Huge increase in traffic fines! How much do you pay if you don’t wear your seat belt or talk on the phone?

January 1, 2025 brings drivers an extremely unpleasant “gift”: a huge increase in traffic fines! The government has not extended the fine point ceiling, so road fines will be calculated according to the new minimum wage. Here’s how much you pay if you’re not wearing a seat belt or if you’re caught using your mobile phone while driving.

The government established that, from January 1, 2025, the minimum gross salary will be increased to 4,050 lei.

But, unlike last year, the increase was no longer accompanied by a decision to cap the fine point.

So with this increase in the minimum income, drivers will also have to pay higher traffic fines.

2025: Huge increase in traffic fines!

According to the law, one fine point is 5% of the gross minimum wage.

In 2024, the value of the fine point was capped at 165 lei, which was 5% of the minimum income from January 2024. But, this cap was only valid until the end of the year.

Which means that from January 1, 2025, traffic fines will increase by more than 20%, because the calculation will be made on the value of the minimum income: 4,050 lei.

How much do you pay if you don’t wear your seat belt or talk on the phone?

The fine point increases from 165 lei, as it was in 2024, to 202.5 lei, which represents 5% of the minimum gross salary.

Thus, drivers will pay much higher fines in 2025:

• class I (2 – 3 fine points) = 405 lei – 607.5 lei;
• second class (4 – 5 fine points) = 810 lei – 1012.5 lei;
• third class (6 – 8 fine points) = 1,215 lei – 1,620 lei;
• fourth class (9 – 20 fine points) = 1,822.5 lei – 4,050 lei;
• 5th class (21 – 100 fine points) = 4,252.5 lei – 20,250 lei.

So, the fine for those who do not wear a seat belt, for example, will be at least 405 lei. And drivers who talk on the phone without a handsfree can receive a penalty of 1,620 lei.

One of the biggest penalties applies for expired ITP, because in this situation two fines are applied. The driver will be fined both for the lack of periodic checks and for putting an unregistered vehicle into circulation. Because the expiration of the ITP automatically leads to the suspension of registration.

Thus, the two cumulative fines can amount to 8,100 lei, i.e. the equivalent of more than 3 minimum net salaries.