Undoubtedly, each country has its own specifics and laws. When going to Italy, we need to thoroughly familiarize ourselves with some of the laws in force in Italy in order to avoid getting a fine. What can be fined for in Italy? What to do if we have been fined?
Who can fine you in Italy?
Fines can be issued by the police and municipal police. In addition, in Italy, the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza (police under the Ministry of Economy and Finance) have the authority to issue fines.
In Italy, it is common practice to fine mainly foreigners for traffic violations, most often recorded by speed cameras. Traffic restrictions, often marked in an incomprehensible way, and speed cameras installed in areas with very low speed limits, are more of a trap than a safety net.
What offenses can we be fined for in Italy?
Speeding fine in Italy
When entering Italy, drivers should pay special attention to the speed limits in force. Poles will not be surprised that in built-up areas you can drive at a maximum speed of 50 km/h . Outside built-up areas, the limit is 90 km/h .
The speed limit on motorways and autobahns is 110 and 130 km/h for cars and vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tons . It is worth noting that the maximum speed depends on weather conditions. When the road surface is wet and slippery, the speed limit is 90 km/h on expressways and 110 km/h on autobahns.
Italian police respond immediately to speeding violations.
What are the fines in Italy?
For speeding:
- less than 10 km/h, you can receive a fine of between 39 and 159 euros;
- from 10 to 40 km/h entails a fine of 159 to 639 euros;
- at 40-60 km/h to pay a fine of up to 2,000 euros;
- 60 km/h or more is punishable by a fine of up to 3,199 euros and the withdrawal of your driving license for a period of 6 to 12 months.
WARNING!
According to Italian law, if a traffic violation is committed between 7 am and 10 pm, the fine increases by 30%.
The higher the speed, the higher the fine. It is worth knowing that exceeding the speed limit by more than 40 km/h entails the withdrawal of the driver’s license for a period of up to 3 months. And more than 60 km – for a period of 6 to 12 months. We remind you that in Italy there are many speed measuring devices.
Driving after drinking alcohol in Italy
Driving after drinking alcohol in Italy, as in any other country, also has its consequences. It is worth knowing that the maximum permitted concentration of alcohol in the driver’s breath in Italy is 0.5 ppm. For young drivers who have had their license for less than three years, the punishment is even more severe.
If during a roadside inspection this standard is exceeded, the driver is at risk:
- 0.5 – 0.8 – a fine per ml of 5,000 – 2,000 euros, 10 penalty points, and the withdrawal of a driver’s license for 3-6 months
- 0.8 – 1.5 per ml – fine up to 3200 euros, 10 penalty points and withdrawal of driving license for up to 12 months
- 1.5 per mille – fine up to 6,000 euros, 10 penalty points, driving ban for 2 years and imprisonment.> 1.5 per mile – fine up to 6,000 euros, 10 penalty points, driving ban for 2 years and imprisonment.
WARNING!
In the event of causing an accident while under the influence of alcohol, the above fines are doubled.
Improper parking in Italy
In Italy, we can also get a fine for parking incorrectly. Law enforcement agencies believe that this poses a danger to other road users. Drivers should pay attention, first of all, to the color of the lines in parking lots . Yellow lines are for disabled people, and pink ones are for pregnant women.
If you park your car on the blue lines, you must pay for the space using a parking meter. For incorrect parking, you can get a fine of 80 to 318 euros and 2 penalty points.
Yes, for improper parking that creates a traffic hazard, you will receive a fine of 80 to 318 euros plus 2 penalty points, and for running a red light or talking on the phone while driving – from 154 to 613 euros and 6 penalty points.
Failure to comply with traffic rules in Italy
Drivers will also be fined for failing to comply with traffic rules. These include:
- driving through a red light (this offense carries a fine of 154 to 613 euros and 6 penalty points),
- driving without the dipped headlights on (this applies for 24 hours),
- Failure to give priority to pedestrians,
- seat belts not fastened,
- improper transportation of children,
- lack of basic car equipment (first aid kit, fire extinguisher, reflective vests),
- use the phone while driving,
- driving in the bus lane,
- entry into a restricted traffic zone.
