If you pay the fixed charge, you are pleading no contest and accepting that the points will be endorsed on your licence record. You can opt however to go to court in which case, you have the opportunity to defend your actions. If you are acquitted, obviously there is no question of penalty points being endorsed. However, you run the risk of incurring a higher number of penalty points, if found guilty. You are of course entitled to appeal a case to a higher court if you wish to contest the finding of the court. No penalty points will be endorsed on the licence record until all appeals procedures which are availed of by an individual, have been completed and notification is received from the Courts Service in the event that a conviction is imposed.
