Fines for overloading – points to bear in mind

The countries of Europe all take very individual approaches to driving penalties: there is neither a uniform overview of all traffic penalty lists nor a standard Europe-wide list of traffic violations.

Portals such as the ADAC fine calculator provide information on fines in various countries, but these are limited to common traffic violations, so camper-specific offences such as overloading are not usually included.

Information on fines for overloading in the DACH region:

Germany’s Road Traffic Act (StVO) stipulates a fine as well as points on the traffic offender’s record as a penalty for overloading, depending on how much the load is over the permitted weight.

With regard to overloading, the list of traffic penalties generally distinguishes between cars, trucks and the amount of overloading. For vehicles over 7.5 tonnes and trucks, the law also differentiates between the driver and the vehicle owner, and can – if they are different people – impose a fine and points on both.

In Germany, there is a tolerance of 2% for vehicles over 7.5 tonnes and a 5% tolerance for vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes – you can expect a penalty if you go over this. An overview of penalties for overloading can be found in the list of traffic penalties, broken down by

• cars with trailers or caravans
• motorhomes
• trucks

Example:

Traffic offenders register

This record, officially known as the Register of Driver Fitness, stores legally binding decisions on traffic violations. These are rated with points according to their type and severity, which are removed after 2, 5 or 10 years again depending on the severity of the offence. If you have a total of 8 points in this register, your driving licence will be revoked – usually for at least six months before you can apply for a new licence.

In Austria, there is no standard list of traffic penalties; here the inspectors determine the fine amounts for individual offences within the legal framework on the spot. The fines vary depending on the severity of the offence and the type of vehicle. There is no tolerance of 2% and 5% for overloading in Austria, as there is in Germany. The inspectors can also prohibit the vehicle from continuing its journey.

Example: The penalty for overloading a motorhome by more than 5% can be between €170 and €210; if the vehicle is overloaded by more than 15%, a criminal charge and an individual penalty may be issued. This penalty is possible for a motorhome weighing more than 3.5 tonnes that has been overloaded by more than 5%. For particularly serious offences, the fine can reach up to €5,000. The driver or owner must also pay the weighing costs.

Information on loading, overloading and possible fines can be found on the websites of the Austrian Automobile, Motorbike and Touring Club (ÖAMTC) or the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology.

The situation is similar in Switzerland: if the vehicle is overloaded by more than 5%, the fine is determined case by case, generally based on the vehicle or vehicle combination’s weight class. There is also the possibility of criminal charges and a subsequent driving ban in Switzerland. In addition, the excess weight must be unloaded before the vehicle is permitted to continue on its journey.

Example: In Switzerland, every excess kilo is counted: a vehicle overloaded by up to 100 kilograms can result in a fine equivalent to around €85; from 100 kilograms to an overload of 5% the fines range from around €170 to €220. For 5% or higher, the penalty is set on a case-by-case basis.

On the Touring Club Switzerland (TCS) website, you can find detailed information on traffic regulations and fines in Switzerland, including fines for overloading. The complete list of fines in Switzerland can be viewed at the following link: https://www.fedlex.admin.ch

You can find the permitted gross weight in the vehicle’s registration documents. If you want to be sure that you have not overloaded your transport vehicle, you should calculate the gross weight of the loaded vehicle before setting off. To do this, take the vehicle’s unladen weight with a full tank and no driver as the starting point. Subtract this from the permitted gross weight. The difference indicates how heavy the total payload including the driver is permitted to be.

NB: The weight of other passengers must also be taken into account.

You can usually have your transport vehicle weighed where it is loaded for business purposes. If your vehicle is for personal use, there are other alternatives, such as weighbridges at recycling centres, for example. On average, the service costs between €5 and €10.

NB: Even if the facilities are close by, you could be stopped by the police on the way there. Even if you are on your way to a public weighbridge, overloading is still an offence against traffic law and Germany’s Road Traffic Act (StVO).

A tip from the professionals: Thanks to innovative lightweight technology, a transport vehicle’s weight can be significantly reduced with an AL-KO lightweight chassis without compromising on stability. So you can benefit from heavier loads, deliver to more customers per day, and save time. This increases profitability.