Fines in Europe: your at-a-glance guide
Planning to go on holiday by car? Committing a traffic offence abroad can be extremely expensive. Comparis provides an overview of the fines you might face in European countries.
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1. Which countries impose the biggest fines?
Every country has traffic regulations, but the amount of the fines varies significantly. In Scandinavia, for example, even minor speeding offences can cost you dear. But wherever you are, if you drive at excessive speeds, you will almost always face a hefty fine.
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2. What are the maximum drink-drive limits?
Drink-driving alcohol limits in European countries range from 0.0 to 0.8 mg/ml. Drunk driving is particularly expensive in Great Britain, for example, where those who are caught with too much alcohol in their blood can easily expect to pay several thousand francs.
3. Special limit for young drivers
Many countries have different limits for young drivers. In Switzerland, the maximum is 0.1 mg/ml. However, in Germany, Italy and Croatia, a zero alcohol tolerance policy applies to young drivers. This means that even one beer is too much. Indeed, the safest way to drive is to not drink any alcohol at all.
4. Fines in Europe compared
Have you committed a traffic offence while driving abroad? In this table, you can see what fines you can expect to pay and when.
Amounts in €, calculations supplied without liability.
| 20 km/h too fast | More than 50 km/h too fast | Alcohol limit (mg/ml) | Drink-driving | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | From 115 | From 300 | 0.5 | From 180 |
| Bulgaria | From 25 | From 300 | 0.5 | From 255 |
| Denmark | From 135 | From 500 | 0.5 | Up to 1 month's earnings |
| Germany | From 100 | From 480 | 0,5 | From 250 |
| Estonia | Up to 120 | Up to 800 | 0.2 | From 400 |
| Finland | 200 | Rate based on 14 or more days of income | 0.5 | Rate based on 15 or more days of income |
| France | From 135 | 1,500 | 0.5 | From 135 |
| GB (Scotland*) | Up to 1,195 | Up to 2,990 | 0.8 (0.5*) | Unlimited |
| Greece | 100 | 350 | 0.5 | From 80 |
| Ireland | From 80 | From 80 | 0.5 | From 200 |
| Iceland | From 215 | From 915 | 0.5 | From 635 |
| Italy | From 175 | From 545 | 0.5 | From 545 |
| Croatia | From 70 | Up to 2,000 | 0.5 | From 395 |
| Latvia | From 20 | From 240 | 0.5 | From 430 |
| Lithuania | From 30 | From 450 | 0.4 | From 800 |
| Luxembourg | From 50 | From 145 | 0.5 | from 145 |
| Malta | From 70 | From 70 | 0.5 | From 1,200 |
| Netherlands | From 180 | Income-related | 0.5 | From 300 |
| Norway | From 490 | From 1,000 | 0.2 | From 520 |
| Austria | From 30 | Up to 5,000 | 0.5 | From 300 |
| Poland | From 45 | From 325 | 0.2 | From 540 |
| Portugal | From 120 | From 300 | 0.5 | From 250 |
| Romania | From 60 | From 265 | 0 | From 265 |
| Sweden | From 230 | From 395 | 0.2 | Rate based on 40 or more days of income |
| Switzerland | From 175 | Rate based on 60 or more days of income | 0.5 | From 585 |
| Slovakia | From 40 | From 1,200 | 0 | From 200 |
| Slovenia | From 40 | From 1,200 | 0.5 | From 300 |
| Spain | From 100 | From 600 | 0.5 | From 500 |
| Czech Republic | From 40 | From 205 | 0 | From 105 |
| Turkey | From 15 | From 30 | 0.5 | From 60 |
| Hungary | From 80 | From 160 | 0 | Up to 265 |
| Cyprus | From 35 | From 85 | 0.5 | From 100 |
Sources: ADAC, www.tcs.ch, www.bussgeldkataloge.de, as at 2022
This article was first published on 01.09.2013
