Germany’s new road traffic law imposes heavy fines for point trading, raising compliance costs for drivers and insurers
Executive summary: The German Bundestag passed a novella to the Straßenverkehrsgesetz that, from July, will punish the trade of licence‑points with fines up to €30,000 and lengthen the fine‑procedure window to six months. The change raises the financial risk of illicit point trading, likely reducing the practice but also increasing compliance expenditures for drivers, insurers and commercial fleets.
Who is involved: Federal Ministry of Transport, German drivers and vehicle owners, insurance companies, fleet operators, and courts handling traffic offences.
Likely next: Enforcement begins in July; insurers may adjust premiums, fleet managers will review driver‑training programmes, and legal challenges to the fine levels could emerge.
Effective July, an amendment to the German Road Traffic Act will penalise the trading of licence‑points with fines up to €30,000 and extend the period for issuing fines from three to six months. The measure targets a black‑market that allows drivers to avoid penalty points by buying them from others, aiming to improve road safety and enforcement certainty. While the policy is expected to deter illicit point trading, it will increase compliance costs for motorists, insurers and fleet operators who must adjust to stricter penalty regimes.
Timeline
- — Interview: Mercedes‑Chefaufseher: „Die Situation in Deutschland ist viel ernster als die meisten denken“ (Handelsblatt)
- — Straßenverkehr: Bis zu 30.000 Euro Strafe für Punktehandel (Handelsblatt)
- — Auto, in Europa il mercato cresce ancora (ma grazie alle case cinesi) (Il Sole 24 Ore — Economia)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Enforcement of the new fine regime starts July 2026.
- Possible legal challenges contesting the proportionality of €30,000 fines.
Sectors affected
- Automotive
- Insurance
- Transportation & Logistics
Regulatory implications
- Higher deterrent fines for point trading.
- Extended six‑month window for issuing traffic penalties.
- Strengthened administrative enforcement of the Flensburg point system.
Historical parallels
- The 2014 tightening of the Flensburg point system that increased fines for serious offences.
- 2009 reforms that introduced the point‑trading prohibition initially.
Sources
Open the full interactive case file on Beyond →