Latest news and stories about traffic fines in Portugal for expats and residents.
A Coimbra-based jurist is at the center of a fraud investigation involving 555 traffic infractions, where clients paid fees to evade fines by falsely claiming responsibility, prompting a government crackdown on such schemes.
Using a mobile phone while driving would incur fines between 500 and 1,250 euros.
The Minister of Internal Administration has proposed increasing road surveillance and imposing heavier fines to prevent accidents, prompting reflection from GNR officers.
The traffic fine scandal lies not in the hunt for fines, but in the State's inability to collect legitimate fines. Editorial by Helena Pereira
Minister Luís Neves wants to punish drink-driving, dangerous driving, and speeding more severely.
The measures are expected to be presented next week and also include ending the advertising of police checkpoints, which are currently announced in press releases and on the authorities' social media channels.
With the new regulations for tuk-tuk circulation and parking in effect, Lisbon issued an average of 88 fines per day between April and December 2025, primarily for parking violations, lack of seatbelts, and missing documentation.
Parking violations, lack of seat belts, and missing documentation are among the main causes.
679 drivers were fined for alcohol in January and February. Almost a third were subject to the stricter limit of 0.2 g/l. The PSP also recorded 1,597 arrests for road traffic crimes.
The suspect promised victims he had 'influence with the PSP to cancel traffic fines and legalise seized vehicles in exchange for monetary payments', the GNR says.
The main offences recorded were speeding, drink-driving, lack of vehicle inspection and lack of car insurance. The special road enforcement operation ends at the start of the year.
