Practical legal guide · Germany
Fine from Germany: do I have to pay it? Alcohol limits and penalties
Got a fine from Germany or stopped by German police? Germany finds the vehicle keeper in the Czech register, and a final fine of EUR 70 or more can also be enforced in the Czech Republic. Here are the alcohol limits, speeding fines and what a driver without a home in Germany can face.
Describe your caseUpdated and verified:
Short answer
- Pay, or challenge it within the German deadline
- A final fine from EUR 70 can be enforced in Czechia
- A German driving ban applies in Germany
The alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille, zero on probation and under 21. At 0.5 per mille you face EUR 500 and a one-month driving ban. Find a lawyer on LawBridge.
Describe your caseQuick answers
- Do I have to pay a fine from Germany?
- Yes, if it is justified. Germany finds the vehicle keeper in the Czech vehicle register and sends a letter, usually in the language of the registration certificate, so in Czech. A final fine of EUR 70 or more can also be enforced in the Czech Republic. If you disagree, you challenge it in Germany under local rules and deadlines.
- What is the alcohol limit in Germany?
- 0.5 per mille in the blood or 0.25 mg/l in the breath is an administrative offence with a fine of up to EUR 3,000. From 1.1 per mille, or from 0.3 per mille with a driving error, it is a crime. Drivers on probation and under 21 must not drink at all.
- How much is a speeding fine in Germany?
- For a car, in town / outside: up to 10 km/h EUR 40 / 30, 11–15 km/h EUR 60 / 50, 16–20 km/h EUR 160 / 140, 21–25 km/h EUR 175 / 150, 26–30 km/h EUR 235 / 175 (in town also a one-month ban), 31–40 km/h EUR 340 / 255 and a one-month ban, over 60 km/h EUR 800 / 700 and a three-month ban.
When this situation arises
- You received a letter with a fine from Germany for speeding, parking or another offence
- Police in Germany stopped you and want a fine or a deposit on the spot
- You face a driving ban or criminal proceedings in Germany for alcohol or high speed
What options do you have
Pay the fine
If you accept the offence, pay within the deadline in the letter or on the spot. Keep the proof of payment.
Challenge it in Germany
If you disagree, file an objection or appeal with the authority that issued the fine, within its deadline. The case follows the law of Germany.
Challenge enforcement in the Czech Republic
If a Czech district court decides on recognising the foreign fine, it can refuse, among other things, for a fine below EUR 70. What you already paid abroad is deducted.
Recommended step-by-step process
- 1.
Check the letter
Check the date, place, registration number, the authority that issued the fine and the deadline to pay or object.
- 2.
Decide before the deadline
Pay, or challenge it in time with the authority in Germany.
- 3.
Keep the proof of payment
It shows the fine is paid if anyone tries to enforce it again.
- 4.
A lawyer for a serious offence
Alcohol, high speed or an accident can mean criminal proceedings in Germany. A lawyer helps with the defence and with what follows in the Czech Republic.
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 of the fine or deposit
- Photos, witnesses or a recording from the scene if you dispute the offence
Common mistakes
- Ignoring the letter because nobody will enforce a foreign fine
- Missing the deadline to object abroad
- Driving in Germany on probation after any alcohol: the limit is zero
Risks and important deadlines
Driving ban for speeding too
26 km/h over in town or 31 km/h outside already means a one-month ban in Germany.
Car seized
If a driver without a home in Germany does not post the required security, the car can be seized.
Short deadlines
The deadlines to pay and to object are set by Germany and are often short.
When it's worth contacting a lawyer
When you face a driving ban, criminal proceedings for alcohol or speed, or a seized car in Germany, or when a Czech court serves you a request to recognise a foreign fine. A lawyer looks at the defence in Germany and the consequences in the Czech Republic. 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
Frequently asked questions
How much is a drink-driving fine in Germany?
From 0.5 per mille, the first time EUR 500 and a one-month driving ban, the second time EUR 1,000 and three months, the third time EUR 1,500 and three months. A driver on probation or under 21 pays EUR 250 for any alcohol.
Do I have to pay a deposit on the spot in Germany?
A person with no fixed home or residence in Germany can be ordered to post reasonable security for the expected fine and costs and to name an agent for service. If they do not, the car and other belongings can be seized.
Does a German driving ban apply in the Czech Republic?
Withdrawal of a foreign licence in Germany means you may not drive in Germany. For a driving ban (Fahrverbot), the authority holds a licence from another EU country only if the holder lives in Germany. No EU rule in force yet makes a foreign driving ban apply automatically in the Czech Republic; from 26 November 2029 a ban of at least 3 months for a serious offence will be notified to the Czech Republic.
What happens if I do not pay a fine from Germany?
Germany can have a final fine of EUR 70 or more enforced in the Czech Republic. A district court where you stay decides on recognition, and the customs office then collects the amount. For a fine below EUR 70 the court can refuse. What you already paid abroad is deducted.
What changes from 2027?
EU countries must apply new rules by 20 July 2027. The traffic offence notice must then be issued within 11 months, in the language of the registration certificate, and say how to pay and how to object. The country of residence will then recognise a final fine above EUR 70 without further formality, if it was served on you and you could defend yourself.
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
- Straßenverkehrsgesetz (StVG), § 3, § 24a, § 24c, § 25 — Bundesministerium der Justiz – gesetze-im-internet.de
- Bußgeldkatalog-Verordnung (BKatV), Anlage (Nr. 11, 241, 243) — Bundesministerium der Justiz – gesetze-im-internet.de
- Strafprozessordnung (StPO), § 132; OWiG § 46 — Bundesministerium der Justiz – gesetze-im-internet.de
- Your Europe: Road rules and safety – Germany (per Art. 8(1) of Directive (EU) 2015/413) — Your Europe