Fines, penalties and forfeitures pump HK$2.1 billion into government coffers

AdvertisementHong Kong budget 2026-27Hong KongHong Kong EconomyFines, penalties and forfeitures pump HK$2.1 billion into government coffersAmount is 25.8 per cent more than estimate, with government attributing surge to bigger fines and higher revenue from forfeiture casesReading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJess MaPublished: 9:00am, 2 Mar 2026Fines worth HK$2.1 billion (US$268.39 million) flowed into Hong Kong’s coffers in 2025‑26, nearly 26 per cent more than initially forecast, following an increase in cigarette penalties and a surge in forfeitures.According to budget estimates analysed by the South China Morning Post, the HK$2.1 billion income amounted to 0.3 per cent of the government’s total revenue.The funds were primarily from court fines and forfeiture orders, statute penalties, forfeitures from breaches of contracts and agreements with the government, fixed fines for traffic offences, illegal parking and idling engines, as well as civil servant payments for disciplinary issues.AdvertisementIn response to an SCMP inquiry, a spokeswoman for the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau said the amount received under “forfeitures” varied over the years depending on the number and nature of the cases, and “there has been no fixed pattern”.The amount was 25.8 per cent or HK$442 million more than the original estimate of HK$1.7 billion, with the government attributing the surge to bigger fines and “higher-than-expected” revenue from forfeiture cases.AdvertisementOf the HK$2.1 billion, HK$762 million came from court fines and statutory penalties, which was HK$196 million more than the original estimate.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed0.8x0.9x1.0x1.1x1.2x1.5x1.75x00:0000:001.00x