Speeding fines in Estonia

What is the speed limit?

The references below are to the Traffic Act (liiklusseadus, LS), the Code of Misdemeanour Procedure (väärteomenetluse seadustik, VTMS) and the Penal Code (karistusseadustik, KarS).

By law, the maximum permitted speed is 90 km/h on roads outside built-up areas, 50 km/h on roads in built-up areas and 20 km/h in a residential zone (õueala) (LS § 15 lg 1 p 1, 2 and 6) [6]. The Transport Administration (Transpordiamet) may raise it to 120 km/h on roads outside built-up areas, and the road owner may lower it (LS § 15 lg 2 p 1 and lg 5) [6]. A driver may not drive faster than the speed on a speed limit sign or the speed permitted by a traffic control device (LS § 50 lg 5 p 2 and 3) [7]. During driving lessons, and for holders of a provisional or restricted driving licence, the limit is 90 km/h (LS § 50 lg 2) [7].

How much is a speed camera fine?

A warning fine may be imposed on the registered owner of the vehicle or, if a responsible user is entered in the register, on the responsible user, if the violation was detected by an automatic traffic surveillance system, or if the officer could not identify the driver at once and the violation was recorded showing the registration plate (VTMS § 54¹ lg 1) [2]. For speeding, the warning fine in euros is the number of kilometres over the limit multiplied by 7 (LS § 262 p 1) [1], but not more than 420 euros (VTMS § 54¹ lg 4) [2].

A warning fine is not a punishment: it is not entered in the criminal records database and cannot be relied on when counting repeat offences (VTMS § 54¹ lg 3) [2]. For a minor traffic misdemeanour, the authority may issue only a written warning (VTMS § 54¹ lg 5) [2].

How much is the fine if the police deal with the driver?

• Up to 20 km/h. The authority applies summary proceedings (LS § 262¹ lg 1) [3], and the corrective fine in euros is the number of kilometres over the limit multiplied by 7 (LS § 262¹ lg 2 p 4) [3]. As a corrective measure, a 45-minute cooling-off stop may be ordered, during which the driver and the vehicle must stay at a place designated by the authority (LS § 262¹ lg 4) [3]. A corrective fine is not a punishment and is not entered in the criminal records database (VTMS § 54⁸ lg 6) [8]. If you agree to comply with the conditions of a corrective measure, the authority may release you from paying the corrective fine (VTMS § 54⁸ lg 6¹) [8]. Summary proceedings are not mandatory, among other cases, if you wish to dispute that you committed the act (VTMS § 54⁸ lg 1 p 2) [8].
• Fine. In other cases the punishment is a fine: up to 30, 100, 200 or 300 fine units depending on the excess (LS § 227 lg 1–4) [4]. In expedited proceedings a natural person may be fined up to 200 fine units (VTMS § 55 lg 2 p 1) [9].
• Detention. Exceeding the limit by 41–60 km/h or by more than 60 km/h may also be punished with detention (arest) (LS § 227 lg 3 and 4) [4]. Detention for a misdemeanour is imposed by a court, for up to 30 days (KarS § 48) [10].

The authority conducting these misdemeanour proceedings is the Police and Border Guard Board (Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet) (LS § 263 lg 1) [11].

When is the right to drive taken away?

As a principal punishment, the right to drive may be taken away for up to 6 months for an excess of 21–40 km/h, up to 12 months for 41–60 km/h and up to 24 months for more than 60 km/h (LS § 227 lg 2–4) [4]. As a supplementary punishment, it may be taken away for 1 to 3 months, 3 to 6 months or 6 to 12 months respectively (LS § 227 lg 5) [4]. It may not be applied as both a principal and a supplementary punishment at the same time (KarS § 48¹ lg 1) [12], nor to a person who uses a motor vehicle because of a mobility disability (KarS § 48¹ lg 2; KarS § 50 lg 2) [12] [13]. If taking away the right to drive has to be decided, expedited proceedings are not applied and general proceedings are started (VTMS § 55 lg 3 p 2) [9].

According to the Supreme Court (Riigikohus), taking away the right to drive under LS § 227 is not a punishment to be applied only in exceptional cases (judgment 4-25-4068/15) [14]. It is not precluded by the fact that the person has not received this punishment before or allegedly did not know that speeding could cost them their licence; repeated violations are one basis for assessing whether it is needed (judgment 4-23-1826/41) [15].

What does a punishment mean for a new driver?

