Traffic fines in Germany are similar to those in other European countries. Fines are issued in the official language of the country of registration of the offending vehicle. If the traffic offence is committed with a rental car registered in Germany, the fine is issued in German. If you do not speak German, it can be difficult to understand the ticket.
Speed limits in Germany
The maximum speed limit on German roads is as follows, depending on the type of road and vehicle:
- In urban areas, for all motor vehicles: 50 km/h.
- Outside towns:
- Passenger cars and motorbikes: 100 km/h
- Cars with trailers, lorries, motorhomes and buses: 80km/h
- German motorways: Recommended maximum speed 130 km/h. On many stretches there are no speed limits at all. For safety reasons, it is very important to always drive in the right-hand lane, because some large vehicles can reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Autobahns are the only roads in Europe without speed limits.
Speed checks are frequent on German roads. The authorities use both fixed and mobile speed cameras to penalise speeding. The tolerance of speed cameras in Germany is 3 km/h which is deducted from the speed measured by the radar. The tolerance is 3% for speeds above 100 km/h.
Amounts of fines for speeding in Germany
The amounts given below are for offences committed with a passenger car or a motorbike.
| Speeding | Interurban roads | Urban areas |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 km/h | 20€ | 30€ |
| From 11 to 15 km/h | 40€ | 50€ |
| From 16 to 20 km/h | 60€ | 70€ |
| From 21 to 25 km/h | 100€ | 115€ |
| From 26 to 30 km/h | 150€ | 180€ |
| From 31 to 40 km/h | 200€ | 260€ |
| From 41 to 50 km/h | 320€ | 400€ |
| From 51 to 60 km/h | 400€ | 560€ |
| From 61 to 70 km/h | 600€ | 700€ |
| Over 70 km/h | 700€ | 800€ |
To the amounts indicated in the table, you must add 28.50 euros in costs and fees for each fine notification.
It is important to know that your driving licence can be withdrawn if you speed more than 30 km/h in urban areas or more than 40 km/h on interurban roads. Your driving licence can also be withdrawn if you exceed the speed limit by 26 km/h or more twice in one year.
Identification of the responsible driver is mandatory when speeding at 16 km/h or more. The deadline for identifying the driver can be as short as one week. For speeding fines of up to 15 km/h the procedure is closed with payment.
Paying a fine in Germany
Fine notices in Germany are very clear about the methods of payment, which vary depending on the authority issuing the fine. For residents of Germany, the most common method of payment is at any bank office, using a payment code. For residents outside Germany it is possible to pay by bank transfer, indicating the penalty number.
The deadline for paying a traffic fine in Germany is two weeks (14 days) from the notification of the fine notice. If the fine is not paid within this period, a reminder will be sent with a higher amount to be paid.
The official websites of the city councils of Berlin and Munich provide information on traffic fines and the methods of payment, which are similar in other German municipalities.