Check if you need to tell someone about your criminal record
Fines and compensation
A court might order you to pay:
- a fine
- compensation to someone (‘compensation order’)
Whether a fine or compensation order is ‘spent’ affects what information you need to give a potential employer, university or college.
When a fine becomes spent
A fine becomes spent:
- one year after you got it, if you were 18 or over
- 6 months after you got it, if you were under 18
There are different rules if a court gives you a fine for a driving offence.
When a compensation order becomes spent
A compensation order becomes spent after you’ve paid someone in full and sent proof of payment to DBS.