If the holder of a provisional driving licence (esmane juhiluba) has had the right to drive a motor vehicle taken away as a punishment, their right to drive and provisional licence are declared invalid; the right to drive categories obtained before the provisional licence was first issued is not declared invalid. The right to drive and a new provisional licence can be applied for after completing remedial training and passing the theory and driving tests (LS § 106 lg 6) [16]. If they have a current punishment for a traffic violation, the full licence is issued after passing the theory test (LS § 106 lg 5) [16].

What the law says

• „suurima lubatud sõidukiiruse ületamise korral määratakse hoiatustrahv, mille suurus eurodes saadakse lubatud sõidukiirust ületanud kilomeetrite arvu korrutamisel arvuga 7“ (LS § 262 p 1) [1] – the camera fine depends directly on how many kilometres over the limit you were.
• „Hoiatustrahvi maksimaalmäär on 420 eurot.“ (VTMS § 54¹ lg 4) [2] – a higher warning fine cannot be imposed.
• „Trahviühik on rahatrahvi baassumma, mille suurus on 8 eurot.“ (KarS § 47 lg 1) [5] – the fine units in LS § 227 are multiplied by this amount.
• „Kohus või kohtuväline menetleja võib kohaldada lisakaristusena sõiduki juhtimisõiguse äravõtmist“ (LS § 227 lg 5) [4] – the right to drive can be taken away in addition to a fine.
• „Kui mootorsõiduki eest vastutav isik on hoiatustrahvi tasunud või see on pööratud täitmisele, ei või kedagi sama teo eest väärteokorras karistada.“ (VTMS § 54⁴ lg 3) [17] – once the warning fine is paid, no one can be punished for the same act in misdemeanour proceedings.

What to do

1. Read the fine notice: it states, among other things, a short description of the misdemeanour, its legal classification and the amount of the warning fine (VTMS § 54² lg 1) [18]. On your request, you will be sent a copy of the photo or other recording by which the act was detected (VTMS § 54² lg 2 p 4) [18].
2. If you agree, pay the warning fine within 30 days of receiving the notice (VTMS § 54⁴ lg 1) [17]. An unpaid and uncontested notice is sent to a bailiff for enforcement (VTMS § 54⁴ lg 2) [17].
3. If someone else was driving or you disagree with the fine, contest the notice in writing with the authority that issued it within 30 days (VTMS § 54⁵ lg 1 and 2) [19]. If the notice is contested, the warning fine does not take effect (VTMS § 54⁵ lg 1) [19]. If someone else was driving, give their first name and surname, residential address, driving licence number and date of birth or personal identification code (VTMS § 54⁵ lg 3) [19].
4. To contest a summary-proceedings decision, file a complaint with the authority that made it within 15 days of receiving it; if a complaint is filed, the decision does not take effect (VTMS § 54¹¹ lg 1) [20].
5. A decision made in expedited or general proceedings can be appealed to the county court within 15 days (VTMS § 114 lg 1, 3 and 4) [21]. A fine notice cannot be appealed to the county court (VTMS § 114 lg 2) [21].

Frequently asked questions

Is a speed camera fine entered in the criminal records database?

No. A warning fine is not a punishment for an offence, it is not entered in the criminal records database and cannot be relied on when counting repeat offences (VTMS § 54¹ lg 3) [2].

Does the fine depend on how many km/h I was over the limit?

Yes. The warning fine, and the corrective fine for exceeding the limit by up to 20 km/h, are calculated by multiplying the number of kilometres over the limit by 7 (LS § 262 p 1; LS § 262¹ lg 2 p 4) [1] [3]. The maximum fine and the length of a driving ban depend on the degree of the excess (LS § 227) [4].

Can the right to drive be taken away for a first offence?

The law allows it from an excess of 21 km/h (LS § 227 lg 2–5) [4]. According to the Supreme Court, it is not precluded by the fact that the person has not received this punishment before (judgment 4-23-1826/41) [15].

Can the speed measurement be challenged?

Yes: a decision made in expedited or general proceedings can be appealed to the county court (VTMS § 114 lg 1) [21]. The Supreme Court has explained that proven traceability of a measurement result does not yet mean that the result is reliable; if an officer carries out traffic surveillance alone, they must gather additional objective evidence (judgment 3-1-1-39-15) [22].

Are radar detectors allowed?

No. Driving a motor vehicle containing a device that can detect a speed measuring device or interfere with its operation is punishable by a fine of up to 100 fine units (LS § 228) [23], and the device is confiscated (LS § 263 lg 5) [11].