Can a UK plated car be fined in Spain? YES. The Directive 2011/82/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 facilitating the cross-border exchange of information on road safety related traffic offences, currently in force, allows all EU member states to issue fines for a number of traffic offences no matter the country of registration.
This Directive shall apply to the following road safety related traffic offences:
- speeding
- non-use of a seat-belt
- failing to stop at a red traffic light
- drink-driving
- driving under the influence of drugs
- failing to wear a safety helmet
- use of a forbidden lane
- illegally using a mobile telephone or any other communication devices while driving
Of course you can be fined for several other offences while driving your UK plated car in Spain… But in the case of the offences listed above you can be notified even when you are back home. 90% of the fines listed will be issued on-the-spot. Speeding fines are more likely to be notified once you are back home.
If your UK plated car is caught speeding in Spain and the driver isn’t stopped and identified you will receive a ‘notification of a traffic offence committed in Spain‘ or, in other words, a requirement to provide details of the driver. Under the Spanish Traffic Law failing to identify the driver can be fined with up to 1800 €.