Speeding fine in Cyprus: camera notices, payment and penalty points
Most speeding offences in Cyprus are dealt with without a court hearing, through an out-of-court settlement notice (εξώδικο). Under the Out-of-Court Settlement of Offences Law of 1997 (Law 47(I)/1997), a police officer, or the system processing a traffic camera recording, serves a written notice offering the driver the opportunity to avoid prosecution by paying the fixed fine set in the Law's tables, between €8 and €500 depending on the offence, and accepting the penalty points that apply. If the fine is paid within 30 days of the date of issue, no prosecution is brought; if it is not paid within 15 days, it increases by half. Speed and red-light cameras operate under the Traffic Offences (Use of Photo-Enforcement Devices) Law of 2001 (Law 55(I)/2001): the notice is served on the registered owner of the vehicle, who is presumed to be the driver unless he or she proves otherwise and names the person who was driving. If you do not pay, or you dispute the offence, the case goes to the District Court as a criminal prosecution, where the court can impose a higher fine, penalty points and, for serious speeding, disqualification. This guide explains how to check the notice, pay, nominate the actual driver, challenge a camera recording and protect your licence.
Key facts
Deadline
Pay within 15 days of the date of issue to avoid the 50% increase; no prosecution may be brought within 30 days of the date of issue, and none at all if you pay within that period (Law 47(I)/1997, sections 5 and 6). If the registered owner refuses to receive a camera notice, it is presumed received (Law 55(I)/2001). General speed limits apply unless signs show otherwise, typically 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside them and 100 km/h on motorways.
What to do
Read the notice carefully. Check the date, time and place of the alleged offence, the vehicle registration number, the speed recorded and the limit, the fixed fine and the penalty points. For camera offences, the notice comes with the device's finding, including the code of the camera location (section 6 of Law 55(I)/2001).
If any detail is wrong, for example the registration number is not yours or the vehicle was sold before the date, do not pay; write to the police immediately with evidence. Paying is treated as accepting the offence.
Decide whether you were the driver. Under Law 55(I)/2001, the registered owner or keeper is presumed to be the driver shown in the camera photograph, unless he or she proves that someone else was driving and names that person. If someone else drove your car, follow the procedure indicated in the notice to identify the driver.
Companies and leasing firms receive notices for their vehicles and usually pass them on to the employee or renter. If you rented a car, the rental company may charge you an administrative fee as well as the fine.
Pay quickly if you accept the offence. You can pay the out-of-court fine online through the government portal, at a police station or by other means indicated on the notice. Paying within 15 days avoids the 50% increase under section 6(2) of Law 47(I)/1997. Paying within 30 days of the date of issue means no prosecution can be brought.
Keep the payment receipt. The penalty points are recorded on your driving licence record when you pay the out-of-court fine, as the notice explains.
Know the consequences of not paying. If the fine is not paid, the police may prosecute you in the District Court for the offence. The court is not limited to the fixed fine: it may impose a fine up to the maximum provided by the Road Traffic Law, penalty points and, in serious cases, disqualification from driving under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Law of 1972 and the Driving Licence Law of 2001.
A notice that the owner refused to collect is presumed received, so not collecting registered mail does not help.
Challenge the offence if you have grounds. If you believe the recording is wrong, do not pay and prepare your defence for court. The prosecution must prove that the offence was committed with the vehicle in the photograph and that the device was properly installed, calibrated and operated. Ask for the photograph, the calibration certificate and the device records.
Cypriot courts have examined camera evidence in detail, including the proof that notices were properly served and that the device recorded a genuine offence. Consider whether the speed limit was properly signposted and whether the vehicle identified is really yours.
Protect your driving licence. Penalty points accumulate. Reaching the threshold within the reference period leads to disqualification, and probationary drivers face stricter rules. Very high speeds, especially well above the limit in built-up areas, are usually prosecuted in court rather than settled out of court.
If you depend on your licence for work, take legal advice before deciding whether to pay or contest, and in court explain your circumstances; the court may take them into account in sentencing.
Foreign drivers and cross-border enforcement. Drivers with foreign licences or cars registered abroad also receive notices; under EU rules on cross-border exchange of information on road safety offences, Cypriot authorities can identify owners of vehicles registered in other EU countries. Fines may follow you home.
If you are leaving Cyprus, pay or contest outstanding notices before you leave, as an unpaid notice may lead to a court summons or a warrant.
Keep records. Keep the notice, the photograph, the payment receipt and any correspondence. Check your penalty points record with the Road Transport Department from time to time.
If you are a company, keep a log of who used each vehicle; it makes nominating the driver simple and protects the company's officers from presumed liability.
What to watch out for
- Paying a notice for an offence you did not commit or for a vehicle that is not yours; payment is treated as acceptance.
- Ignoring a camera notice; prosecution and higher penalties follow, and refusal to collect it does not prevent this.
- Missing the 15-day deadline and paying 50% more.
- Not nominating the actual driver of your car, which leaves you liable as registered owner.
- Accumulating penalty points without monitoring your record, leading to unexpected disqualification.
- Leaving Cyprus with unpaid notices.
- Driving on a foreign licence without checking whether it is valid in Cyprus; an invalid licence turns a speeding stop into a more serious offence.
Legal basis
Related court decisions
Frequently asked questions
How do I pay a speeding fine in Cyprus?
Pay the out-of-court fine shown on the notice online through the government payment portal, at a police station or by the other methods listed. Pay within 15 days to avoid a 50% increase; payment within 30 days of issue prevents prosecution (Law 47(I)/1997).
What happens if I do not pay a traffic camera fine in Cyprus?
After 15 days the fine increases by half, and after 30 days the police may prosecute you in the District Court, which can impose a higher fine, penalty points and possibly disqualification. A notice you refused to collect is presumed received.
I was not driving my car when the camera recorded it. Do I have to pay?
Under Law 55(I)/2001, the registered owner is presumed to be the driver unless he or she proves otherwise and names the actual driver. Follow the procedure in the notice to identify the driver; do not pay a fine for an offence you did not commit.
How many penalty points for speeding in Cyprus?
It depends on the offence and how far the limit was exceeded; the points are stated on the out-of-court notice and recorded when you pay. Accumulating the threshold number of points within the reference period leads to disqualification.
What are the speed limits in Cyprus?
Unless signs show otherwise, generally 50 km/h in built-up areas, 80 km/h outside built-up areas and 100 km/h on motorways, with a minimum speed on motorways. Always follow the posted signs.
Can I contest a speed camera fine?
Yes. Do not pay and defend the case in court. The prosecution must prove the offence and the proper operation of the device. Ask for the photograph and calibration records, and check the signage and the vehicle identification.
I rented a car in Cyprus and got a fine. What now?
The notice goes to the rental company as registered owner, which will usually identify you as the driver and may charge an administrative fee. You can then pay the fine or contest it in the usual way.
Can a fine follow me to another EU country?
Yes. EU rules on cross-border exchange of information on road safety offences allow Cypriot authorities to identify owners of vehicles registered in other EU countries, and fines may be enforced there.
Can a police officer give me a fine on the spot?
Yes. Under section 5 of Law 47(I)/1997, a police officer who believes that you have committed an offence listed in the tables can serve a written out-of-court notice on the spot. You are not obliged to pay immediately; you have the periods set by the Law, and if you dispute the offence you can refuse to pay and defend yourself in court.
Does paying the fine mean I admit the offence?
Paying the out-of-court fine discharges you from liability for the offence without a conviction, but the penalty points are recorded. In practice it is treated as acceptance, so if you dispute the offence, do not pay and prepare your defence instead.
Legal guide – individual how-tos
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