ANTAI letter explained in English
Traffic fines agency. Sends traffic and parking notices, for example from speed cameras, for the police and for towns.
Letters you may get
- Avis de contravention — a traffic fine
- Avis de paiement du forfait post-stationnement (FPS) — a parking charge from a town
- Désignation du conducteur — they ask who was driving
What to do
- Pay or contest only on antai.gouv.fr or amendes.gouv.fr. Other websites may charge fees or be scams.
- A parking charge (FPS) is not a fine. To contest it, you usually first send a RAPO within 1 month, as the notice explains.
- Find the deadline. Look for “délai”, “avant le”, “au plus tard”.
- Write the reference number from the letter on everything you send back, and keep copies.
- If you disagree with a decision, object in writing before the deadline (“recours gracieux”, “recours administratif préalable obligatoire”, “recours amiable”, “réclamation”, “contestation”, “recours”). See the template.
Words you may see
- RAPO
- Required first appeal (recours administratif préalable obligatoire). You must send it to the office before you can go to court.
- amende
- Fine.
- avis de contravention
- Notice of a traffic or parking offence, with the fine to pay.
- forfait post-stationnement
- Parking charge from a town when you didn’t pay for parking. It is not a fine.
Questions
What is the ANTAI?
Traffic fines agency. Sends traffic and parking notices, for example from speed cameras, for the police and for towns.
How long do I have to answer a letter from the ANTAI?
It depends on the letter. Look for words like “délai”, “avant le”, “au plus tard” — they mark the deadline. In France, a deadline usually starts on the day you receive the letter — for a registered letter, often the day the post first tried to deliver it. The 3 days are only an estimate, so check the envelope or the delivery notice. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“recours gracieux”, “recours administratif préalable obligatoire”, “recours amiable”, “réclamation”, “contestation”, “recours”).
Can I read a ANTAI letter in English?
Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It explains the letter in plain English, finds the deadline and the amount, and gives you ready-made replies in French. Your letter never leaves your device.
Other offices in France
Finances publiques (DGFiP) · Trésor public / Service de gestion comptable · Caisse d’allocations familiales (CAF) · France Travail (ex Pôle emploi) · Préfecture / ANEF · OFII · Assurance Maladie (CPAM) · Mutuelle / complémentaire santé