My insurance company called to say I have a pending fine

When DGT or other issuing authorities can't reach the car owner at their registered address, the fines are notified through the TEU, an online platform at the Official State Gazette or BOE. The TEU service is not available in English, but some insurance companies check it daily in case their clients appear in the public announcements. If that is the case you will receive a call and they will provide basic information about the fine. The most important information you must request is:

1. Reference number: this number is mandatory to pay for the fine or to gather further information. DGT reference numbers, por example, have 12 digits. 
2. Date of the offence: the date is useful to pay for the fine. 
3. Amount to pay: the total amount can be reduced up to a 50% in the early payment window (20 days after the notification). 
4. Issuing authority: you will have to contact them for full details. 

Fines get published at the TEU when the recipient of the letter cannot collect it at the post office or when the address is not updated. In Spain DGT uses their own database to send fines, and to complicate things further they have two databases, the Driver Registry and the Car Registry, so if you buy a new car and provide an updated address, they do not update the driver's address!!! It sounds crazy, but you need to request that the address be updated for notification purposes if you don't want to get a call from your insurance company. 

If you have been living in Spain long enough and your land line number remains the same, you are likely to get a call from a company that will offer disputing the fine for about 40 euro. Do not hire their service, for they will send an automated writing that has no effect and you will have to pay the fine in full afterwards.

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.

Can I still get the reduction for a Spanish fine I got last summer?

Some readers still doubt they can get the reduction in their speeding fine six months after the offence. Let's make it clear once again, there are only two conditions for the reduction to be applicable,

1. The car driver is not registered as a driver in Spain.
2. Calling the Spanish Traffic Authority and insisting that you have only just received the fine.

You have all the information you might need in our Paying a speeding fine in Spain page.

Oh, and one more thing, if you are considering a trip to Spain in 2016 don't forget that DGT is moving some of its speeding cameras to secondary roads (most of them were in highways). 

Paying a Spanish ticket by transfer

If you have paid a Spanish ticket by transfer within the last 6 months, you might be in trouble. When paying by transfer it is always important to include the 'expediente' number in the transfer form. If you fail to do so, the fine will be unpaid for the Spanish authorities. Several drivers in France have found that the Spanish authorities are insisting that they must pay a fine they have already paid.

Our advice if you choose to pay by transfer is to call the Spanish authorities two weeks after making the transfer to confirm both that they have registered the payment and that the file has been closed for payment (which means you will receive no further communications, and the car rental company won't charge the fine amount plus a fee on your credit card).

I've found three similar cases in different forums on the Internet, so if you choose to pay by transfer make sure to confirm that they register your payment properly.

Spanish tickets for German and Dutch cars

I'm surprised and grateful for your comments. Within the last couple of days three readers have left a comment to confirm whether they can be fined by the Spanish DGT (two from the Netherlands, one from Germany). The answer is YES. The European Commission passed a law earlier this year that allows EU countries to share drivers' data. As far as we have found out thanks to your comments, Spanish fines are being sent to France, the Netherlands and Germany (we are talking about car with their own, local plates... Tickets for rental cars make their way all around the world).

Anyone else, from a different country, has received a ticket from Spain while driving with his own car? Portugal maybe? Italy? 

If so, do please leave a comment! 

Speeding fines in Spain: car hire

The procedure when you get a speeding fine in Spain while driving a hire car is as follows,

1. DGT notifies the car owner.
2. The car hire companies checks their records and provides the hire contract data.
3. The car hire company informs the driver and charges the fee (from 10 to 50 eur, it MUST be clear in the contract).
4. DGT or CTDA notifies the driver.

You can pay as soon as the car hire company sends you the e-mail, and by doing so you will get the 50% reduction. If you pay BEFORE you receive the official notification make sure to call DGT's CTDA and confirm that your file is closed for payment.

Spain food TOP TEN

From time to time I try to put order in my travel notes... It isn't always easy, but I try.

This is my Spanish food TOP TEN (comments welcome).

1. Tapas in Leon. Barrio Humedo is the place to taste tapas... Oh, and they come for free with each drink. That's the true tapas' spirit, don't be fooled!
2. Cocido maragato. I'm a carnivore, and I love it. Cocido maragato is an orgy of beef, pork, chorizo, chicken... There's also the chickpeas, and the soup, both served after the meat, as it should be! You will find it in the area of Astorga, a cosy town in the A6 highway, some 300 km from Madrid. 
3. Iberiam ham. My advice would be to try it in Caceres, a beautiful city in Extremadura. 
4. Salmorejo. Refreshing and a must in the Andalusian summer. Typical from Cordoba, I fell in love with it in Malaga. 
5. Migas. Regional dish in La Mancha, also found in Aragon and in other areas. Here you are a(nother) good reason to visit Zaragoza.
6. Galician seafood: almost any restaurant in the Galician coats offers fresh seafood, both fish and shellfish, impossible to find in the UK. 
7. Tortilla: Spain's national dish, well ahead of paella. You'll find it everywhere, from La Graciosa to Girona, from Ibiza to Galicia.
8. Bread with tomato: typical from Catalonia, 75% of Spanish hotels offer in their buffet breakfast... Try it with olive oil and ham or cecina. 
9. Black pudding: typical in Leon, where famous tapas bars offer it for free with your drink (La Bicha is a MUST, definitely the best black pudding in the world).
10. Pulpo a la gallega: Galicia again, this time with their typical octopus... Definitely a must. 

