You have received a letter with a German traffic fine and you are looking for the website to check and pay it. Here is the first thing to know, because it saves a lot of wasted searching:
There is no central website in Germany where you can look up a traffic fine by number plate. Germany has no equivalent of a single national portal. Fines are issued and collected by the local Bußgeldstelle of the city or district where the offence happened, and each one uses its own bank details.
This means there is nothing to look up until the letter reaches you. The letter is what you need.
Step 1: Work out which document you received
- Verwarnungsgeld (€5–55): a warning fine for minor offences (§ 56 OWiG). Paying it closes the case — no points in Flensburg and no formal proceedings.
- Bußgeldbescheid (over €55): a formal penalty notice. On top of the fine you pay a €28.50 administrative fee and €3.50 postage. Points and driving bans come with this document.
Step 2: Find your Kassenzeichen — and use it
Your letter carries a Kassenzeichen (payment reference) or Aktenzeichen (case number). When you transfer the money you must put this number in the reference field (Verwendungszweck).
Payments sent without it cannot be matched to your case and are treated as unpaid. This is the single most common and most expensive mistake foreigners make.
Ways to pay:
- Bank transfer to the IBAN printed on the letter, Kassenzeichen in the reference.
- Online payment — some cities include a payment link or QR code on the notice. Only use the address printed on your letter.
- In person at the local authority cash desk.
Step 3: Mind the 14-day deadline
After receiving a Bußgeldbescheid you have 14 days to either pay or file an objection (Einspruch). Once that window closes the decision is final and can no longer be challenged.
If you do not pay, the case moves to enforcement (Vollstreckung): additional costs, wage garnishment, and in serious cases Erzwingungshaft — detention to compel payment.
What the KBA actually does
The Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) does not issue or collect fines. It maintains the Fahreignungsregister — the points register in Flensburg. You can check your points there free of charge with identity verification, but you cannot see unpaid fines.
Does the fine disappear if you leave Germany?
No. Within the EU, traffic fines of €70 or more are enforceable across borders under EU Framework Decision 2005/214/JHA. Outside the EU direct collection is harder, but the case does not close. The debt remains, and it can resurface when you return to Germany or another EU country, or when dealing with licence matters.
Should you object?
An Einspruch is worth considering if the photo does not show your vehicle or driver, the measurement device or calibration is questionable, the notice contains factual errors, or the fine arrived after the statutory limitation period. Many drivers have legal expenses insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung) covering traffic matters — check your policy before paying a large fine automatically.
Procedures and bank details vary by municipality. Always follow the instructions printed on your own notice.