Fiscal warning

A fiscal warning is a formal warning from the Procurator Fiscal, usually by letter, given instead of prosecuting you for an offence.

A fiscal warning is one of the direct measures the Procurator Fiscal can use as an alternative to prosecution. It is usually sent by letter and tells you that you have been reported for an offence and that the fiscal has decided to warn you rather than take you to court. There is nothing to pay and no conditions to follow. A fiscal warning is not a conviction, and under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 a warning given by a procurator fiscal is spent immediately. This means you generally do not have to disclose it and it does not appear on a Level 1 disclosure. The fiscal can take it into account if you are reported for another offence, and a solicitor can advise if you think the warning was wrongly given.

Checked as at 25 September 2026. General information only, not legal advice.