Swiss criminal ticket: Fine extension now also in Germany!

Swiss criminal ticket: Fine extension now also in Germany!

A new contract for cross -border cooperation between Switzerland and Germany has come into force since autumn last year. This contract regulates that fines from Switzerland can also be enforced in Germany, and vice versa. So far, the fines from Switzerland have often been ignored by German citizens because they were not persecuted. However, this changed with the introduction of the new contract. The Federal Office of Justice in Bonn is now responsible for collecting the fines.

According to the Ministry of Justice, around 3000 incoming and 1,500 outgoing request is expected for the amount of fines. The number of fines that are exchanged between the two countries is constantly increasing. From 2025 it is expected that 5000 incoming and 6000 outgoing request must be processed. This means that both Swiss citizens who violate the traffic rules in Germany and Germans who commit traffic violations in Switzerland are consistently asked to pay.

For an enforcement aid request, the money sanctions imposed must be at least 70 euros or 80 Swiss francs. This is often reached quickly because fines in Switzerland are significantly higher than in Germany. For example, a speed crossing of 20 kilometers per hour in Switzerland can cost from 180 euros, while in Germany only around 60 euros are due. Penalties for false parking are also significantly higher in Switzerland than in Germany. A parking violation can be punished in Switzerland from 40 euros, while in Germany only 10 euros are due. This makes it clear that traffic offenders in both countries will have to expect consistent law enforcement in the future.