Caught speeding in France with a foreign licence or hire car
Enter the speed on the photo or ticket and the limit: you get the French fine in euros, what it drops to if paid fast, and what happens next as a non-resident.
A foreign driver who commits a traffic offence in France faces exactly the same penalty as a resident: the same speeding scale in article R413-14 of the French Highway Code, the same classes, the same amounts. Two situations follow, according to the Service Public page updated on 14 October 2026. If the driver is stopped and has no residence in France, a deposit (consignation) must be paid, its amount depending on how serious the offence is; until it is paid the vehicle can be kept, then impounded at the driver’s cost, and the public prosecutor rules within twenty-four hours. If the driver is not stopped, a notice can arrive at home, written in the language of the driver’s country, through the European exchange of information set up by directive 2015/413, amended in 2024. Example: 142 km/h measured by a fixed motorway camera gives 134 km/h recorded, 4 km/h over and a standard fine of €68.
Standard fine · class 3
€68
No points · 4 km/h over the limit
| Recorded speed (margin 7.1 km/h) | 134 km/h |
| Reduced, paid within 15 days | €45 |
| Increased, after 45 days | €180 |
| Points deducted | 0 |
| Licence suspension risked | no |
On a 130 km/h road, fixed camera: penalty by measured speed
| Measured from | Recorded | Fine | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 138 km/h | 131 km/h | €68 | 0 |
| 143 km/h | 135 km/h | €68 | 1 |
| 158 km/h | 150 km/h | €135 | 2 |
| 169 km/h | 160 km/h | €135 | 3 |
| 179 km/h | 170 km/h | €135 | 4 |
| 190 km/h | 180 km/h | offence, €300 (fixed) | 6 |
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
The amounts are the same for everyone
| Class | Reduced | Standard | Increased |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 2 | €22 | €35 | €75 |
| Class 3 | €45 | €68 | €180 |
| Class 4 | €90 | €135 | €375 |
A foreign driver at 158 km/h on a motorway limited to 130 is recorded at 150 km/h: 20 km/h over, €135. Points are recorded on French licences.
Stopped: the deposit
Service Public sets out the rule: with no residence in France, a driver who is stopped pays a deposit whose amount depends on how serious the offence is; otherwise the vehicle can be kept until it is paid, then impounded. The page does not give the amount, so we do not publish one.
From what speed do I lose points?
First point lost from
143 km/h
| 2 points from | 158 km/h |
| 3 points and suspension from | 169 km/h |
| Criminal offence (6 points) from | 190 km/h |
Speeds read by the camera, before the margin.
Flashed: the notice follows you
An automatic camera cannot take a deposit. The notice goes to the registered keeper, traced through the exchange of information between EU states. The deadlines for paying, contesting and the increased fine are those of an ordinary notice.