Traffic Fines in Austria 2027: Nationwide Uniform and More Expensive

• From January 1, 2027, fines for anonymous penalty notices apply uniformly across Austria
• Fines rise by an average of around 50 percent
• Driving in an emergency corridor costs 200 euros, and speeding can cost up to 6,000 euros

Anyone riding a motorcycle or driving a car into Austria will have to brace for noticeably higher fines starting next year. Austria’s Ministry of Mobility has published the new penalty catalogue. It not only resets the amount of many fines, but also ends a situation that has long caused confusion: the same offense costing a different amount depending on the federal state. For anyone who regularly travels through Austria, the new rates are essential knowledge for the coming travel year.

What changes for traffic fines in Austria in 2027?

From January 1, 2027, anonymous penalty notices (Anonymverfügungen) will be issued at a uniform rate across all of Austria, and many fines will rise significantly. An Anonymverfügung is a simplified fine that arrives by post without personal service. The actual offender can remain anonymous as long as the fine is paid on time. The federal government initiated an amendment to the Road Traffic Act along with a revision of the Anonymous Penalty Notice Ordinance in the middle of last year. It is now confirmed that both will take effect at the turn of the year 2027.

Why are the fines being standardized nationwide?

Until now, the fines for comparable offenses could differ considerably from one federal state to another. Experts and the states themselves have called for years to standardize these catalogues, and the new ordinance does exactly that. Mobility Minister Peter Hanke sums up the core idea: “In the future, it won’t make a difference whether you speed in Vienna or Vorarlberg. The same offense carries the same penalty.” For offenses without a direct link to road safety, such as certain parking violations, the standardization is based on whichever rate was previously the highest among the federal states. That is one of the reasons the harmonization turns out more expensive for many drivers and motorcyclists.

How much will speeding cost from 2027?

For speed, the new catalogue tiers fines by road type and the extent of the excess. In built-up areas, where the limit is usually 50 km/h, exceeding it by up to 10 km/h costs 60 euros, by 10 to 15 km/h costs 80 euros, and by 15 to 20 km/h costs 105 euros. On rural roads with a 100 km/h limit, the same tiers cost 50 euros, 80 euros, 95 euros, and 120 euros for 25 to 30 km/h over. On motorways with a 130 km/h limit, it’s 40 euros for up to 10 km/h over, 80 euros for 10 to 20 km/h, and 120 euros for 20 to 30 km/h over. In a shared traffic zone (Begegnungszone), up to 10 km/h over costs 40 euros, and above that up to 20 km/h costs 70 euros.

For gross speeding violations, a new, higher penalty range also applies. Anyone driving more than 30 km/h over the limit will now face a minimum fine of 200 euros instead of the previous 150 euros, with the upper limit remaining at 5,000 euros. For more than 40 km/h over in built-up areas, or more than 50 km/h over outside built-up areas, the range will now run from 400 to 6,000 euros, up from the previous 300 to 5,000 euros.

What do parking violations and no-stopping zones cost?

Improper stopping and parking will be penalized uniformly across Austria from 2027, and mostly more expensively. Parking in a no-stopping or no-parking zone costs 60 euros. The same 60 euros applies if proof of payment is missing in a short-term parking zone, the paid time is exceeded, or the proof is displayed incorrectly. Parking without authorization in a disabled parking space costs 120 euros. Parking on a pedestrian or bicycle crossing, or within five meters in front of one, carries a fine of 75 euros, while parking in front of a driveway or property entrance costs 70 euros.

What penalties apply for traffic lights, right of way, and crossings?

Violations at intersections and traffic lights are among the pricier items in the new catalogue. Entering an intersection on a red light costs 100 euros. Failing to stop at the line on yellow costs 70 euros. Failing to let a pedestrian cross at a marked crossing is penalized with 85 euros. Disregarding a stop sign, meaning not coming to a full stop at the stop line, costs 80 euros. Ignoring the yielding obligation in a zipper merge costs 70 euros.

Emergency corridor, hard shoulder, and the keep-right rule

The most expensive violations are found around the motorway. Failing to form an emergency corridor or driving into one without authorization costs 200 euros. Turning around or reversing on the motorway costs 130 euros, the same as driving on the hard shoulder without authorization. Disregarding the keep-right rule, such as permanently driving in the middle or left lane, costs 100 euros.

What other violations are becoming more expensive?

Many everyday driving mistakes will also cost more from 2027. Dangerous overtaking is penalized with 140 euros, and overtaking on the right with 115 euros. Crossing a solid line or blocked-off area costs 95 euros, and disregarding a driving ban costs 110 euros. Failing to indicate costs 70 euros, and failing to maintain a safe following distance costs 100 euros. Even leaving the engine running unnecessarily while stationary carries a 50-euro fine.

Why are the fines rising so sharply?

The ministry cites road safety and a rise in serious accidents as the main reasons. While around 14 percent of all accidents involving injuries in 2024 were attributed to inappropriate speed, that share had already climbed to over 16 percent in 2025. Excessive speed is considered the main cause in roughly a third of all fatal traffic accidents. Minister Hanke says speeding is still too often seen as a minor offense, even though it is one of the leading causes of fatal accidents, and that this has to change. He also points out that the higher fines are expected to bring in up to 80 million euros for the strained state budget, but stresses that ideally the deterrent effect would simply mean fewer violations being committed.

What is the ÖAMTC’s criticism of the new fines?

The ÖAMTC, Austria’s automobile club, welcomes the nationwide standardization but considers the size of the increase excessive. Chief legal counsel Martin Hoffer calls the harmonization a sensible and long-overdue step, since it makes penalties easier to communicate clearly. However, he describes the average 50 percent increase across all traffic fines as “well above the inflation rate.” He issues a clear warning against using it primarily to shore up the budget: “It is neither realistic nor honest to expect people to commit offenses, and to use that to patch up a budget.” Hoffer also sees a need for action on on-the-spot fines (Organmandate) collected directly by police. Here too, he says, nationwide consistency is still lacking, though he cautions that standardization must not automatically mean higher fines.

Does anything change for identifying the actual driver?

Nothing changes for penalties issued against a specifically identified driver. If an anonymous penalty notice goes unpaid, or if an offense is serious enough to trigger formal administrative penalty proceedings, the familiar penalty ranges continue to apply. The new uniform rates therefore apply to anonymous penalty notices, not to follow-up proceedings involving a named driver.

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