Fixed penalty or court summons?
If you exceed the speed limit, you must expect the following fines (in francs) or a court summons
Excess speed | Built-up areas | Outside built-up areas (expressways incl.) | Motorway |
|---|---|---|---|
1-5 km/h | 40.- | 40.- | 20.- |
6-10 km/h | 120.- | 100.- | 60.- |
11-15 km/h | 250.- | 160.- | 120.- |
16-20 km/h | Summons | 240.- | 180.- |
21-25 km/h | Summons | Summons | 260.- |
over 25 km/h | Summons | Summons | Summons |
* A tolerance deduction is made from the measured speed to take account of inaccuracies in measuring devices and speedometers. For example, if the laser device records your speed as 87 km/h, the police will deduct 3 km/h and assume that your actual speed was 84 km/h. The amount deducted depends on how the measurement was made and the speed involved.
If you receive a summons, you can usually expect to pay a fine of at least CHF 400. If you are caught driving well in excess of the speed limit, the fine can be much higher; in such a case, your financial circumstances will be taken into account when deciding on the penalty. Depending on the case, you may also have to pay procedural costs and fees.
If you receive a summons, you may also lose your driving licence. The following table shows the potential penalties for serious speeding offences.
Built-up areas | 16-20 km/h over the limit | Warning |
21-24 km/h over the limit | 1 month minimum disqualification | |
25 km/h or more over the limit | 3 months minimum disqualification | |
Outside built-up areas | 21-25 km/h over the limit | Warning |
26-29 km/h over the limit | 1 month minimum disqualification | |
30 km/h or more over the limit | 3 months minimum disqualification | |
Motorway | 26-30 km/h over the limit | Warning |
31-34 km/h over the limit | 1 month minimum disqualification | |
35 km/h or more over the limit | 3 months minimum disqualification |
A formal reprimand is like a yellow card. If you are caught speeding again within two years, you will be disqualified from driving.
If you have already been caught speeding several times, you are likely to lose your driving licence for a much longer period of time.
If you have been driving dangerously fast, the police can confiscate your driving licence on the spot. You will also have to be assessed by a psychologist to check that you are fit to drive.
If you drive at truly excessive speeds, you should accept that other people could be killed as a result of your behaviour. Excessive speeds are:
40km/h or more over the speed limit in built-up areas;
60km/h or more over the speed limit outside built-up areas;
80km/h or more over the speed limit on the motorway;
Excessive speeding leads to very high monetary penalties and prison sentences of between one and four years. Offenders are disqualified from driving for at least two years and only get their licence back if they pass a traffic psychology test. Their cars may be confiscated and even sold or scrapped.