Speeding in Estonia: fine or driving ban?
If you exceed the speed limit by 21 to 40 km/h, the punishment may be a fine of up to 800 euros or a driving ban (juhtimisõiguse äravõtmine) of up to six months. For greater excesses, the punishments are stricter. In 2026, the Supreme Court has repeatedly confirmed that a driving ban may be justified if earlier fines have not influenced the driver.
What are the punishments for speeding?
Under § 227 of the Traffic Act (liiklusseadus), the punishment depends on how far the speed limit was exceeded. One fine unit (trahviühik) is 8 euros.
- up to 20 km/h: a fine of up to 30 fine units, or 240 euros
- 21 to 40 km/h: a fine of up to 100 fine units, or 800 euros, or a driving ban of up to six months
- 41 to 60 km/h: a fine of up to 200 fine units, or 1,600 euros, detention or a driving ban of up to 12 months
- more than 60 km/h: a fine of up to 300 fine units, or 2,400 euros, detention or a driving ban of up to 24 months
These are the maximum amounts. The specific punishment is chosen by the authority conducting the proceedings or by the court.
A driving ban can be imposed in two ways. As a principal punishment (põhikaristus), it is imposed instead of a fine or detention, as listed above. As a supplementary punishment (lisakaristus), it is imposed together with a fine or detention, so the person receives a fine and also loses the right to drive. A supplementary punishment can be imposed from an excess of 21 km/h, and its length also depends on the seriousness of the offence.
If the offence was recorded by a speed camera and the driver was not identified on the spot, the vehicle owner usually receives a warning fine (hoiatustrahv). This is not a punishment. You can read more in our guide to challenging warning fines. If the police stop you on the spot, misdemeanour proceedings (väärteomenetlus) are started and the outcome may be a punishment that is entered in the criminal records database (karistusregister).
Is a driving ban an exceptional punishment?
No. In its judgment of 17 February 2026 in case no. 4-25-2712/24, the Supreme Court stressed that exceptional circumstances are not required for a driving ban.
In that case, the driver was travelling at 82 km/h in Tallinn where the speed limit was 50 km/h. Within one year, the driver had already received three punishments for speeding. The police imposed a four-month driving ban. Harju County Court replaced it with a fine of 560 euros, but the Supreme Court set aside the county court’s judgment and upheld the police decision.
Why do earlier offences matter?
Under § 56 of the Penal Code (karistusseadustik), the choice of punishment also takes into account whether it will deter the person from committing offences in future. In the Supreme Court’s view, a fine has generally exhausted its effect if repeated fines have not prevented new offences.
In its judgment of 7 May 2026 in case no. 4-25-4068/15, a professional driver was travelling at 139 km/h on a main road where the limit was 90 km/h. It was the driver’s second comparable offence within nine months, and they had received a fine of 1,032 euros for the previous one. Pärnu County Court replaced the two-month driving ban imposed by the police with a fine of 1,200 euros. The Supreme Court reinstated the driving ban.
In both cases, the Supreme Court confirmed that a driving ban is not ruled out by the fact that the person needs a driving licence to earn a living.
In practice, this means that if earlier fines have not changed a driver’s behaviour, the next speeding offence may no longer end with a fine.
What if you speed several times before the first punishment?
If a driver commits a new offence of the same type before being punished for an earlier one, for example exceeding the limit by 21 to 40 km/h on both occasions, special rules apply when the punishment is decided. Even if the acts are dealt with in separate proceedings, the punishments together must not exceed what could be imposed in a single set of proceedings.
In its judgment of 3 July 2026 in case no. 4-26-1364/11, the Supreme Court explained that different types of punishment may be applied in separate proceedings. If a fine has been imposed for one act, a fine does not necessarily have to be imposed for the other as well. In that case, the driver had received a fine of 90 fine units for one speeding offence. For the other, the police imposed a six-month driving ban. The Supreme Court reduced it to three months, because together with the fine the punishment could not exceed the maximum set by law.
How long do you have to challenge a fine?
The deadline and where to submit the complaint depend on the type of proceedings in which the decision was made.
| What you received | Deadline | Where to submit the complaint |
|---|---|---|
| Speed camera fine notice (warning fine) | 30 days from receiving the notice | The authority that sent the notice, usually the police |
| Decision in summary proceedings (mõjutustrahv) | 15 days from receiving the decision | The authority that made the decision |
| Decision in expedited proceedings | 15 days from receiving the decision | The county court |
| Decision in general proceedings | 15 days from the day the decision is available at the out-of-court authority | The county court |
There is an exception for summary proceedings (lühimenetlus) if you have complied with the measure imposed in summary proceedings but wish to challenge the decision. In that case, after requesting the evidence, you can submit a complaint to the county court.
Can challenging a fine make things worse?
If you challenge a decision of the police, as an out-of-court authority (kohtuväline menetleja), in the county court, the county court may not make your position worse. The county court may reduce the punishment, but the police may appeal against that judgment. This is what happened in all three cases described above. There, the Supreme Court upheld the driving ban imposed by the police or imposed one itself. If the police appeal against the county court’s judgment, the Supreme Court may set it aside and uphold the out-of-court authority’s decision or, under the conditions laid down by law, make a different ruling.
What to do if misdemeanour proceedings have been started against you
- Check what you are accused of. Find out under which provision of the Traffic Act the act has been classified and what punishments it allows.
- Review your earlier punishments. Current punishments for similar offences increase the risk of losing your right to drive.
