Speeding fines in Spain: from 100 to 600 euros, these are the thresholds

Drive along the Costa Blanca and you meet cameras and checks everywhere: fixed radars, average speed checks and unmarked cars of the DGT traffic authority. A moment of inattention quickly costs 100 euros, and pushing it hard risks 600 euros, six licence points or even the criminal court. This is exactly how the Spanish fine scale works, and how to limit the damage if things do go wrong.

How the fine scale is built

Spain uses five fixed tiers for speeding. The lightest offence costs 100 euros without any points. Above that it gets serious fast: 300 euros and 2 points, 400 euros and 4 points, 500 euros and 6 points, and at the top 600 euros and 6 points. A Spanish licence holds 12 points in total, so two hefty tickets bite hard. One consolation: pay within 20 calendar days of the notification and the amount is halved. That early payment discount applies to nearly all traffic fines, though it does mean giving up your right to appeal.

Town or motorway: the thresholds differ

Which tier you hit depends on the limit of the road. In town, where 50 usually applies, driving 51 to 70 sits in the lowest tier of 100 euros. At 71 to 80 it becomes 300 euros and 2 points, and from 101 you are at the maximum of 600 euros and 6 points. On a main road limited to 90, the scale only starts at 91 and the first tier runs to 120. And on a motorway limited to 120, everything up to 150 stays at 100 euros without points; only above 190 do you reach the maximum. Which is why the same 25 kilometres over the limit counts far more heavily in a village than on the AP-7.

When it becomes a crime

Above a hard line the fine system stops and criminal law begins. Exceeding the limit by more than 60 kilometres per hour in town, or by more than 80 outside it, is a criminal offence under article 379 of the Spanish penal code. In practice: doing 111 in a 50 zone, or 201 on the motorway. A judge can impose three to six months in prison, or a financial penalty or community service, always topped up with a driving ban of one to four years. Tourists get no exemption: you can end up before a Spanish criminal court with a foreign licence too.

Practical tips for foreign drivers

Do not assume a fine evaporates once you cross the border: through the European exchange of vehicle data, the letter simply lands on your doormat at home, in your own language. In a rental car, the hire company passes on your details and usually adds an admin fee on top. If a notification arrives, pay quickly online through the DGT website or app and take the 50 percent discount. The points deduction itself only touches holders of a Spanish licence, but do not celebrate: the fine stands in full. And never gamble on a radar’s technical margin. It exists, but it is small and varies by type; drive at the limit and you will not need it. Curious about car costs in Spain? Read our overview of the cost of living on the Costa Blanca too.

About the authorLeonie

Leonie lives on the Costa Blanca. She writes about daily life on the coast: the markets, the walks and everything you only discover once you actually live here.