Letters to notify a fine in Spain are sent from the beautiful city of León, in the north-west of the country. On the envelope you can see the official anagram of the Ministry of the Interior, and the letter shows the logo of the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT). The notice of a speeding fine contains all the information: the penalising body, the location of the fine, the offending vehicle, the amount to be paid, the means of payment, ways of identifying the driver or lessee…
What to do if I get a traffic ticket from Spain but my car wasn’t there
What if my car wasn’t in Spain? When you receive a traffic fine notice for a car that wasn’t in Spain at the time, there are two reasons for this:
- It’s a mistake: in these cases it’s advisable to call (they speak English) and submit a written allegation requesting that the photograph of the offending vehicle be sent and that the report be withdrawn. The letter can be sent in English and should contain the report number and a declaration from the vehicle owner stating that the vehicle was not in Spain on that date. It is advisable to provide as much evidence as possible, as well as photographs of the vehicle, especially if you suspect that its registration may have been duplicated.
- It’s a scam: these attempted scams are usually aimed at paying the fine and don’t contain contact details for the sanctioning body. If in doubt, it is advisable to contact the Spanish authorities and, if it is confirmed that it is an attempted scam, lodge a complaint with the Portuguese authorities.
The complaint cannot be ignored, as the Spanish authorities have up to four years to pursue the alleged offender. Cases where the licence plate doesn’t match the sanctioned vehicle can be resolved quickly and more serious problems avoided in the future.