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Kitzingen is located in the state of Bavaria, where speeding and other traffic tickets are handled under nationwide German road traffic law and applied locally by the Bavarian police and administrative authorities. The key idea is simple: the person who drove the vehicle is liable for a speeding offense, not automatically the vehicle owner. Evidence typically comes from stationary speed cameras, mobile radar or lidar devices, or video systems used by patrol vehicles. If you are measured over the limit, you can expect written notice by mail and a clear timeline to respond or contest.
Germany uses a structured schedule of fines, points, and driving bans. Penalties increase with the amount over the limit and whether the offense was inside a built-up area or outside. Serious cases can lead to points in the nationwide register in Flensburg and temporary driving bans, and accumulated points can ultimately lead to license revocation. Because the system is rules-based and deadline-driven, fast and well-informed action is important if you want to protect your license or job.
In Kitzingen, enforcement can occur on local roads, federal highways such as B8 and B22, and nearby Autobahns. Proceedings are processed by the authority that measured the violation, which may be the Stadt Kitzingen Ordnungsamt, another local administrative body, or a Bavarian central fines office, depending on who conducted the measurement.
You may need a lawyer if the alleged speed is high enough to trigger points or a driving ban, or if you already have points and risk reaching thresholds that could affect your license. Professional drivers and commuters who rely on driving for work often need tailored strategies to avoid or time a ban. A lawyer can examine the measurement file, check calibration and operator training records, and identify errors in signage or procedure.
If you were not the driver, if the photo is unclear, or if the vehicle was shared or rented, a lawyer can help communicate this correctly and avoid unintended self-incrimination. Where the authority cannot identify the driver, the owner may face a logbook order requiring documentation of future drivers. Legal advice helps reduce this risk.
Foreign visitors and new residents often face language and procedural hurdles. A lawyer familiar with Bavarian practice can manage deadlines, file objections on time, and represent you at the Amtsgericht Kitzingen if your case goes to court.
Finally, if you hold traffic legal expense insurance, a lawyer can handle coverage inquiries and act quickly to request the case file and preserve your defense options.
The core legal sources are the Road Traffic Regulations (Straßenverkehrs-Ordnung, StVO), the Road Traffic Act (Straßenverkehrsgesetz, StVG), the Administrative Offenses Act (Ordnungswidrigkeitengesetz, OWiG), the schedule of fines regulation (Bußgeldkatalog-Verordnung), and the driving aptitude register rules maintained by the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt in Flensburg. These apply throughout Bavaria, including Kitzingen.
Consequences scale with severity. Minor overspeeds usually result in a monetary fine only. From certain thresholds, offenses add points to the driving aptitude register, and in more serious cases a temporary driving ban of 1 to 3 months is imposed. For example, as of 2024, driving about 31 to 40 km per hour too fast in a built-up area typically leads to a fine in the low hundreds of euros, 2 points, and a 1 month ban. Points accumulate, and at 8 points the licensing authority revokes your license. One point offenses generally expire after 2.5 years if no new relevant violations occur, while two point entries typically expire after 5 years.
Measurements must follow technical and procedural rules. A standard tolerance is deducted from the measured speed: up to 100 km per hour, 3 km per hour are deducted, and above 100 km per hour the deduction is 3 percent. Devices must be properly approved and calibrated, and operators must be trained. Signage must be valid and visible. Germany does not require advance warning of speed cameras.
The process usually begins with an information questionnaire called an Anhörungsbogen, where you must confirm basic personal data but may otherwise remain silent. If the authority intends to penalize you, it will issue a Bußgeldbescheid, which contains the details of the allegation, the fine, any points or ban, and instructions on how to object. You have 14 days from service to file an Einspruch. Many simple traffic offenses are time barred if the authority does not take action within 3 months from the offense, although certain steps can interrupt this and extend the period.
Germany follows the driver liability principle for speeding. If the driver cannot be identified, the vehicle owner is not automatically fined for speeding, but can receive a Fahrtenbuchauflage requiring them to keep a logbook for future trips. For foreign drivers, fines can be pursued across borders within the European Union. If a ban is imposed and it is your first ban in a long period, you may be allowed a 4 month window to decide when to hand in your license for a 1 month ban, which can help you plan around work obligations.
Typically you receive an Anhörungsbogen first, asking you to confirm your details and comment if you wish. Later, if the authority proceeds, you receive a Bußgeldbescheid with the fine, any points or ban, and payment details. You then have 14 days from service to object. If you do nothing and pay, the decision becomes final and any ban will be scheduled.
The standard deduction is 3 km per hour up to 100 km per hour, and 3 percent of the measured value above 100 km per hour. This deduction accounts for measurement uncertainty and is automatically applied by the authority when calculating the alleged speed.
