One Fine Every Five Seconds: Spain's DGT Breaks All Records With Six Million Penalties in 2025

A Record-Breaking Year for Fines

Spain's traffic authorities issued more fines last year than at any point in recorded history. The DGT handed out over six million penalties to drivers in 2025 — the first time the figure has broken that barrier since records began in 1961.

The figures, published in the DGT's 2025 General Statistical Yearbook, show that 6,106,354 complaints were filed last year. That works out at:

• 16,730 fines per day
• Nearly 700 per hour
• One every 5.2 seconds

How We Got Here

To put the numbers in context: it took until 1970 for annual fines to exceed two million, 1974 to pass three million, and 2008 to reach four million. Five million was first exceeded in 2022 — and just three years later, the six million barrier has been broken.

It's also worth noting that the figures exclude Catalonia and the Basque Country, both of which have devolved powers over traffic enforcement and run their own systems independently. The actual number of fines issued nationwide is therefore even higher.

Where Are the Most Fines Being Issued?

Regionally, Andalucía led the way with 1,526,897 fines, followed by:

• Valencian Community — 939,573
• Community of Madrid — 721,465
• Castilla y León — 601,184

At a provincial level, the top five most fined provinces were:

1. Madrid — 721,465
2. Valencia — 468,121
3. Cádiz — 369,586
4. Alicante — 339,000
5. Málaga — 282,163

That makes it a particularly costly year for drivers across the east and south of the country — exactly the areas where many British and other expats live and drive.

What This Means for Expat Drivers

If you drive in Spain — particularly in the Valencian Community, Andalucía or along the Costa Blanca — the message is clear: enforcement is at an all-time high. Speed cameras, mobile radar units and traffic surveillance are more widespread than ever, and the DGT is not slowing down.

Make sure your documentation is in order, your ITV is up to date, and you're familiar with local speed limits — particularly in urban zones where 30km/h limits are now standard across much of Spain.

This article is based on reporting from Spanish News Today, published April 6, 2026. This article is for informational purposes only.