Well, there you are a Spanish food ranking with no paella. Let's face it, paella is 99% of the times rice with things. And the Spanish mediterranean coast leaves a lot to desire when it comes to food. Move northwest to meet the real Spanis cuisine!

I must have a note somewhere that I promise to share regarding a simple restaurant in a service area off the A6 highway with an extraordinary 10 euro menu...

NEVER EVER request a copy of the fine in English

This is a comment I received a couple of weeks ago. I think it deserves its own space here:

I pay my fines, so when I received one after my trip to Tenerife I did my best to pay. The information in English was terrible, so I sent a letter asking for a copy of the fine in English. Three weeks later I received a copy of the fine... in Spanish again. I called the number in the letter, and a lady kindly informed me that they received my request and as per their regulations I was disputing the fine and had lost any chance to get the 50% discount.

I was shocked, so I thanked her and hung up. After browsing the Internet I found advice as to how to pay online and paid 300 euro. 

I think those 150 euro extra I paid would have been better invested in Spanish lessons, tbh. 

So trust me, do NEVER EVER request a copy of the fine in English. It will cost you time and money.

The next time I get a fine from Spain I'll leave it in a drawer, I'll call them 6 months later and I will pay my fine, still not knowing what they say, but with my reduction.

Many French visitors in the last few weeks

Spain and France signed a reciprocal agreement to share car owners information, and in the last few months both Spanish and French drivers have received the first cross-border fines. That is probably why some French readers found this blog.

My sources in Spain tell me that the letter sent to French drivers might be confusing, but CTDA seems to have French speaking operators, so for any doubt or question call them straight away and demand any information that you need.

I can't yet confirm whether the trick to get the discount (calling and saying that you just received the fine) works for French drivers, comments regarding this or any other point are welcome.

Speeding fines in Malaga and Costa del Sol

Malaga is one of the most beautiful Spanish destinations if you are looking for sun, beaches and fun.

If you decide to move around by car, bear in mind that there are areas in the motorways with an 80 km/h speed limit and average speed cameras. Both the limit and the cameras are advised, and local drivers know the location, so paying attention should be enough to prevent speeding fines, which are a very popular souvenir in Malaga (you'll receive it by post and pay afterwards).

Malaga is beautiful, but beware the speed traps!

DGT's CTDA

DGT: Spanish traffic authority.

CTDA: DGT's center for automated speeding fines.

The letter you get if you have been caught speeding in Spain is sent by CTDA (Centro Tratamiento Denuncias Automatizadas in Spanish). If you need to reach them, do not hesitate to dial their number, there is always an English speaking operator available.

50% reduction: check

Ok, so I got a new fine. I suppose I am not the best driver out there. 100 euro again, this time in Lanzarote. The car rental company sent me an e-mail and two weeks later I had the letter... I set an alarm one month later, and tried to complete the payment online. It would charge 100 euro. I called the number in the letter and in 30 seconds I got the 50% reduction again (more details here).

Apparently, Spanish Traffic Authority will rather re-open the early payment window than making a mistake. A friend got a fine last summer, and will be back in Mallorca in two weeks. He got the fine 9 or 10 months ago. Called this numer, told them they had used an old address and still got the 50% reduction. No reason to fear that he might get an on-the-spot fine back in Spain.

Speeding in Spain: two facts and the new EU directive

As of May 2015, a new EU traffic directive will make sure that every EU country shares car owner information so that eight different traffic violations can be enforced.

According to EU figures, foreign drivers account for 5% of the road traffic and about 15% of the speed offences.

All of the offences enforced by this directive are considered major road safety offences:

1. Speeding;
2. Not using a seatbelt;
3. Not stopping at a red traffic light or other mandatory stop signal;
4. Drink driving;
5. Driving under the influence of drugs;
6. Not wearing a safety helmet (for motorcyclists);
7. Using a forbidden lane (such as the forbidden use of an emergency lane, a lane reserved for public transport, or a lane closed down for road works);
8. Illegally using a mobile phone, or any other communications device, while driving.

Up to this moment, car rental companies were the best way to reach a foreing driver, as countries weren't always willing to provide that information*. From next month, sharing the car holder's data will be a matter of minutes.

* Spain and France had an agreement to exchange these data, but it was a bilateral one, not affecting third countries.

Driving in Spain: Lanzarote

Lanzarote, the sunny island, received over a million brits last 2014, most of them looking for sun and beach.

Local buses (known as 'guaguas') are cheap and reach every corner of the island, though they aren't as convenient as they could.

