Reporting littering helps us prevent pollution in Victoria.
You can report all littering from vehicles to EPA. Examples of types of litter include cigarette butts, plastic bags, food packaging and drinks containers.
You can report littering by the driver or a passenger, from a vehicle that’s on a road or in a car park. The vehicle can be moving or parked when it happened. A person can be reported for littering if it occurred:
- from inside a vehicle
- just before they get into a vehicle
- just after they get out of a vehicle.
You should report littering within seven days of when you saw it happen.
When you report littering from a vehicle, our enforcement officers will investigate the incident and may be able to fine the person you saw littering.
Fines for littering (less than 50 litres) can be given to an individual or a corporation. Fines include for:
- an individual – $385 for a small item of litter such as a cigarette butt or food packaging or $769 for a lit cigarette or other dangerous litter.
- a corporation – $1923 for a small item of litter such as a cigarette butt or food packaging or $3846 for a lit cigarette or other dangerous litter.
If the litter isn’t from a vehicle, you can report it to your local council. You can report unwanted leaflets and other advertising materials in mailboxes and on parked cars to the Distribution Standards Board.
How to report litter from a car or vehicle
We deal with litter reports for vehicles registered in both Victoria and interstate.
Report Victorian vehicles online
You can report littering from or near a vehicle with Victorian number plates online using the EPA web form. Upload any photos, videos or voice recordings you have to the online form.
Reporting interstate vehicles
You can report littering from or a near vehicle with interstate number plates using the litter report form (DOCX 60KB). Fill in the form and post or email it back to us. Our contact details are on the form.
If you have any photos or videos as evidence, email them to contact@epa.vic.gov.au. Be sure to include the vehicle registration number in the email subject line.
Also keep any handwritten notes, photographs or videos about your littering report. We may need these again if the case goes to court.
Remember, it’s against the law to use your mobile phone while driving.
Being a witness at court
It’s not likely you’ll need to attend court as a witness to littering from a vehicle. If you are called as a witness, you will be asked to give a written statement about the littering you saw. The accused person can read this statement before the court date.
You may need to appear at court and talk about the littering you saw. You may be asked questions by the:
- accused person’s legal representative
- accused person
- magistrate or judge.
As a witness, you can apply to the court to recover any loss of wages you may incur.
If you refuse to be a witness
You should attend court if you’re asked to be a witness. When you report littering from a vehicle, you must agree to attend court if needed. If you refuse to be a witness at court, we may not accept any future litter reports from you.
Privacy collection notice
EPA collects your personal information to identify who is making a litter report and for what reason. This information is required to investigate and evaluate non-compliance or contravention of the Environment Protection Act 2017.
EPA may use your information to contact you to provide updates on your report or to seek further details about it. Additionally, your information may be used to call you as an eyewitness for any court proceedings relating to your report.
EPA may use or disclose your information to investigate the provision of any false information.
If you do not provide the information required by this form, including personal information, EPA will be unable to accept your report.
You may contact EPA directly call 1300 372 842 or by email contact@epa.vic.gov.au to request access to your personal information.
Read the EPA’s privacy policy.
Read more about reporting pollution
Pay or dispute a fine for littering from a vehicle
Reviewed 1 February 2024
