Error, the field Date of Notification is not correct - US and Canada

Trying to pay a fine and you can't get past the "Error, the field Date of Notification is not correct" message? Well, if you live in the US or in Canada it might be a little tricky to sort this out. 

The reason why you cannot pay even using the DGT calendar is that your OS and browser are more than likely to use the US date format (MM/DD/YYYY), and the site will only work if it receives the date information in the European format (DD/MM/YYYY). To fix this issue you will have to change the settings both in your OS and in your browser.

You will probably have to look for the time, language and region settings, but every browser/OS has its unique way to do it. Below you can find information about those I've found, if you know how to change the settings in a particular OS or browser do please leave a comment.

Change date format in Windows 10.

Change date format in Firefox.

Change date format in Chrome.

Change date format in Edge.

Change date format in iOS.

Change date format in Safari.

Change date format in Android.

I paid a speeding ticket by transfer. Now what?

When paying a Spanish fine by transfer it is very important to include the 'dossier number' or 'N. Expediente' in the transfer form, ideally in the comments field.

Anyway, and according to what I have read in different forums, Facebook groups and blogs, it is advisable that you keep a copy of the bank statement and send it by fax to the Spanish Traffic Authority. This way they will have the copy in their records and will be able to track the payment in case it is not registered once the early payment period has expired. You can get a copy of the bank statement via your online banking account.

You should send a copy of this bank statement to the following fax number, 0034902512151. You can include the reference number again in the document and a short text, something like 'Find attached a copy of the bank transfer statement. Do please note that the transfer was made WITHIN the early payment window. / Best regards, XX'.

Send this fax in case you receive a second notification and you already paid by transfer.

I have received a fine, but it is in Spanish!

Ok, let us begin at the beginning. Go to the top-left corner and read the words after 'ASUNTO', there are several possibilities, but the most common are,

1. 'Notificación de iniciación de expediente' (notice of initiation of administrative proceedings). You have been identified as the driver of the car (even if you were just the person who paid for the car rental). If it is a 100 euro fine you don't need to identify the driver: the fine will be deleted from your driver's record once it has been paid for, and it will be easier to get the 50% reduction. You can still identify the driver if, and only IF, it was a rental car. If a friend has identified you by mistake it is likely that either you pay the fine or your friend is fined for misidentification. 
2. 'Petición de datos al titular para identificación del conductor' (request to the registered owner to identify the driver). You can identify the driver on the Internet, by fax, or by post. If you cannot complete the identification process online (the DGT site is a nightmare), I would suggest that you contact the DGT by phone a week after sending the documents to confirm that everything is OK. To identify the driver you will have to quote the record number ('número de expediente') and provide the driver name, ID (NIF, NIE or passport*), and full address. If the driver does not have a Spanish driving licence, it is advisable to attach a good quality copy of it. 

Have you received a notification with a different 'asunto'? Leave us a comment and we will try to provide further information! And whenever you need the procedure clarified, do not hesitate to contact the Spanish authorities.

* NIF and NIE are the Spanish IDs. The NIF format is NNNNNNNNL, and the NIE format is LNNNNNNNL, where N is a number and L is a letter.

100 eur fine for speeding in Spain

The letter that the Spanish authorities are sending abroad to car owners in France, Germany, the Netherlands or Belgium is the one you can see below.

It is usually a fine for speeding, and the amount varies from 100 eur to 600 eur. Spanish law offers a 50% reduction for early payment (20 days), so my advice would be to pay as soon as possible.

You can pay by transfer (usually paying a transfer fee) or by card (check DGT's site for details, as there are ongoing updates on the English site).

As I speak a little Spanish, I have called their contact phone number a couple of times on behalf of someone else. To my surprise they have English speaking operators, and the lady was really helpful both times. A call to Spain is pretty cheap, and it can save you around 40 GBP (even more for higher fines). The last time I called the site insisted that I paid 100 euro, but I told the lady on the phone that I had only just received the letter and after closing the browser and trying again there was my reduction.

Speed cameras in Malaga

Malaga is one of the best Spanish destinations, as it offers a perfect balance of beach, sun, shopping, culture, nightlife and gastronomy. The A-7 (the highway that runs parallel to the coast) and the A-45 (also a highway, this one connecting Malaga and Cordoba) concentrate most of the speeding cameras. You can be aware of their precise location hiring a GPS (DGT informs about their location in advance).

As the list of spots controlled by radar is updated monthly, radar than providing an information that will be outdated in a matter of weeks, I think it's more useful to provide the link where the information will always be up-to-date:

1. List of speeding cameras and areas under strict control: http://www.dgt.es/es/el-trafico/control-de-velocidad/malaga/index.shtml * 
2. Map highlighting the roads under strict speeding control: http://www.dgt.es/Galerias/el-trafico/control-de-velocidad/Malaga.jpg 

* vocabulary tips: "radar fijo" means "fixed speed camera". "Radar tramo" means "road section average speed camera". "Radar móvil" means "mobile speed camera". 

You migh be interested in our article about the tolerance thresold in Spain.

Got a Spanish ticket from September, October or November? Get the 50% reduction!

You were in Spain for a couple of weeks last September, October or November and you get a ticket in January... Hm, 100 euro, maybe 300 euro... Oh, there seems to be a reduction for early payment, but you got the letter too late! 

Ok, no worries on that respect. As far as we have confirmed (and so have our readers), you can still get the reduction. All you have to do is making a call to the Spanish Traffic Authority (DGT or CTDA, depending on the type of fine) and inform them that you have only just received the ticket. 

The number you should dial is 0034 902 508 686. This number is valid from the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Norway, France, Portugal... And there are always English and French operators available (just wait until a person answers in Spanish and let them know that you want to speak either English or French, you will be transferred immediately). 

For further information, check our FAQ.