Dario, thank you. Of course any fine received via snail mail involves mailing and amministrative fees, but you'd have paid those fees even if you had received the letter 1 month after your journey. Unbelievable ! The request must be made to the competent Justice of Peace. You must know the legal procedures and what makes a fine illegal.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'italianviaggio_com-small-square-2','ezslot_31',601,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-small-square-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[120,600],'italianviaggio_com-small-square-2','ezslot_32',601,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-small-square-2-0_1');.small-square-2-multi-601{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:600px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. But from the moment authoritieshand overthe ticket to the post office for delivery. The terms are counted from thedate of the infringement. When you get a moving violation, after you hand the officer your driver's license and they hand you the ticket, they ask you to sign it. The problem is I only just received the ticket from Europcar, 16 months after the violation(driving in a lane desiginated for other vehicles) we were never stopped by police and no photo of the violation and the ticket is all written in german. We used Google maps for all directions and to locate parking lots, hotels, etc. I finally wrote a letter in Italian (I speak enough to be understood, but am by no means fluent) to back off and insisting they get in touch with the authorities in Lecce. Continue with Recommended Cookies. He did a semester abroad starting in September of 2018. Is there a statute of limitations for a traffic ticket? The most recent one I got was from Bologna (from my May-2019 visit). The Sixth Amendment right to a speedy trial, which is what I think you are really asking about as a bar to the county . According to Art. It has not been sent registered post and there was no marking on the envelope to suggest it is sent registered post and no one has signed for it. Afterward, the police will inform you of the Prefects decision. Read more about Italian and European traffic laws here. While in Italy, you could go to an authorized retailer of Lottomatica Italia Servizi (Lis). Houston Sommelier Competition, Taste of Italy, Simply Italian: upcoming wine tastings and events in the Bayou City. Thank you so much! If you dont, you can get a second fine from 292 to 1168. Europcar advised me to use the web link http://info.myfines.it to pay the fine and indicated on the ticket. The debt collection agency may take you to court to validate the debt in your country. Any expense will be borne by the debtor (Art. The purpose of a statute of limitations is to avoid being charged with a crime years after it occurred. Stop calling anything different (and better) a scam would also be appreciated. It was over 360 days limit. A few years ago my parents wired tuition fees to a school I was attending in Spain. You can contest your ticket only forformalorsubstantialdefects. There is no statute of limitations or set date range by which the courts must issue an arrest warrant. You agree to be guilty of committing the violation if you pay. I have read the threads but wasn't sure where to post. Now the notification terms start from the day authoritiesknowyour details. You could also pay a deposit if you dont want to lose the chance of appealing.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'italianviaggio_com-sky-3','ezslot_21',683,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-sky-3-0'); If the police issued the fine, you could pay it directly at PosteItaliane. Can anyone provide the website that shows the actual Italian laws for amount of time to notify you and pay etc.? "OK, we will walk out to the car with you and show you how to operate it. I created this blog to help people have the best experience in Italy and share unique tips and advice to travel here. Its great to see that EU authorities have created a more user-friendly platform. Yeah, not so much on the google bit (5 December, 2018). So, make sure to always check the picture before making any decision. When you break a traffic rule, authorities have to inform you about it. statute of limitation on traffic tickets in Texas. Anyway, thanks for the insight on bar code and tracking information that I was unaware of. And all others bad experience that italian gave me, at the first day I got there the car rental not allow me to collect the car which makes me pay a much higher rental price to make my 20 days holiday back on, and many italian trying to cheat during the vacation, and the bad thing still follow even few months after the trip. Will The Car Rental Company Pay Your Fine? In this case, you must also send a copy of the payment receipt. If a traffic officer gives you a traffic ticket, and you sign it, the statute of limitation is no longer effective. Also the letter received has not been sent registered post. 3 years later I received a letter from a California collection agency demanding over $400 for failure to pay. You must and specify why the ticket is not valid on plain paper. The other top infraction is the encroachment of the dreadedZTL or zona [a] traffico limitato, the limited traffic zone (dreaded even by Italians). Some cities such as Rome and Milan may require registration to do it. They need to know who the real offender was in order to deduct the points. The police cant subtract them even if the car rental company communicates your details. Speeding / Traffic Ticket Lawyer in Westlake Village, CA. Italian authorities use traffic fines primarily to balance their budgets, just like US cities and counties do in the US. We've had several good conversations with locals. Apparently a common reaction to getting a ticket! For privacy reasons, the police never send the photo along with the ticket. @Roberto The most common ticket is for speeding. If the time between each infraction is just a few minutes, the Judge might consider it asinglebehavior. You do not need an attorney as long as the fine does not exceed 1,100. I don't know the laws of Italy well enough to give firm advice, but in Denmark where I live, I can negotiate an agreement to pay in installments if I can persuade the police that I have troubles paying. Naturally the car rental company charged 50 euros to provide my information to each of these these authorities. According to petitioner, traffic violations committed by Italians already reach the statute of limitations after 90 days, while the statute of limitations for foreigners is 360 days. Did you notice 5 charges from the rental company on your credit card? It is critical to know what makes a fine not valid. For example, in Washington, the statute of limitation for a speeding ticket is three years. I am having this same problem. Cops have 360 days to send the first registered letter to foreigners driving a rental car. How do those people deal with the citations? You will only have to pay the regular price of one fine.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'italianviaggio_com-leader-1','ezslot_30',672,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-leader-1-0'); Usually, you can enter a restricted zone if your hotel is located near it. why do you blame Hertz, hilary.liang? But debts arising from fines (even those issued by US jurisdictions) are not reported to the credit bureaus and US Courts do not enforce foreign judgements relating to fines, penalties, tax judgements, child support, spousal alimony, therefore the collection agency cannot take you to court. depends on the type of violation. Also, you need to attach a valid form of identification. I tried getting a map, after getting home and discovering the problem, but map was entirely in Italian and difficult to read!!! The first paper ticket arrived in the mail 9 months after the fact - 57 EU to be paid online or it doubles in 60 days. I got a ticket in Modena for driving in a "Bus Only" lane, even though the other lanes were closed for construction and signage directed me to merge into the bus lane. According to petitioner, traffic violations committed by Italians already reach the statute of limitations after 90 days, while the statute of limitations for foreigners is 360 days. It varies by county, but typically when a citation is not paid within 4-6 months then the clerk's office uses the services of a collection agency to try to get that money. https://thecreditbureau.com/2016/07/credit-agencies-stop-reporting-unpaid-tickets/. So my partner was registered as alternate driver. Were you responsible for that car when it was PhotograPhed? In Aug., I guess I accidentally drove in a ZTL in Pisa. The "no cars beyond this point" sign is like all the other signs to them, a ZTL is nothing special. Firstly, you have to go to the website of the municipality. Fast forward, the Italian crooks have hired an Italian Attorney to collect the debt and informed me that the fine of 217euros is now 267euros and must be paid within 15days. Good luck. People really like the idea of all the extra "freedom" rental vehicles provide. This cost is a service forhandlingyour traffic ticket. Finally, you can ask to pay one fine if you make several infractions in the same lane within a few minutes. You are listed as driver. In a perfect world, the agents would make clear up front what those are to avoid any ZTLs, but the renter/driver is ultimately responsible for navigation and avoiding ZTLs. Its still unclear if the foreign attorney (aka, debt collector) can somehow enforce anything in the US. Information requested from Commission under Rule 216(6). I guess times have changed. Basically, you cant enter these zones if you dont have a special permit. You just have to put a barcode of your ticket under an optical reader. I believe the long-standing policy of this Travel Forum, as desired by the Rick Steves Europe organization, is to avoid advising that local laws be flouted, for example by non-payment of traffic fines. The sending agency was from The Netherlands. Not all Italian cities bother with sending fines to foreign residents, and even fewer bother to engage international collection agencies. My guess is that an American Company will have a hard time trying to collect any money on something that is so vague and (at the time of writing this message) is now 3 years old. Even as recently as 3 weeks ago. Hello. Safe travels! All expenses will be charged to your account. For a fine to be legit, it must have some requirements and characteristics. After the 61st day the cops will start the procedures to sell your debt to an international collection agency. 