On this page
- Types of speed camera in France
- Is there any tolerance?
- How strict are French speed cameras?
- Do French camera fines reach UK drivers?
- How much are French speeding fines?
- Do I have to pay a French speeding fine?
- How to pay a French speeding fine
- Contesting a French speeding fine
- Speed camera detectors and warning apps
- FAQs
France has many kinds of speed camera, from fixed roadside cameras to unmarked radar cars, and they catch UK cars too: camera fines can be sent to your home address in the UK. Most speeding fines are €68 or €135, cut to €45 or €90 if you pay within 15 days. Driving 50 km/h or more over the limit is a criminal offence. Speed camera detectors, and apps or satnavs that warn of camera locations, are illegal.
Types of speed camera in France
- Fixed cameras beside the road, in service since 2003. Some check both directions on two-way roads.
- Turret cameras (radars tourelles): tall roadside columns, which the French government describes as mobile units.
- Roadworks and mobile cameras, set up temporarily, often where limits are lowered for roadworks.
- Radar cars: unmarked cars that measure your speed as they drive in traffic. The French government says they’re increasingly used.
- Average-speed cameras, in use since 2013, which measure your average speed between two points, so slowing down for the camera itself doesn’t help.
- Police with speed guns, who usually stop you a little further on and fine you on the spot.
The simplest way to avoid a fine is to keep to the limit everywhere, especially where it changes: entering villages, at roadworks and where an 80 km/h road becomes 90 or back again. See French speed limits.
Is there any tolerance?
A little, for measuring error only. In an answer published in the Journal officiel on 20 May 2008, the French government set the margin at 5 km/h where the limit is under 100 km/h, and 5% of the measured speed above 100 km/h. Treat it as a safety net for the equipment, not a speed you can drive at.
How strict are French speed cameras?
Very. There’s no warning letter first: even a few km/h over the limit brings a €68 or €135 fine, and mobile cameras and radar cars mean you can be caught anywhere, not just at fixed sites. On the other hand, the system is predictable: keep to the limits, especially where they change, and you won’t be fined.
Do French camera fines reach UK drivers?
Yes. Camera fines can be sent to your home address in the UK, so don’t assume a flash in France will be forgotten. Service-Public says a notice usually arrives about 10 days to a month after the offence, sent to the vehicle’s registered keeper. If no notice arrives within a year of the offence, you can no longer be prosecuted for it.
If you’re stopped by the police, you’ll usually be fined on the spot. GOV.UK says French police give on-the-spot fines for driving offences, including speeding.
How much are French speeding fines?
| Over the limit by | Fixed fine | Paid within 15 days | Paid late | Other penalties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 20 km/h, limit above 50 | €68 | €45 | €180 | 1 point (none under 5 km/h) |
| Under 20 km/h, limit 50 or less | €135 | €90 | €375 | 1 point (none under 5 km/h) |
| 20 to 29 km/h | €135 | €90 | €375 | 2 points |
| 30 to 39 km/h | €135 | €90 | €375 | 3 points; up to 3 years’ suspension |
| 40 to 49 km/h | €135 | €90 | €375 | 4 points; licence retained for up to 72 hours |
| 50 km/h or more | Criminal offence: up to €3,750 | – | – | Up to 3 months in prison; car can be impounded or confiscated |
Points apply only to French licences, so they don’t go on your UK licence. Online card payment for a posted notice gives you 30 days for the reduced amount and 60 days for the standard amount.
Do I have to pay a French speeding fine?
Yes. A French fine is a legal penalty, and leaving the UK doesn’t cancel it. If you don’t pay, the amount goes up: a €135 fine becomes €375. If you think the fine is wrong, contest it rather than ignoring it.
How to pay a French speeding fine
- Online at amendes.gouv.fr, or with the Amendes app, using the reference printed on the notice.
- By phone on 0806 20 30 40 (from France), 24 hours a day.
- On the spot to the police officer, by card, cheque or cash, if they can take payment.
- At a French tobacconist (tabac), by card or cash, if the notice has a square Datamatrix code.
Pay only through the official sites and numbers printed on your notice.
Contesting a French speeding fine
You have 45 days from the offence or the notice to contest a fine, through ANTAI, the French agency that processes camera fines, at its official website, or by registered post to the address on the notice. You can’t contest a fine once you’ve paid it.
- Someone else was driving: name the driver, with their address and licence details.
- The car was stolen or the plates cloned: send proof, such as a police report.
- You dispute the offence: explain why and pay a deposit equal to the fine, which is refunded if the case is dropped.
Speed camera detectors and warning apps
Owning, carrying or using a speed camera detector is illegal in France: the fine is up to €1,500, the device is seized, and if it’s fixed to the car the car can be seized too. Apps and satnavs that warn you of speed camera locations are illegal as well, so switch off camera alerts before you drive in France.
You’ll see that some drivers using apps like Waze report cameras as “police” or general hazards to get around the ban. But warning of speed camera locations is illegal, so the safest choice is to switch camera alerts off.
Speed cameras in France: fines, payments and UK drivers FAQs
Will a French speeding fine follow me to the UK?
Yes. French camera fines can be sent to your home address in the UK. A notice usually arrives about 10 days to a month after the offence. If nothing arrives within a year, you can no longer be prosecuted.
How much is a speeding fine in France?
Usually €135, or €68 if you were less than 20 km/h over a limit above 50 km/h. Paying within 15 days cuts them to €90 or €45; paying late raises them to €375 or €180. 50 km/h or more over the limit is a criminal offence.
Do I have to pay a French speeding fine?
Yes. Leaving the UK doesn't cancel a French fine, and if you don't pay, it goes up: a €135 fine becomes €375. If you think it's wrong, contest it within 45 days.
How much over the limit do French speed cameras allow?
The French government set a technical margin of 5 km/h below 100 km/h and 5% of the measured speed above 100 km/h (Journal officiel, 2008). It covers measuring error, so don't treat it as an allowance.
Do French speeding fines give points on a UK licence?
No. French penalty points apply only to French licences. You still have to pay the fine.
How do I pay a French speeding fine from the UK?
Online at amendes.gouv.fr or with the Amendes app, using the reference on the notice. Paying online by card gives you 30 days for the reduced amount and 60 days for the standard amount.
How do I contest a French speeding fine?
Within 45 days, through ANTAI's official website or by registered post to the address on the notice. You can name another driver, send proof that the car was stolen, or dispute the offence with a deposit equal to the fine. You can't contest once you've paid.
Are speed camera apps legal in France?
No. Apps and satnavs that warn of speed camera locations are illegal in France, as are speed camera detectors, which carry a fine of up to €1,500.
What are radar cars in France?
Unmarked cars fitted with speed cameras that measure the speed of vehicles around them as they drive. You won't know you've been caught until the notice arrives.
Can French police fine me on the spot?
Yes. GOV.UK says French police give on-the-spot fines for driving offences, including speeding. You can pay the officer by card, cheque or cash if they're equipped to take payment.
What happens at 40 km/h over the limit in France?
A €135 fine, and the police can retain your licence on the spot for up to 72 hours, so you can't drive. At 50 km/h over, it becomes a criminal offence.
Are there average speed cameras in France?
Yes. France has used average-speed cameras since 2013. They calculate your average speed between two points, so slowing down only at the camera doesn't help.
How strict are French speed cameras?
Very. Even a few km/h over the limit brings a €68 or €135 fine, with no warning letter, and mobile cameras and radar cars can catch you anywhere.