Attorney-General Robert Hulls announced the plan last week, saying those with unpaid State Government-issued fines will pay only the original cost of the infringement if they pay up by March 19.

In Brimbank, 30,176 residents have 178,916 outstanding fines.

Brimbank and Hume residents had the highest number of unpaid fines across Melbourne's north-west. In Hume, 23,742 people had 189,882 fines not paid. Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong residents, combined, had 129,018 fines overdue.

"This fee waiver gives people the incentive to act on their fines instead of simply hoping they'll go away," Mr Hulls said.

The waiver applies to all State Government-issued fines, including those from the Department of Transport, Victoria Police and Department of Primary Industries.

Eleven local councils are also taking part in the waiver, meaning outstanding fines issued by them will also have the extra costs taken off. Those councils are Brimbank, Melbourne, Yarra, Moonee Valley, Port Phillip, Kingston, Greater Shepparton, West Wimmera, Monash, Stonnington, and Campaspe Shire. But those with unpaid fines should be warned: once the waiver period is over, the sheriff will get active in reclaiming monies owing.

"With the addition of 22 new sheriff's officers and initiatives such as wheel-clamping and registration non-renewal, fine defaulters will face a concerted enforcement operation," Mr Hulls said.

Officers will be able to use new automated numberplate-recognition technology, enabling them to electronically verify the number of warrants attached to individual defaulters.