Practical legal guide
Driving abroad: fines, alcohol limits and penalties by country
Driving abroad from the Czech Republic, or got a fine from another country? EU countries find the vehicle keeper in the Czech register, and a final fine of EUR 70 or more can also be enforced in the Czech Republic. Alcohol limits and fines differ from country to country: here are 11 compared.
Describe your caseUpdated and verified:
Short answer
- Pay a justified fine, or challenge it abroad
- A final fine of EUR 70 or more can be enforced in Czechia
- For now a foreign driving ban applies only abroad
EU countries find the keeper in the Czech register. A Czech court can refuse a fine below EUR 70. Find a lawyer on LawBridge.
Describe your caseQuick answers
- Do I have to pay a fine from abroad?
- A justified fine, yes. EU countries exchange vehicle-register data, so the letter comes to your home, usually in Czech for a Czech-registered car. A final fine of EUR 70 or more can also be enforced in the Czech Republic. If you disagree, you challenge it in the offence country.
- Who enforces a foreign fine in the Czech Republic?
- A district court where you stay decides on recognition, or one where you last had permanent residence or have property. You can file a complaint with suspensive effect against its decision. The customs office then collects the amount.
- Do I have to pay a fine below EUR 70?
- You should pay it, but for a fine below EUR 70 a Czech court can refuse recognition and enforcement in the Czech Republic. The offence country can still pursue it under its own law.
When this situation arises
- A fine from abroad arrived by post
- You are driving abroad and want to know the limits
- Police abroad stopped you or you face a driving ban
Countries compared
| Country | Alcohol limit | Novice / professional drivers | Speeding fine example | On the spot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 0.5‰ | 0.1‰ | over 30 km/h: EUR 200–5,000 | security up to the maximum fine |
| Germany | 0.5‰ | 0.0‰ (probation, under 21) | 31–40 km/h in town: EUR 340 + 1-month ban | security without a German address |
| Slovakia | 0.0‰ | 0.0‰ | in town 21–50 km/h: EUR 150–600 | on the spot, otherwise licence kept |
| Poland | 0.2‰ | 0.2‰ | 31–40 km/h: PLN 800 | EU driver: 7 days to pay |
| Hungary | 0.0‰ | 0.0‰ | not verified | camera fines by post |
| Croatia | 0.5‰ | 0.0‰ (young, professional) | in town 20–30 km/h: EUR 130 | half if paid on the spot or within 3 days |
| Slovenia | 0.5 g/kg | 0.0 | not verified | no e-vignette: EUR 300 |
| Italy | 0.5 g/l | 0.0 (3 years after licence B, under 21) | 10–40 km/h: EUR 173–694 | deposit, otherwise car held up to 60 days |
| France | 0.5 g/l | 0.2 g/l (probationary licence) | 20–29 km/h: EUR 135 | deposit, otherwise car held |
| Spain | 0.5 g/l | 0.3 g/l (2 years, professional) | limit 120, driving 151–170 km/h: EUR 300 | deposit without Spanish residence |
| Switzerland (outside the EU) | 0.5‰ | 0.1‰ (probationary, professional) | in town 11–15 km/h: CHF 250 | pay at once or deposit |
What options do you have
Pay the fine
If you accept the offence, pay in time. Some countries give a discount for paying quickly, such as Spain 50% within 20 days and Croatia 50% on the spot or within 3 days.
Challenge it where the offence happened
File an objection or appeal with the authority that issued the fine, under its law and deadlines.
Challenge enforcement in the Czech Republic
A district court decides on recognising a foreign fine. It can refuse, among other things, for a fine below EUR 70; what you already paid is deducted.
Recommended step-by-step process
- 1.
Check the letter
Check the date, place, registration number, authority and deadline.
- 2.
Look up the country's rules
Open the country page below: limits, fines, deposits and deadlines.
- 3.
Pay or object in time
The deadlines are set by the offence country and are often short.
- 4.
A lawyer for a serious offence
Alcohol, high speed or an accident can mean criminal proceedings abroad.
What documents to prepare
- The fine letter or decision and the envelope with the date of delivery
- Vehicle registration certificate and driving licence
- Proof of payment
- Evidence if you dispute the offence
Common mistakes
- Thinking nobody will enforce a foreign fine
- Assuming the Czech alcohol rule applies: Poland has 0.2 per mille, Austria 0.5 but 0.1 for novices
- Missing the deadline for the discount or for objecting
Risks and important deadlines
Deposit and car held
In Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Austria and Switzerland a driver without a local home can be asked for a deposit; without it the car or belongings can be held.
Speeding as a crime
In France from 50 km/h over the limit, in Switzerland for example from 50 km/h over in town (1 to 4 years in prison), in Spain from 60 km/h over in town.
Enforcement in the Czech Republic
A district court recognises a final fine of EUR 70 or more and the customs office collects it.
When it's worth contacting a lawyer
When you face a driving ban, criminal proceedings for alcohol or speed, or a seized car abroad, and when a Czech court serves you a request to recognise a foreign fine. On LawBridge, a search engine for lawyers, you can find a traffic lawyer and describe your situation in a request. Legal services are always paid.
Describe your caseRelated pages
Lawyers for this area on LawBridge
Kolárová Legal
Prague · Czechia
Mgr. LUKÁŠ KYKAL
Praha - Říčany · Czechia
JUDr. Ivana Žilinčíková
Prague · Czechia
Profile order changes from page to page and never depends on plan or payment. Lawyers' services are always paid; LawBridge is a search engine and guarantees neither acceptance of a case nor its outcome.
All lawyers for this area →Frequently asked questions
Where is the strictest alcohol limit?
Slovakia and Hungary have a zero limit, Poland 0.2 per mille. Austria, Germany, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Spain and Switzerland have a general 0.5 limit, but novice or professional drivers usually have a lower one, often zero.
Does a foreign driving ban apply in the Czech Republic?
Usually not yet: it applies only in the country that imposed it. From 26 November 2029, an EU country where you got a ban of at least 3 months for a serious offence will notify the Czech Republic, and the Czech authorities will withdraw, suspend or restrict the licence.
What about Switzerland?
Switzerland is not in the EU, so the EU rules on data exchange and enforcing fines do not apply to it. A driver without a home in Switzerland must still pay the fine at once or post a deposit.
What changes from 2027?
EU countries must apply new rules by 20 July 2027: one traffic offence notice within 11 months in the language of the registration certificate, and recognition of a final fine above EUR 70 without further formality, if it was served on you and you could defend yourself.
Who passes on Czech vehicle-register data?
The Czech Ministry of Transport runs the automated exchange of data on vehicles and their keepers under EU law.
Verified sources
- Směrnice (EU) 2015/413 o přeshraniční výměně informací o dopravních deliktech, čl. 4 a 5 — EUR-Lex
- Směrnice (EU) 2024/3237, kterou se mění směrnice 2015/413 (provedení do 20. 7. 2027), čl. 5b a 5f — EUR-Lex
- Rámcové rozhodnutí Rady 2005/214/SVV o vzájemném uznávání peněžitých sankcí, čl. 1 a 7 — EUR-Lex
- Zákon č. 104/2013 Sb. o mezinárodní justiční spolupráci ve věcech trestních, § 261–272 — Zákony pro lidi
- Zákon č. 56/2001 Sb. o podmínkách provozu vozidel na pozemních komunikacích, § 4 odst. 8 — Zákony pro lidi
- Směrnice (EU) 2025/2206 o některých zákazech řízení, čl. 2 (použití od 26. 11. 2029) — EUR-Lex
- Your Europe: Road rules and safety – traffic offences — Your Europe