I came from abroad for a visit and I have no address in Belgium: do I have to pay a traffic fine on the spot?
In short
Yes. A driver with no address in Belgium must pay the fine immediately or leave the same amount as a deposit. If you do not pay, the vehicle is held and can later be seized.
Video transcript
You've come from abroad for the summer to visit relatives. The police stop you and write a fine. Required: A driver with no address in Belgium pays the fine at once or leaves the same amount as a deposit. If not, the car is held. The right way: Pay on the spot in cash euros or by card. What matters isn't the number plate, but your address in Belgium. If you don't pay: Car is held: Up to 96 hours; Then: Car can be seized; Also: Storage costs.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- If a driver has no address in Belgium (woonplaats or vaste verblijfplaats / domicile ou résidence fixe) and does not pay the amount immediately, they must leave a deposit (consignatie / consignation).
- You can pay on the spot in cash (euros) or by debit or credit card. The deposit equals the total amount that may have to be paid.
- If you neither pay nor leave a deposit, the vehicle is held for up to 96 hours at your own cost and risk. The public prosecutor can then have it seized; the vehicle's owner is informed within 2 working days.
- What matters is your address, not the number plate. If you are registered in the Belgian population register, the normal procedure applies. If you live in Belgium and drive a car with foreign number plates, see also the card on vehicle registration.
- You can also be offered an on-the-spot fine for a 4th-degree offence, which is not possible for Belgian residents. In that case, the amount is 520 €.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- The amount is based on the same degrees as for Belgian residents (e.g. 2nd degree 128 €, 3rd degree 191 €), and is 520 € for a 4th-degree offence. Administrative costs of 10,67 € are added. For serious drink-driving or refusing a breath test, the deposit is higher.
Legal basis:AR 19.4.2014 (perception), art. 17 §1, al. 2wegcode.be – Overtredingen per graad
- Court / prison
- No prison sentence. If the case goes to court, the deposit is used for the court costs, the administrative costs and the fine, and anything left over is refunded. If you are acquitted, the deposit or the vehicle is returned to you.
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §4-5 (Justel)
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- If the vehicle is held, you will also have to pay the storage costs; the vehicle is returned once the deposit and these costs have been paid
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §3 (Justel)
- If the fine and costs are not paid within 40 days of a conviction, the court can order the seized vehicle to be sold
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §4 (Justel)
- If you were caught on camera and not stopped, the letter is sent in the language of the vehicle's registration document or in one of the official languages of the country of registration
Legal basis:AR 19.4.2014 (perception), art. 20-21
What do these terms mean?
- On-the-spot payment
- A fixed amount offered by the police. If you pay, the case is closed and does not go to court. If not, the prosecutor takes over; the amount can rise and the case can go to court.
Why does this rule exist?
It is difficult to send a letter later and collect a fine from someone with no address in Belgium. The deposit rule makes sure that foreign and local drivers face the same consequences for the same offence.
Where can you go?
- Municipal driving licence serviceExchanging a foreign driving licence and other licence matters
- Free first-line legal adviceIf you have been summoned to the police court (juridische eerstelijnsbijstand / aide juridique de première ligne)
- Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.
This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses
Source and reliability
Official source- Source check
- 13 / 13 statements in an official source
- Checked: 16.10.2026
- Last checked
- 16.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 13 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Belçika'da adresi olmayan ve tutarı hemen ödemeyen sürücü teminat bırakmalı
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §3 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Adresi olmayanlar nakit (euro) veya kartla öder
AR 19.4.2014 perception et consignation (Wallex, version Justel), art. 16 - Found in an official source
Teminat, ödenebilecek toplam tutara eşit
AR 19.4.2014 perception et consignation (Wallex, version Justel), art. 17 §1 - Found in an official source
Araç masraf/risk sürücüye ait tutulur; 96 saat; sonra savcı el koydurabilir
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §3 (Justel) - Found in an official source
El koyma bildirimi araç sahibine 2 iş günü içinde
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §3 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Kural plaka değil adres (woonplaats / vaste verblijfplaats) bazlı
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §3 (Justel) - Found in an official source
4. derece anında ödeme yalnızca Belçika'da oturmayanlar için; 520 €
wegcode.be, Overtredingen per graad (voetnoot) (derece ve anında ödeme tutarları Justel KB 30.9.2005 ve KB 19.4.2014 ile karşılaştırıldı, 16.10.2026; 10,67 €, uzlaşma ve mahkeme tutarları bekliyor) - Found in an official source
128 € / 191 € / 520 € + 10,67 €
wegcode.be – Overtredingen per graad (derece ve anında ödeme tutarları Justel KB 30.9.2005 ve KB 19.4.2014 ile karşılaştırıldı, 16.10.2026; 10,67 €, uzlaşma ve mahkeme tutarları bekliyor) - Found in an official source
Ağır alkol (≥0,65 mg/l), testi reddetme veya kan testinde teminat daha yüksek (2014 metninde 1.200 €)
AR 19.4.2014 (perception), art. 17 §1, al. 2 - Found in an official source
Teminat masraf, ek ücret ve cezaya mahsup edilir, fazlası iade; beraatte iade
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §4-5 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Araç teminat ve depolama masrafı ödenince geri verilir
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §3 (Justel) - Found in an official source
40 gün içinde ödenmezse mahkeme aracın satışına karar verebilir
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 65 §4 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Durdurulmayan ve adresi olmayan sürücüye mektup kayıt belgesinin dilinde
AR 19.4.2014 (perception), art. 20-21
The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.
General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?