German Traffic Violations and Fines
Many fines for German traffic violations were increased effective February 1, 2009. The charts below indicate the penalties for each violation.
Speeding
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points | License Suspension |
| Exceeding Speed Limit | Within/outside city limits | Within/outside city limits | Within/outside city limits |
| Up to 10 km/h | 15/10 | | |
| 11-15 km/h | 25/20 | | |
| 16-21 km/h | 35/30 | | |
| 21-25 km/h | 80/70 | 1 | |
| 26-30 km/h | 100/80 | 3 | |
| 31-40 km/h | 160/120 | 3 | 1 month (within city limits) |
| 41-50 km/h | 200/160 | 4/3 | 1 month |
| 51-60 km/h | 280/240 | 4 | 2 months/1 month |
| 61-70 km/h | 480/440 | 4 | 3 months/2 months |
| over 70 km/h | 680/600 | 4 | 3 months |
Tailgating
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points | License Suspension |
| Distance in meters going faster than 80 km/h |
| Less than 5/10 of half speedometer | 75 | 1 | |
| Less than 4/10 of half speedometer | 100 | 2 | |
| Less than 3/10 of half speedometer | 160 | 3 | 1 month* |
| Less than 2/10 of half speedometer | 240 | 4 | 2 months* |
| Less than 1/10 of half speedometer | 320 | 4 | 3 months* |
| (*) = if speed was more than 100 km/h |
| (Example: At a speed of 100 km/h, the minimum distance to the vehicle in front should be 25 meters - 5/10 of half the speedometer) |
| Distance in meter going faster than 130 km/h |
| Less than 5/10 of half speedometer | 100 | 2 | |
| Less than 4/10 of half speedometer | 180 | 3 | |
| Less than 3/10 of half speedometer | 240 | 4 | 1 month |
| Less than 2/10 of half speedometer | 320 | 4 | 2 months |
| Less than 1/10 of half speedometer | 400 | 4 | 3 months |
Wrong turns
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Improper left turn | 70 | 1 |
| Turning without yielding right of way to oncoming vehicle | 70 | 2 |
| Turning without yielding right-of-way to pedestrian | 70 | 2 |
| Improper turn into private property; illegal/improper backing | 80 | 2 |
Autobahn and Highways
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points | License Suspension |
| Turning around/reversing on exit/on ramp | 75 | 4 | |
| Turning around/reversing on shoulder | 130 | 4 | |
| Turning/reversing/driving in wrong direction | 200 | 4 | 1 month |
| Passing on shoulder | 75 | 2 | |
| Parking on autobahn or highways | 70 | 2 | |
RAILROAD CROSSING VIOLATIONS
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points | License Suspension |
| Failure to yield to oncoming train | 80 | 3 | |
| Failure to yield to barriers (gates, warning lights, attendant) at railway crossing | 240 | 4 | 1 month |
| Pedestrian/bicycle crossing while gate closed | 350 | 4 | |
| Vehicular crossing while gate closed | 700 | 4 | 3 months |
Hit and run
| Violation | Points |
| Hit and run with extenuating circumstances (accident in slow traffic, minimal damage, retroactive report by offender within 24 hours) | 5 |
| Other cases of hit and run | 7 |
Vehicle deficiencies
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Obstructing license plate visibility | 50 | 1 |
| Use of motor vehicle (except motorbike) or trailer with tires below minimal tred requirements | 50 | 3 |
| Or arranged or allowed by owner | 75 | 3 |
| Use of motor vehicle or trailer in deficient condition | 90 | 3 |
| Or arranged or allowed by owner | 135 | 3 |
Pedestrian Crosswalk
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Failure to yield to pedestrian, failure to obey posted speed limits, passing in a crosswalk | 80 | 4 |
Violation of right turn on green arrow
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Failure to stop before turning | 70 | 3 |
| Failure to yield right-of-way | 100 | 3 |
| Hindering pedestrian or bike traffic in bike lanes | 100 | 3 |
| Endangering pedestrian or bike traffic in bike lanes | 150 | 3 |
Seatbelt Violations
| Violation | Fine (€) |
| Failure to fasten seatbelt (also in buses) | 30 |
Cell phone ban
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Use of cell phone while operating a motor vehicle | 40 | 1 |
| Use of cell phone while operating a bicycle | 25 | |
Inspection or Emission Control Violations (expired inspection date)
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Up to 2 months | 15 | |
| 2 to 4 months | 25 | |
| 4 to 8 months | 40 | 1 |
| more than 8 months | 75 | 2 |
Failure to use right lane
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Jeopardizing another vehicle in two-way traffic, while being passed, on hilltops, in curves or with insufficient visibility | 80 | 2 |
| Hindering another vehicle on autobahns or highways | 80 | 1 |
Red light violations
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points | License Suspension |
| Running a red light | 90 | 3 | |
| With endangerment | 200 | 4 | 1 month |
| With damages | 240 | 4 | 1 month |
| Running an "old" red light (longer than 1 sec.) | 200 | 4 | 1 month |
| With endangerment | 360 | 4 | 1 month |
| With damages | 360 | 4 | 1 month |
ILLEGAL, IMPROPER OR UNSAFE PASSING
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points | License Suspension |
| Within city limits | 30 | | |
| Within city limits; with damages | 35 | | |
| Outside city limits | 100 | 3 | |
| Passing too slowly in relation to the overtaken vehicle | 80 | 1 | |
| Unsafe passing for existing traffic conditions | 100 | 3 | |
| Unsafe passing for existing traffic conditions; passing in violation of road signs, outside lane markings | 150 | 4 | |
| With endangerment | 250 | 4 | 1 |
| With damages | 300 | 4 | 1 |
| Passing inviolation of posted signs | 70 | 1 | |
Right of way
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Approaching priority road at an inappropriate speed | 10 | |
| Hindering vehicle with right of way | 25 | |
| Jeopardizing vehicle with right of way | 100 | 3 |
| Violating of right of way while entering autobahn or highways | 75 | 3 |
| Failure to yield at a stop sign | 50 | 3 |
Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol
| Blood alcohol level (pro milliliter) | No signs of driving impairment | With signs of driving impairment | Caused an accident |
| from 0.3 (alcohol shows impact) | n/a | 7 points | 7 points |
| | fine or jail | fine or jail |
| from 0.5 (twice the accident risk) | 4 points | 7 points | 7 points |
| up to € 3,000 | fine or jail (up to 5 years) | fine or jail (up to 5 years) |
| up to 3 months driving ban | revocation of license | revocation of license |
| from 1.1 (10 times more likely to have an accident) | 7 points | 7 points | 7 points |
| fine or jail (up to 5 years) | fine or jail (up to 5 years) | fine or jail (up to 5 years) |
| revocation of license | revocation of license | revocation of license |
Alcohol prohibition for learner's permit
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Within probation period according to 2a of the trafficcode, or before 21st birthday. | 250 | 2 |
Child vehicle safety violations
| Violation | Fine (€) | Points |
| Failure to fasten child's seatbelt (also in buses) | 30 | |
| Unsafe transportation of one child but with restraining device | 30 | |
| Unsafe transportation of multiple children but with restraining devices | 35 | |
| Transporting one child without restraining device | 40 | 1 |
| Transporting multiple children without restraining devices | 50 | 1 |
(Source: Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs)
