Fines in Italy: What if I don't pay it? What happens?

Fines in Italy: What if I don’t pay it? What happens?

Well, one of the subjects most questioned by those who use a rental car in Italy, and one of those that most ‘terrorize’ drivers, are fines. I always say that if you act according to the law, respecting the speed rules, where you can or cannot travel or park, you will not have any major problems. But, many times, in an oversight, we can get a fine and not even notice it. Today we will learn all about fines in Italy and the non-payment of fines. Let’s go to our Post of the day: Fines in Italy: What if I don’t pay? What happens? Here at Your Travel to Italy with Ana Patricia you make the trip of your dreams!!! ALSO: see our “Accommodation in Italy – Tips for your holidays!”

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1) Fines in Italy: What if I don’t pay it? What happens? NOTIFICATION

There is a law (article 260 of the Highway Code) that says that foreign countries have a 360-day period to send the notification of a fine to the home of drivers residing in other countries, that is, it takes long, but it arrives! Usually, before this notification, the rental company used to rent the car sends the fine notice before, or it debits directly from the credit card registered at the time of the rental and you only get to know it when you get the invoice.

Also be aware that, under Italian law, in the case of a fine for vehicles with an Italian license plate, that is, for the owner of the rental car (in this case the rental company), the authorities have up to 90 days to issue the notification, so it is very likely that the rental company will pay the fine and then come to charge you. This is because paying before maturity, there is a 30% discount, but this discount will certainly not be transfered to you, so you will pay the full amount.

Attention

The rental company has up to 60 days to notify the customer and send the data to the authorities, but that does not mean that after that time you will no longer receive the fine, you will (remember that they have almost a year to warn you about the fine! ), and when it arrives, you have 5 days to pay the amount. In the fine everything is explained: where to access, how to pay and the website is in English, so there will be no problems to solve everything.

The amounts vary according to the infraction and you can receive more than one fine at a time. Values are charged in euros and payment can be made by bank transfer. Read our Special Post on The definitive guide to what you need to know to drive in Italy!

2) Fines in Italy: What if I don’t pay it? What happens? IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION

The Italian traffic code says that the fine must be informed to the driver immediately after the infraction is found, however, there are some situations where this immediacy is not possible for obvious reasons, that is, the fine goes to the central and, from there, the notification is issued. Some situations, for example, are:

Inability of traffic agents to reach a vehicle that is traveling at excessive speed;
When the car advances at a red light;
Prohibited overtaking;
After checking the data recorded by the radars, or other traffic devices, by remote sensing. (when someone passes outside the maximum allowed speed, the vehicle data is recorded and sent to a central);
Detection of unauthorized vehicle access in urban centers, restricted traffic areas, pedestrian areas or traffic on reserved lanes and roads.

Who does the fine go to?

The fine goes to the vehicle owner, in the case of a rented car, the fine goes to the company that rented the car and they pass on the amount to the customer who was with the vehicle on the day of the violation. In other words: in the case of foreigners, the rental company will either send you a notification or charge your credit card.

Can they charge without my authorization?

They can! Because they will claim that, on the day of the infraction, the car was with you, so you become responsible for the infraction and, therefore, for its payment!

Can I appeal?

If the ticket does not show the license plate photo that you were using, yes, but if the ticket shows the radar photo, for example, it is a waste of time.

Important Tip

Beware of fines that, even with photos, do not detail the infraction such as location, day and time! It could be false! To be sure, send the fine received, via email, to the rental company and ask if there are any open infractions related to the vehicle. They have access to this information and can tell you whether the fine is legitimate or not!

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3) Fines in Italy: What if I don’t pay it? What happens? TO PAY OR NOT PAY?

But finally, let’s get down to business: the fine has arrived! What’s up? To pay or not to pay? Pay it! For two reasons: the first one is, if you go to Italy again and there is have a fine in the system, that fine appears to all rental companies, that is, they will know that you have been fined (it will be, by the way, in your name! ).

If this fine has not been paid, you will hardly find a rental company that will accept renting a vehicle for you. Second: ethics is what you do when everyone is looking, character is what you do when nobody looks at you! A matter of principles, isn’t it ?! If you do something wrong, deal with the consequences. If you think: ‘I’m never going to Italy again’ and prefer to look the other way NOT PAYING the fine, O.K.!

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Conclusion

Fines in Italy: What if I don’t pay it? What happens? Nobody wants to get a fine, that’s a fact! To avoid them I suggest that you always follow the traffic guidelines, get to know the Italian signposts, do not hesitate to have your questions answered by, for example, the hotel staff and do what you would do anywhere in the world: respect the house from others! : ) Good trip!

And if you feel insecure, have no time, and need help to organize your trip, don’t hesitate to contact me! I will love to help you make your dream trip to Italy come true. And how can I do that? Keep reading this post until the end and you will understand how we make your life and your trip much easier

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