the enforcement office in a timely manner and in writing.
Submission of the verdict to the prosecutor's office After finalization The file is opened in the execution office
Notification of payment order 30 days from the prosecutor's receipt of the decision Keeping the notification address up to date
installment in execution Payment of one third within one month Request for two installments for the remaining part
6. What Happens If Not Paid?
If payment is not made within thirty days from the notification of the payment order, the amount of days corresponding to the unpaid portion will be converted into a prison sentence by the decision of the public prosecutor. However, in accordance with the third paragraph of Article 106 of Law No. 5275, at this stage, the decision is not to send directly to prison, but to employ him in a job useful to the public.
The working regime operates according to the following principles: two hours of work corresponds to one day; Daily working hours are determined by the probation directorate as a minimum of two and a maximum of eight hours. If the convict does not comply with the program prepared for him or the warnings and suggestions of probation officers, the days he worked are deducted from the prison sentence and the remaining part is served in an open penal institution.
Even if the process has started, the payment opportunity is not closed. If the convict pays the amount corresponding to the days other than the days he was imprisoned or worked in a public service, he is released from prison or his employment ends. Therefore, there is a concrete reward for making a partial payment even after the execution has begun.
A prison sentence converted from a judicial fine cannot be postponed and conditional release provisions are not applied during its execution. On the other hand, the basis for deprivation of rights is not imprisonment but judicial fines. If the imprisonment or work time served does not fully cover the penalty, the verdict is re-processed to collect the remaining part.
Children: If the judicial fine imposed on children is not paid, this penalty cannot be converted into imprisonment. Collection is provided in different ways.
Postponement: Since Article 51 of the Turkish Penal Code only regulates the postponement of prison sentences, it is not possible to postpone the judicial fine.
Offsetting: The periods of freedom of the person whose freedom is restricted due to reasons such as capture, detention and detention before the verdict is finalized are deducted from the judicial fine, counting one day as five hundred Turkish liras.
Recidivism: Since the execution regime specific to repeat offenders is related to freedom-binding penalties, judicial fines are not taken into account in this regard.
Death of the convict: Since the criminal responsibility is personal, the judicial fine does not pass on to the heirs. Provisions regarding confiscation are reserved.
Criminal record: Since a criminal fine is a conviction, it is recorded in the criminal record; Upon completion of the execution, it is deleted from the judicial record and recorded in the archive record.
In the conviction given against a person, a judicial fine of two hundred days was imposed, based on two hundred Turkish liras for one day. The verdict was finalized, but the person learned of the payment order late due to a change of address. No payment has been made after thirty days from the date of notification.
The resulting penalty is forty thousand Turkish liras multiplied by two hundred days and two hundred Turkish liras. Since payment is not made within the thirty-day period, the public prosecutor may decide to convert the unpaid portion into two hundred days of imprisonment and employ them in a public service. Since two hours of work corresponds to one day, the work schedule is planned on this basis. If the person pays the amount corresponding to the remaining days after starting to work, the employment ends. In case of non-compliance with the program, the days worked are deducted and the remaining portion is executed in an open penal institution. If it is thought that the notification was not made in accordance with the procedure, a complaint should be considered to the enforcement judge against the execution process.
Can judicial fines be paid directly to the courthouse cashier? The payment process starts through the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office enforcement office and the collection is made to the tax office under the direction of the office. After payment, the receipt must be submitted to the enforcement office.
Can payment be made without receiving a payment order? After the verdict is finalized, the file can be inquired and the payment process can be initiated by contacting the enforcement office. It is not necessary to wait for the payment order; Early payment prevents the process from taking longer.
What can be done if the installment request is rejected? Installments are evaluated within the framework of the conditions stipulated in the law. In case of rejection of the request or other disputes regarding execution procedures, a complaint to the enforcement judgeship is on the agenda.
Will the criminal record be erased when the judicial fine is paid? Upon completion of the execution, the record is deleted from the criminal record and transferred to the archive. In order for the archive record to be completely deleted, the periods stipulated by law must also expire.
Is it mandatory to work in a public service? This is the decision made when payment is not made. In case of non-compliance with the program, the days worked are deducted and the remaining portion is executed in an open penal institution. If the remaining amount is paid, the employment ends.
Are the days spent in detention deducted from the sentence? Yes. The periods in which freedom is restricted before the verdict becomes final are deducted from the judicial fine, counting as five hundred Turkish liras per day.
Failure to update the notification address: The period starts to count when the payment order is duly notified. Failure to notify the change of address will cause the time to pass unnoticed.
Failure to submit the receipt to the enforcement office: Even if the payment is made, if the document is not submitted, the execution file will not be closed and the proceedings may continue.
Failure to use the thirty-day period to request installments: Failure to request the installment opportunity in cases where the amount is high will directly lead to a conversion decision.
Mistaking a judicial fine as an administrative fine: Considering it in the same category as a traffic fine causes the risk of being converted to prison to go unnoticed.
Delaying payment in anticipation of amnesty: Unless there is a regulation in force, the expectation does not result in legal consequences; Meanwhile, the deadlines continue to run.
Judicial fine is a sanction that can turn from a simple financial obligation into a process that restricts freedom, due to the unknown payment channel and deadlines. Correctly determining the number of days of the sentence and the amount for one day during the trial, submitting documents regarding the economic situation to the file, requesting the installment opportunity in a timely manner, adding the payment document to the execution file, and using the complaint against the execution proceedings in due time directly affects the outcome. Küheylan Law Firm provides legal support in the processes related to the calculation and execution of judicial fines, installments and complaint applications to the enforcement judgeship.
Important Legal Notice: The legal explanations and sample scenarios in this guide have been prepared by Küheylan Law Firm for general information purposes and do not constitute legal advice. Since the unique circumstances of each file may change the outcome, it is recommended to seek legal support from a lawyer from the first stage of the process.
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