The car is by far the best way to move around Lanzarote. Getting to lost villages in the North or changing plans in the last minute are just two of the advantages.

The car hire companies will try to make the most of every rental, and the charge around 65 euro (VAT excluded) for gas. My advice is to fill the deposit before returning the car, as they will refund the money...

Tolerance threshold Spain, clarified

As of February 19th, the DGT announced that the 'tolerance threshold' in speeding cameras across most of Spain will be the same; Catalonia and the Basque Country will keep their very own margins, and they keep them locked under seven keys.

In areas where the speed limit is 90 km/h or lower, the tolerance thresold is 7km/h. So if you drive at 57 km/h in an area with a limit of 50 km/h, you are free to go... At 58 the speed camera will take a pic of your car and you are likely to receive a letter within a few weeks.

The image shows speed limit, speed necessary to activate the camera, and the table used to calculate the amount of the fine.

Do not hesitate to leave a comment for any question or doubt.

Heavy snow hits northern Spain

More than 200 people, around a hundred of them brits, were rescued in northern Spain after they got stranded because of the heavy snow.

If you are due to drive in Asturias, Leon, Cantabria or Palencia within the next few days, make sure to fill the car's gas tank. If for any reason you feel you might be in trouble, dial 112 (emergencies line).

The Army's special unit for disasters, UME, is working hard to make roads safer.

More information: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2942457/More-100-Brits-stuck-Spain-heavy-snowfall-Travellers-headed-Santander-stranded-roads-17-HOURS.html

900 euro fine in Spain

Failing to identify the driver in certain speeding fines in Spain can be expensive. The car owner will get a 900 euro fine. These fines triple the amount of the original fine, and there is no early payment reduction.

These are the most common speeding fines in Spain,

• 100 euro: about 75% of the fines. This is the only speeding fine in which identifying the driver is not mandatory, as points will not be taken off the driver's licence. 
• 300 euro: about 15% of the fines. Two points taken off. 
• 400 euro: about 5% of the fines. Four oints taken off. 
• 500 euro: about 4% of the fines. Six points taken off. 
• 600 euro: about 1% of the fines. Six points taken off, and driver might be sent to court.

Fines for failing to identify the driver triple the previous ones, 

• 300 euro: very rare, just in cases when the car owner is not a physical person and refuses to acknowledge the fine. 
• 900 euro: 80% of the fines for not identifying the driver. 
• 1200 euro: 12%. 
• 1500 euro: 8%.
• 1800 euro: very rare. 

Fines for failing to identify the driver can be disputed, and it is easier than you might think, but we will talk about that later on.

Update: good information about these tickets in Spanish in this URL (copy and paste in Google Translate): http://sanciones.info/www-dgt-es/tramites-y-multas/multa-de-900-euros-por-no-identificar-al-conductor/ 

To pay or not to pay, that is the question

Spanish residents can hardly escape the Tax Agency, but tourists visiting the country might think they can avoid paying a fine... Well, they can, though it won't be easy.

Spanish authorities have up to four years to request that a fine be paid, but they try for up to a year. If by that time the driver does not comply, the fine will be charged to the car owner... And the car owner, usually a car rental company, will not hesitate to charge the user card and demand all applicable fees according to the contract.

Our advice is to pay for the fine as soon as possible... And getting the 50% reduction available to early payers.

Driving in Spain: the best routes

A speeding fine is always an ordeal, but driving in Spain can be a gratifying experience. Consider having a look at the next few links before your next trip to Spain:

1. Lanzarote, volcanic wonderland. 
2. The ultimate Spain road trip itinerary.
3. Northern Spain.

Fines in Spain: sample letter

Did you receive a letter from the DGT (Spanish Traffic Authority)? The information in the letter is organized in numbered areas, as you can see in the picture.

1. Date of the offence, time and record number: you will need both the date and the record number to pay for the fine (the record number, 'número expediente' in Spanish, has 12 digits).
2. Legal stuff: article and law you broke.
3. Where: precise location where the offence took place.
4. Why: a brief explanation of the offence (in speeding fines it includes both the car speed and the limit speed for the road).
5. Vehicle data: if the car was rented, you can check your contract and confirm that the car rental company didn't make a mistake.
6. Your name and address: if you have received the letter these data are likely to be correct.

You don't really need to read / translate all the text below, all the information you need is there. 

Pro tip: you can reply to the letter and request that they send you a copy in English or in your mother tongue (the address is below the Spanish coat of arms).

Barcelona to enforce towing service

BCN city hall has informed the tow service personnel that their contractual conditions will be unilaterally changed starting last 1st January. To sum up, every worker will have to work 10 more days a year - for the same salary.

The ultimate purpose of this measure is to increase municipal revenue from towing fines, which are already the most expensive in Spain (starting at 150 EUR, plus parking or traffic fine and increased depending on the time the car spends in the deposit).

As in every major European city, parking in Barcelona is more difficult every month. and more expensive!