Driver fails to register change of address and amasses €14,500 in fines from same French radar
He was unaware of his fines as they were sent to old home
The driver only found out about the fines after being stopped by the police
Sdecoret / Shutterstock
A driver in southern France has been fined €14,500 after he was flashed by the same speed camera 37 times, but was unaware of any of the fines.
The driver had not informed authorities of his change of address, meaning the fines were sent to his previous home.
He was only made aware of the issue after he was stopped by local police officers in Clermont-Ferrand (Puy-de-Dôme), who found he had been charged with 34 fines when checking his licence, all from the same speed camera.
In the three months before being summoned to the police station to sort out the issue, he was flashed a further three times.
Fines issued for his speeding – on average, he was going less than 5 km/h over the 50 km/h limit on the avenue de la Margeride – were not initially so hefty, each being €135 (reduced to €90 if paid within 15 days).
However, the fine can rise to €375 if left unpaid for over three months.
Read more: Driving rules and penalties tighten in France: key changes explained
Must inform authorities of address change
You are required to inform the French authorities if you change addresses in France.
Drivers who fail to do so within a month are liable to a fine of €135, and as above, are prevented from receiving official fines and notices.
You can inform the authorities of an address change (which will also update the information on your vehicle registration) via the ANTS website.
However, failure to adequately disclose an address change is not just relevant to driving, as you could face problems with other stakeholders too (tax authorities, insurers, your bank etc.).
You can use the government’s free address change form on the Service public site to notify multiple administrations at once, including ANTS. Read more information on this service below and further details on what to do when moving in France.
Read more: Residency card, tax, visa: Who to inform and how if you move in France
Unfortunately, as he had not received the notices in the post (and the corresponding information), the driver above was unable to check his fines online, as is possible in France.
Read more: Can I find details of any driving fines in France online?