What conditions must a fine in Italy meet to be valid:
- the mandate must be sent by registered/registered letter
- the mandate must be translated into the official language of the recipient country
- the document must be issued by a government agency (a mandate from a collection company is not valid)
- The fine must be accompanied by documents confirming the offense, for example, a report from a police officer or other person who issued the fine.
- the fine must be delivered, a summons stating the date of the offense and the amount of the fine is not sufficient.
The above cases are examples of when the document you received is invalid and has no legal force. You can ignore it and not pay the fine. However, often the fine is re-sent in the correct form, but in this case you should make sure that it arrives within the statutory deadline.
What to do if you receive a fine from Italy?
In case of violation of traffic rules in Italy, the driver must expect to receive a fine. It is worth knowing that in Italy there are two types of fines – immediate, for example, in the case of improper parking, or absentee, when it is necessary to establish the identity of the violator.
In the first case, we will have to pay the fine immediately, but if we do not have that amount of cash, the police officer may agree to pay 25% in cash and the rest by bank transfer.
The fine is sent to the registered address of the offender . The waiting period for a fine is up to 360 days from the date of the offense. In contrast, in the case of an absentee fine, it is 90 days.
After receiving the fine, you have 60 days to pay it, which you can do at the post office. On the other hand, if the driver does not agree with the amount of the fine or does not believe that he committed an offense because he considers the fine unfair, he has every right to file an appeal . This can be done with a judge or prefect. They will certainly be able to help us with paying the fine. The appeal period is up to 60 days from the date of receipt of the summons.
Filing an appeal requires knowledge of Italian law, so it is advisable to use the services of a lawyer.
If you do not speak Italian, it is best to have a lawyer with whom you can easily communicate in your native language, who knows Italian law and has experience in cases of this type. In Italy, there are two institutions where you can seek justice, you can file an appeal with a magistrate or with a prefect. The application must indicate the case number (protocol), the date and place of the offense, the reasons why the fine should not have been issued, and supporting documents. Here we must prove that the fine arrived after 90 days or that we did not pose a danger.
The prefect has 120 days from the date of receipt of the complaint to consider the application. During this period, he may summon the person who committed the offence to give evidence. If the 120-day period has passed, this means that the appeal has been successful.
However, if your case has been rejected, you can appeal again, this time to a magistrate. If you appeal directly to a magistrate, a hearing will be held at which the magistrate will make a decision. If the decision is negative, you can appeal again, this time to a civil court. The prefect has 120 days from the date of receipt of the complaint to consider the application. During this period, he may summon the person who committed the offence to give evidence. If the 120-day period has passed, this means that the appeal has been successful.
However, if your case has been rejected, you can appeal again, this time to a magistrate. If you appeal directly to a magistrate, there will be a hearing at which the magistrate will make a decision. If the decision is negative, you can appeal again, this time to a civil court.
What happens if we don’t pay the fine?
Unfortunately, many drivers ignore the demands to pay the fine. However, it is better to pay, because the consequences are very serious. If you do not pay or do not take appropriate steps to appeal, then after 60 days the fine will double . In addition, the case is assigned to a collection company for forced debt collection.
In addition to doubling the fine, the collection company charges penalty interest. A driver who has not paid the fine or filed an appeal within 60 days also loses the right to appeal. It is worth knowing that if you are late in paying the fine, the collection company will still issue you an order to pay the fine with interest.
Will a fine from Italy come to you?
As already mentioned, fines for offenses committed on Italian roads are sent to the offender’s residential address . The fine is usually sent by mail. It is worth noting that after paying the fine, it is advisable to keep the receipt for 5 years, as Italian officials often do not record the payment in documents.