Do I have to pay a speeding ticket from abroad?

The beautiful days abroad are long gone and there’s currently no trip in sight due to the coronavirus, so suddenly a parking ticket from your last vacation flutters into the house… Do you have to pay it, or can you just ignore it? If you have parked incorrectly abroad or driven too fast and didn’t have to pay on the spot, the matter is unfortunately not automatically settled.

A parking ticket can also be sent by post. Legally binding notices from EU countries can also become due in Germany from 70 euros, including any procedural costs.

You should definitely check the claim!

If you receive a demand from a foreign authority, you should react as quickly as possible. For example, if you were not driving yourself or perhaps your own license plate number was incorrectly recorded.
Also objectionable: If important parts of the letter are not written in German. It is often possible to view documents on the websites of foreign authorities using code numbers.
Send any objections and exonerations back to the sender’s address. The Federal Office of Justice is responsible for collection in Germany and will enforce the claims once the proceedings abroad have been completed. If you have no objections, you can pay the fine in advance.

If you have private claims, you should seek legal advice.
However, the collection of privately organized toll or parking fees with the help of debt collection companies is not covered by EU fine enforcement. This is because companies such as European Parking Collection or NIVI are not public authorities. It is more difficult for private companies to collect payments, but it is not impossible. If you are affected, you should not pay for the time being and seek legal advice.

The aforementioned EU agreement is also only applicable to fines and penalties. Driving license disqualifications or points entries from abroad cannot be enforced in Germany. However, within the framework of enforcement assistance, prison sentences, for example, as are possible in Switzerland for serious speeding offenses, could also be enforced in Germany.

So it’s best to drive and park properly abroad too, so that you only find postcards from your friends in your own letterbox.

In the hope that we will all be able to travel again soon, best regards

Your TÜFA-TEAM