Speed camera fines from Portugal: do they reach other countries?

If you have been in Portugal recently and think you may have a speeding ticket you may be wondering if Portuguese speed camera fines reach other countries. The short answer is yes.

Traffic authorities in European countries exchange data on offending vehicles, so a driver from another European country may receive a fine from Portugal at home. Below we will see how speed cameras work in Portugal, at what speed they are triggered and how much the fines for speeding are.

At what speed do speed cameras in Portugal go off?

There are three types of speed cameras in Portugal: fixed, mobile and recently introduced. In Portugal, only the ANSR (National Road Safety Authority) can issue speeding fines.

The margin of error of Portuguese speed cameras is governed by the “Rule of 7“: on roads with a limit of 90 km/h or less, a margin of 7 km/h is given, and on roads with a limit of 100 km/h or more, the margin is 7%.

For example, on a road limited to 70 km/h, the radar is only activated for vehicles detected at 78 km/h or higher. However, if we drive at 77 km/h the radar is not triggered.

Amount of speeding fines in Portugal

Penalties in Portugal are imposed in accordance with Portuguese traffic regulations. Fines in Portugal are not reduced for prompt payment, as is the case in other countries. The amount of the fine may vary depending on the type of road or the dangerousness of the stretch of road on which you are driving.

In Portugal, speeding fines are graduated according to the type of vehicle and speeding. The following tables show the amount of fines for speeding in Portugal.

Penalties for cars and motorbikes

In the case of minor speeding on interurban roads, the most common penalty is €120 without reduced payment. Penalties for speeding in excess of this can lead to the withdrawal of the driver’s licence, which in the case of foreign drivers can be recovered when leaving Portugal. The Portuguese authorities set the conditions for recovery, which usually include payment of the fine.

Penalties for vans, lorries, buses and other vehicles