- Assess the evidence. Ask how the speed was measured and what evidence the authority has.
- Weigh up the risks before challenging. Think through what may happen if the county court’s judgment is appealed.
- Seek a lawyer’s advice if you need your right to drive for work or you have earlier offences.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a driving ban be for exceeding the limit by 50 km/h?
An excess of 50 km/h falls within the 41 to 60 km/h range. As a principal punishment, the right to drive can be taken away for up to 12 months. If the principal punishment is a fine or detention, a driving ban of three to six months can be imposed as a supplementary punishment. For the same act, a driving ban cannot be imposed both as a principal and as a supplementary punishment. The exact length is decided by the authority conducting the proceedings or by the court.
What is the fine for exceeding the limit by 20 km/h?
A speed camera warning fine is 7 euros for every km/h over the limit. If the excess is 20 km/h after deducting the measurement tolerance, the fine is 140 euros.
If the police stop you on the spot for an excess of up to 20 km/h, they generally apply summary proceedings. The fine imposed in summary proceedings (mõjutustrahv) is then also 7 euros for every km/h over the limit, and half that for 14 to 17-year-olds. It is not a punishment and is not entered in the criminal records database. A 45-minute cooling-off stop (rahunemispeatus) may also be imposed as a measure.
If the case is dealt with in ordinary misdemeanour proceedings, the fine may be up to 30 fine units, or 240 euros.
Can you be detained for speeding?
Yes, if the speed limit is exceeded by more than 40 km/h. Detention can only be imposed by a court. An adult can be sentenced to up to 30 days’ detention for a misdemeanour, and up to 10 days for a misdemeanour committed as a minor. Detention is not imposed for smaller excesses.
How many speeding offences lead to a driving ban?
The law does not set a specific number. In one of the Supreme Court’s 2026 judgments, a single earlier fine for a comparable offence that had not influenced the driver was enough.
Does needing a driving licence for work rule out a driving ban?
No. In 2026, the Supreme Court has repeatedly held that dependence on the right to drive for income does not rule out a driving ban, especially for repeated offences.
Can a driving ban be replaced with a fine?
The type of punishment is chosen by the authority conducting the proceedings or by the court. If you challenge a police decision in the county court, the court may impose a lighter punishment, for example replacing a driving ban with a fine. However, the police may appeal against that judgment. In 2026, the Supreme Court in several cases set aside a fine imposed by a county court and upheld the driving ban imposed by the police where earlier fines had not influenced the driver. The law makes an exception for a person who uses a motor vehicle because of a mobility impairment. According to the Supreme Court’s case law, applying that exception requires an assessment of whether the right to drive is indispensable for the person because of their mobility impairment.
Can the county court impose a stricter punishment when a fine is challenged?
No. The county court may not make the position of a person who has challenged an out-of-court authority’s decision worse. If the county court reduces the punishment and the police appeal, the Supreme Court may uphold the original police decision.
How long do I have to challenge a police decision?
A police decision made in expedited or general proceedings can be challenged in the county court within 15 days. In expedited proceedings, the period starts when you receive the decision. In general proceedings, it starts on the day the decision is made available to you at the out-of-court authority.
A decision made in summary proceedings is challenged differently. As a rule, the complaint must be submitted to the authority that made the decision within 15 days of receiving it. The authority then continues the case in expedited or general proceedings or cancels the summary proceedings decision.
If you have complied with the measure imposed in summary proceedings, for example by taking a 45-minute cooling-off stop, but disagree with the decision, you can ask the authority within 15 days of receiving the decision to prepare and send you the evidence. You can then submit a complaint to the county court within 15 days of receiving the evidence.
You have 30 days to challenge a speed camera fine notice. You can read more in our guide to warning fines.
Does a speed camera warning fine increase the risk of a driving ban?
No. A warning fine is not a punishment and cannot be relied on when assessing whether offences have been repeated.
Is a speeding punishment entered in the criminal records database, and for how long?
If a punishment for speeding, such as a fine or a driving ban, is imposed in ordinary misdemeanour proceedings, it is entered in the criminal records database. A speed camera warning fine and a fine imposed in summary proceedings are not entered in the database. Data on a misdemeanour punishment is generally transferred to the archive one year after the fine has been paid or the driving ban has ended. If a driving ban was imposed as a supplementary punishment in addition to a fine, the year starts once both have been served. Data on misdemeanour punishments is kept in the archive for a further ten years. Archived data is not public. It can be accessed by the person concerned and by the persons and authorities named in the law in the cases the law allows. You can read more in our guide to the criminal records database and when convictions are deleted.
What happens if I drive while banned from driving?
Driving while your right to drive has been taken away is a separate misdemeanour. It can lead to a fine of up to 300 fine units, or 2,400 euros, or detention. If someone drives without the right to do so systematically, it may be a criminal offence. According to the Supreme Court’s case law, this requires at least three related instances of driving without the right to drive. A criminal offence can lead to a pecuniary punishment or up to one year’s imprisonment.
When to contact a lawyer
It is worth seeking a lawyer’s advice if you are at risk of losing your right to drive, especially if you have earlier traffic offences or your driving licence is essential for your work. A lawyer can help you assess the evidence, choose how to challenge the decision and consider whether a challenge makes sense in your situation. The lawyers of Law Firm NAMM advise and represent clients in misdemeanour proceedings and fine disputes.
This article reflects the law in force as of 13 October 2026.