Can I write to the DGT in English?

In general, the language of the Spanish administration is Spanish. In some autonomous communities Spanish is co-official language together with the regional language. The Spanish national authorities issue all documents and notifications in Spanish by default, but they usually accept and process applications made in English.

The DGT in particular, which is the highest Spanish authority for traffic fines, processes documents received in English as a matter of course, although the response will generally be issued in Spanish. 

Speeding fines in Spain: information over the phone

The DGT has an information line exclusively for speeding penalties, which are the most common. The service includes information on penalties of 900 and 1200 euros for failing to identify the driver in a previous speeding offence. This line can provide information on where the offence took place and on the most common procedures:

• Submitting an objection to a fine of 900 euros.
• Identifying the driver
• Paying the fines
• Information on driving licence points for speeding offences

The DGT helpline on speeding fines has a service in English. The English language service is only available in the mornings, Monday to Friday, from 08:00 to 14:00 (Spanish time). 

If you have received a fine for speeding in Spain and you need assistance call 0034987010559 and request to speak in English after the recorded message ends. Calling this phone number is free from 99% of the Spanish lines. Calling from abroad has the cost of an regular call to any Spanish landline.

If you need help with other services of the Spanish traffic authority (DGT) you should call 060. This citizen helpline number also has English-speaking operators from Monday to Friday and is open from 09:00 to 14:00 Spanish time. The 060 telephone number has a special rate, please check with your telephone company. On the 060 telephone number you can obtain information about exchanging driving licences, buying and selling vehicles, obtaining a Spanish driving licence, updating your address for notifications, etc.

How do I pay my fine DGT es?

These are the steps to follow to pay a fine on the DGT website:

1. Go to https://sedeapl.dgt.gob.es:7443/WEB_IWPS5_INET/jsp/sincertificado/index.jspx.

2. Fill in the personal details of the holder of the card with which you are going to make the payment, choosing NIE, Passport or Other as the type of identification.

3. It is very important to provide a valid e-mail address, as the payment receipt will be sent by this means.

4. Use only numbers in the Document No. and Amount boxes. Select the notification date using the calendar (the day you received the fine).

5. Click the Plus button if you have more than one fine and repeat.

6. Click Continue.

7. Read and accept the terms and conditions and click Continue.

8. Enter your card details. The DGT website uses a double verification system, so you will receive an SMS or you will have to access your bank's app or website to complete the operation.

If you need assistance you can call the DGT hotline (+34987010559). The service is available in English from Monday to Friday mornings, from 08:00 to 14:00 (Spanish time).

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.

Error: it was not possible to conduct the operation

The DGT payment platform is having issues with given cards, especially when trying to pay a fine from third countries. The error message is pretty vague: 'Error: it was not possible to conduct the operation'.

In these cases the only alternative seems to be making a bank transfer.

Where is the reply form to identify the driver?

When you receive a notification from the Spanish traffic authorities it says that 'If you were not the driver [...] you are obliged to submit the reply form...', but there is no reply form in the letter. How do you identify the driver then? According to the Spanish Traffic Law, to identify the driver you must provide the following data,

• Record number
• Full name
• Driving licence
• Postal address
• Copy of the driving licence (if the driver is not registered as a driver in Spain)

The best way to identify the driver is using your own form including all the information required.

More information about how to identify the driver.

The field 'date of notification' is not correct

If you get the following error message: 'Error:  the field 'date of notification' is not correct' you should try again using a Windows PC or an Android device with either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.

If you use iOS no matter the browser or Windows with Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge, DGT's website won't read the notification date properly.

Update August 2020: important information if you are trying to pay from the US or from Canada.