Depending on the seriousness of the infraction, traffic fines can reach very high amounts. For example, carrying a radar jammer in the vehicle entails a financial penalty of 6,000 euros -in addition to the deduction of 6 points from the license- and driving under the influence of drugs is punished with 1,000 euros and also six points. These are two of the infractions of the DGT that force you to scratch your pocket more. And in the case of the first, there is not even an option to take advantage of the 50% bonus for early payment, so it must be paid in full.
At this point, some people may wonder if there is the possibility of paying traffic fines in installments, just as it can be done with some taxes. The answer is negative: they cannot be paid in installments, it is mandatory to do so in full. Depending on the amount to be paid and the solvency of the offender, this can generate a significant economic imbalance in a family's monthly budget.
To avoid this type of situation, the Ombudsman asked the DGT to "articulate the possibility of requesting the division of an economic sanction as a consequence of the commission of an infraction included in the traffic regulations before starting the executive process". This was included in its annual report for 2022.
As explained by the General Directorate of Traffic itself, when the voluntary period of 20 days for prompt payment has expired and the sanction has not been paid or appealed, it will be processed through the ordinary procedure, which extends up to 45 days. after receiving the notification to make the payment of 100% of the amount. If this period elapses and the payment has not been made, the economic sanction will be sent to the State Tax Administration Agency, which will be in charge of collecting it with a 20% surcharge. Thus, in general terms, the longer it takes to pay the fine, the higher the final amount will be.
Payment within the voluntary term can be made by various means. We will explain them below, although it should first be indicated that it is not mandatory for the offender himself to do it, someone else can do it. Likewise, if you detect any anomaly during the payment or afterwards, there is the possibility of requesting a refund.
In the case of not paying a fine, the next step is the seizure. The usual thing is that they withdraw the money from the checking account; In any case, it must be remembered that the Civil Procedure Law indicates that "salary, salary, pension, retribution or its equivalent, which does not exceed the amount indicated for the minimum interprofessional salary (SMI), is unseizable", which in 2023 It is 1,080 euros per month.
If the money from the current account cannot be seized, it is passed to the real estate and properties that can cover the debt. When you are insolvent, the payment remains pending until the offender has income or assets to pay it.
