The transport ministers of the federal states and the Federal Ministry of Transport reached an agreement on amendments of the Highway Code and the fines for traffic offences in April, after almost a year of work.
However, the provisions did not become a formality until last Friday, when the Bundesrat voted for the new measures and penalties again, and the amendment to the regulations was finally accepted.
The new fines are expected to come into force at the turn of October and November – once they are published in the Federal Law Gazette.
The revision to the regulations provides for the following fines:
- HGV drivers who, when turning right in an urban area, violate the new obligation to drive the lorry at a pedestrian pace, will be fined EUR 70,
- parking the vehicle in a place where stopping or parking is banned will be penalised with 55 euros (instead of 15 euros as before),
- speeding by 16-20 km/h in built-up areas will be punished with a fine of EUR 70 (and not EUR 35 as before),
- driving at 91 km/h or more instead of 50 km/h in built-up areas will be fined 400 euros (instead of 200 euros),
- unauthorized parking on disabled sites will be subject to a fine of 55 euros (instead of the previous penalty of 35 euros),
- parking in a place with marked access to the fire station or blocking an ambulance will cost 100 euros,
- unauthorized parking in a car park for electric vehicles and shared vehicles (which is a new offence) will result in a fine of EUR 55,
- failure to create an emergency corridor or driving in the corridor will be punished with a fine of 200 to 320 euros and result in a monthly driving ban,
- illegal use of pavements, bicycle paths and roadsides by vehicles will be fined up to EUR 100 (instead of the current fine of EUR 25).
New tariff of fines for drivers for speeding
| Exceeding the speed limit | In a built-up area | In non-built-up areas |
| Up to 10 km / h | 30 euro | 20 euro |
| 11-15 km / h | 50 euro | 40 euros |
| 16-20 km / h | 70 euros | 60 euro |
| 21-25 km / h | 115 euros | 100 euro |
| 26-30 km / h | 180 euros and a month’s driving ban | 150 euros and a month’s driving ban |
| 31-40 km / h | 260 euros and a month’s driving ban | 200 euros and a month’s driving ban |
| 41-50 km / h | 400 euros and a month’s driving ban | 320 euros and a month’s driving ban |
| 51-60 km / h | 560 euros and a 2-month driving ban | 480 euros and a month’s driving ban |
| 61-70 km / h | 700 euros and a 3-month driving ban | 600 euros and a 2-month driving ban |
| over 71 km / h | 800 and 3-month driving ban | 700 euros and a 3-month driving ban |
The complete list of fines for Highway Code violations can be found in the German fines catalogue (Bußgeldkatalog).