Handlebars stuck incorrectly

Foil was still attached to vignette: 350 euro fine

A vignette is only valid when it is stuck on correctly.

(Bild: ASFINAG)

If you affix a toll sticker incorrectly, you have to pay: A driver who fought a penalty notice for toll evasion at the Salzburg Provincial Administrative Court now knows this. 

Those who do not follow the exact rules for the vignette can expect hefty fines: from 300 to 3000 euros. This is impressively demonstrated by a recent case from the Salzburg Provincial Administrative Court: it concerns a driver who was driving his car on the A10 near Bischofshofen in mid-November. He had an adhesive vignette on his vehicle, but he had not affixed it correctly, as stated in the penalty notice from the St. Johann im Pongau district authority: "The backing film was not completely removed from the adhesive vignette affixed to the vehicle (the 'X' was visible)."

Vignette was "clearly" not affixed correctly
Therefore it was not valid. Penalty: 350 euros plus 35 euros administrative costs. The person concerned lodged an appeal against this with the administrative court and complained that the authorities had taken a "totally excessive" measure. The court examined the case, held a hearing and ultimately dismissed the complaint: the vignette was "clearly" not fully affixed and the "punched date was not properly legible".

This means that the driver concerned must pay the fine plus a further 70 euros in court costs. In the text of the decision, the administrative judge also referred to the Administrative Court, which had already clarified the law: a vignette is only valid when it is stuck on correctly and not when it is purchased.