Only serious cases lead to an immediate temporary driving ban, for example a substantial overspeed in a built-up area. Moderate overspeeds usually bring a fine and possibly 1 point. License revocation is not imposed for a single ticket but results from reaching 8 points overall. Repeat offenders can face stricter treatment, for example a ban if they drive 26 km per hour or more over the limit twice within one year.
Do not guess or speculate. You must confirm your personal details, but you are not obliged to incriminate anyone. If you were not driving, you can state that fact without naming another person. The authority may try to identify the driver using the photo, further inquiries, or a visit. If no driver can be identified, the owner may receive a logbook order for future trips. A lawyer can handle the communication and review the file photo quality.
If it is your first ban in a long period and the ban is for 1 month, authorities often grant a 4 month window to start the ban. This lets you choose when to surrender your license within that period. Longer bans usually start when the decision becomes final unless the authority or court sets a specific start. A lawyer can help you secure or plan this timing.
Typical issues include wrong or obscured signage, measurements taken too soon after a new speed limit without respecting administrative guidance, incorrect device setup or missing calibration certificates, lack of operator training, failure to apply the correct tolerance, unclear driver identification, or incomplete documentation. Legal review with access to the case file is essential to spot these issues.
Simple road traffic administrative offenses are generally time barred if no action is taken within 3 months from the date of the offense. Certain measures, like sending an Anhörungsbogen, can interrupt the period and extend it. Once a Bußgeldbescheid is served, you have 14 days to object. Deadlines are strict, so act quickly.
You must provide correct personal details, but you do not have to answer questions about the offense. You have the right to remain silent. If you plan to contest the case, consider consulting a lawyer before making any statement that could be used against you.
Moderate serious speeding offenses typically carry 1 point, and very serious cases carry 2 points and may include a driving ban. One point entries usually expire after 2.5 years, two point entries usually after 5 years, measured from entry date, provided no new relevant offenses stop the clock. At 8 points, the licensing authority revokes the license.
German authorities can pursue fines within the European Union. Points are recorded in the German register, which applies within Germany. A temporary ban imposed in Germany prohibits driving in Germany during the ban even if your foreign license remains valid elsewhere. If you return to Germany, a ban still applies.
Stadt Kitzingen Ordnungsamt - Local authority for municipal traffic enforcement and administrative matters related to traffic violations.
Polizeiinspektion Kitzingen - Local police station handling on-the-spot checks, accident response, and forwarding of speed measurements to the fines authority.
Landratsamt Kitzingen - Führerscheinstelle - Licensing authority responsible for points information requests and measures related to license status.
Amtsgericht Kitzingen - Local court that hears contested traffic offense cases after an objection to the fines authority.
Bayerisches Polizeiverwaltungsamt - Zentrale Bußgeldstelle - Bavarian central fines office that processes many speed measurements made by state police.
Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt - Fahreignungsregister in Flensburg - Federal authority maintaining the nationwide points register and providing official points extracts.
ADAC Verkehrsrechtsberatung for members - Non governmental resource offering general traffic law guidance and seminars.
Bayerisches Staatsministerium des Innern, für Sport und Integration - Publishes information on traffic enforcement policies and road safety initiatives in Bavaria.
Act quickly. Note the date you received the notice. Your 14 day objection period starts from service of the Bußgeldbescheid. Missing this deadline usually makes the decision final, although there are limited remedies for excusable misses.
Gather documents. Keep the envelope, all pages of the notice, and any photos. Write down where you were driving, who was driving, road and weather conditions, and anything unusual about signage or roadworks.
Avoid self incrimination. You must confirm your identity details, but you do not have to explain the incident. If you plan to contest, do not make speculative statements. A lawyer can request the file and evaluate the evidence.
Consult a traffic law specialist in Bavaria. Ask about deadlines, likelihood of success, costs under the statutory fee law, and whether your legal expense insurance will cover the case. Early advice improves your options, including negotiating timing of a 1 month ban if applicable.
File a timely objection if warranted. Your lawyer can submit a written Einspruch within 14 days and request the case file. After review, you can decide whether to negotiate with the authority, seek withdrawal, or proceed to a hearing at the Amtsgericht Kitzingen.
Plan for contingencies. If a driving ban is likely, coordinate timing with your work and family commitments. Consider a driving aptitude seminar, which can reduce points by one in certain circumstances if you have not used this option in the last five years.
Stay informed. Fines and thresholds can change. Local practice in Kitzingen and Bavaria can affect how measurements are taken and how bans are scheduled. A focused legal strategy that respects deadlines and uses the available procedural rights gives you the best chance at a favorable outcome.
