According to a legislative amendment adopted by the Danish Parliament at the end of April, the fine for non-payment of road tolls will increase from 4,500 to 9,000 Danish kroner (approximately €600–€1,200). It’s worth noting that only one fine per vehicle can be issued per day.
But this is not the only change. The most serious measure is the introduction of a provision allowing authorities to stop trucks before the Storebælt (Great Belt) Bridge. Drivers will be required to either pay the outstanding amount immediately or turn back, according to KMToll, the operator of the Danish toll system.
The new system relies on automatic number plate recognition. Scanning gates placed before the bridge will detect vehicles with unpaid fines and alert the police, who will then intervene.
Technical issues and unjustified fines
Since the KmToll system was launched in January this year, the transport industry has frequently reported technical issues and instances of unjustified fines. In response, the Danish transport association ITD, which represents over 800 transport companies, has encouraged operators not to pay fines they believe are unfair.
Unlike in most EU countries, Danish law allows payment to be deferred while an appeal is pending. If the carrier decides to take the case to court, payment can be postponed until a final ruling is issued.
Regulations versus reality – vehicle impoundment won’t be immediate
Although Danish Transport Minister Thomas Danielsen has stated that from 1 July “the barrier will not be lifted” for trucks with unpaid fines, the reality is more complex. According to the Danish transport association DTL, a vehicle can only be impounded once a court ruling becomes final.
This means it could take several years from the time a debt is identified to the actual stopping of the truck, DTL emphasises.
The entire process involves several stages: an administrative decision, enforcement procedures, and judicial review.
DTL’s president has described the current situation as “chaos”, pointing to the system’s inefficiency, numerous loopholes, and the authorities’ lack of preparedness for implementing the new rules.
Romanian trucks on the unwanted list of sanctions
Statistics from the Danish Transport Agency (Færdselsstyrelsen) show that Eastern European companies are the most frequently fined in Denmark. From the beginning of 2025 until 20 May, Romanian trucks received 2,150 fines, of which only 244 were paid.
By comparison:
- Bulgaria: 1,966 fines, 236 paid
- Poland: 6,071 fines, 1,044 paid
In total, vehicles from these three countries are responsible for almost a third of all fines issued in Denmark for failure to pay the road toll.
