Austria Speed Tolerance 2026: None in Law, Fines to €7,500

Austria’s road traffic act, the StVO, contains no speeding tolerance: §99 punishes any excess over the limit. Up to 30 km/h over, the fine can reach €726. Beyond that, fixed bands apply, raised on 30 July 2026: €200-5,000 for more than 30 km/h over, €400-6,000 for more than 40 km/h over in town or 50 km/h outside, and €500-7,500 from 60 km/h over in town or 70 km/h outside. At that top level police also seize the car on the spot.

Your case: A speed ticket is not the only seasonal risk. Between 1 November and 15 April, winter conditions bring the winter-tyre duty into play; Austria’s tyre laws set out the 4 mm tread the police look for.

Default speed limits are 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h on other open roads and 130 km/h on motorways. The alcohol limit is 0.5 g/l. A class B licence is issued at 18, or at 17 through Austria’s L17 training.

Is there a speed tolerance in Austria?

Not in law. StVO §99(3) fines any breach of the act not covered elsewhere, including speeding by up to 30 km/h, with up to €726. The act sets no “free” margin above the posted limit. Any measurement margin a camera applies is a technical matter for the device, not an allowance you can plan around, so treat the number on the sign as the limit.

🛣️ Plan your toll: Vignette Calculator — Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, Czech, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania pricing.

🛞 Check your car: Emission Zone Checker — instant verdict for 596 European emission zones, free.

💡 Try it yourself: Speeding Fine Calculator 2026 — Austria is one of the 17 countries it covers, free.

Speeding fines under StVO §99

If a fine cannot be collected, a substitute prison term applies instead: up to two weeks under §99(3), and up to six weeks in the higher bands.

When the car is seized

• On the spot (§99a): if a device measures more than 60 km/h over in town or 70 km/h over outside, police provisionally seize the vehicle and hand the driver a certificate. The provisional seizure lapses unless the authority confirms it within two weeks.
• By order (§99b): the authority orders seizure, to secure forfeiture of the car, at more than 80 km/h over in town or 90 km/h outside, or at 60/70 km/h over when the driver lost their licence for speeding within the last four years.
• Rental and borrowed cars: the seizure is lifted if someone other than the driver, such as a rental company, proves ownership. The fine stays with the driver.

Foreign drivers: notices can reach a home address abroad months after the trip. EU cross-border enforcement under Directive 2015/413 covers speeding.

Emergency Numbers in Austria

General Emergency: 112 | Police: 133 | Ambulance: 144 | Fire: 122

Speed Limits in Austria

Unless signs say otherwise, StVO §20(2) limits cars to 50 km/h in built-up areas (Ortsgebiet), 100 km/h on other open roads and 130 km/h on motorways. Authorities can lower or raise these by sign, and a town may set a lower limit for its whole built-up area.

Other fines worth knowing

• Hand-held phone: €100 if paid on the spot; up to €140 if payment is refused or a camera records it (KFG §134(3c)).
• No seatbelt: €50 on the spot; up to €100 otherwise (KFG §134(3d)).
• Red light and other StVO breaches: up to €726 (StVO §99(3)).

Traffic Rules and Regulations

Drive on the right side of the road and overtake on the left. Seatbelts are compulsory for everyone in the car, and a hand-held phone is banned while driving.

Drink-Driving Laws and Alcohol Limits

Tyre Requirements

Winter tyres are situational: from 1 November to 15 April, cars need them when winter conditions such as snow, slush or ice apply. For tread depths, markings and studded-tyre rules see our Tyre Laws in Austria guide. Breaches of the Motor Vehicle Act fall under KFG §134(1), which allows fines of up to €10,000.

Mandatory Vehicle Equipment

Cars in Austria must carry:

• Warning triangle
• Reflective vest (high-visibility)
• First aid kit

Driving Licence Requirements

Always carry your original licence.

Useful Driving Phrases in German

Practical Driving Tips for Austria

• Motorways and expressways need a vignette; check the Vignette Calculator before you cross the border. Even a drive that never leaves Austria, such as the 295 km Vienna to Salzburg run on the A1, passes no toll booth but needs one throughout.
• Police can collect some fines on the spot; paying there keeps the amount at the lower on-the-spot rate.
• Take a break every two hours on long drives.

Sources

• StVO 1960 §20, §99, §99a, §99b, consolidated text on RIS: §99, §99a, §99b, §20
• oesterreich.gv.at, speed limits: Höchstgeschwindigkeiten
• KFG 1967 §134, RIS: PDF
• Führerscheingesetz §6, §14, §19, RIS: §6, §14, §19

Related tools

• Speeding Fine Calculator
• Tyre Pressure Calculator
• Emission Zone Checker