176 CdS, the fines start from87to345plus the cost of the toll. DougMac I have to agree with. 200CdS, all violations must be contested immediately. Can they ever affect your credit or driving record in the USA, likely not. Public administrations usually reply if there is a clear error to avoid charges. There is a website for the small towns police department where I was able to look up the violation and see the photo they took of our rental car. Write the license plate of the vehicle, date of infraction, and ticket number in the reference. In these cases, you have to send a letter to the police asking for proof of notification. If the police have not followed their own rules can this be challenged? By law, you have the right to see that pic, again I really doubt Pisa's cops sent an unlawful notice only to you. Also, you need an active bank account if you want to use the website to pay online. The ticketed driver must respond to their ticket within 15 days of the offense. You cant park in restricted zones unless your hotel allows it. There wasn't any indication that we went somewhere we weren't supposed to. You will never receive a ticket again.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'italianviaggio_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_4',674,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'italianviaggio_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_5',674,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-1-multi-674{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. I doubt anyone in Italy cares much about what you are over, mostly because thieves breaking into cars are not Italian and flee out of Italy After a couple of successful thefts. Perhaps the ZTL is not directed toward tourist, but we take the blunt of the tickets & fines! BUT..the registered mail receipt to be returned was still on the envelope; nobody completed it. I figure this money comes out of my vacation fund, because it was a vacation expense! Couldn't pay it at the police station that day, so we followed the dispatcher's instructions and paid it in our next stop, Lecce, the next day. It is not possible to add more reasons after you send the appeal. So, I guess the Pisa authority will not know that I received the ticket - or when. You are still liable. If you go back to Italy within 5 years, there is the possibility they might ask you to pay, but there isnt a national database of pending fine judgement in Italy, so you would need to be pulled over in the same jurisdiction where you got the fine and they happen to have your name on file and they check the file. In the same way as notifications, the time limit starts the day after you receive the ticket. My visit to Milan consisted of driving on well posted city streets, parking at the Holiday Inn parking garage and continuing from there on the main highway to Malpensa where I returned the car. The time limit runs from the notification date and doesnt suspend the days to appeal. Sorry you're dealing with traffic tickets. You get lost in the historic center, and you dont know those areas even exist. The good news is that the third party, European Municipality Outsourcing, is relatively easy to navigate. Most tickets are not very expensive if you pay them promptly. Sometimes staff members forget to do it. I asked them to provide the before and after photos if the vehicle (which I know they didnt have) so I could compare to my (which I took). But occasionally, while driving on a country road in the dark, youll happen upon a small village where the speed limit is suddenly decreased and the signs arent so easy to discern. Also, the town hall may outsource a debt collection agency against you. Unfortunately, I have received a ticket 7 months after I visited there. If you add it to the fine, you could end up paying hundreds of dollars. You have to explain all the reasons that led you to contest the ticket. My question is will we be able to rent our car as planned or will there be a problem getting it? Honestly, I dont have a driving experience in Italy or in Europe countries but rules are very strict there as compare to Asian countries. But after you pay, you receive no confirmation from the traffic authority (at least in my experience). PS Darius may be your favorite monkey character in Planet of The Apes. Generally, you will have permission to pick up and drop off your luggage. For instance metered cabs and limo drivers can use bus lanes, if you follow them without paying attention to signs you'll be fined. Heres what you have to enter: There is a commission fee of2,00per transaction. Dont get me wrong; Im not saying to pay with your eyes closed. Is the fine still your responsibility if the rental agency takes longer than 60 days to respond? 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy, https://cdn-01.media-brady.com/store/stit/media/catalog/product/cache/8/image/85e4522595efc69f496374d01ef2bf13/1533602043/d/m/dmeu_tc40_03_1_std.lang.all.gif, https://thecreditbureau.com/2016/07/credit-agencies-stop-reporting-unpaid-tickets/, https://accountcontrol.com/NewsResources/UnpaidTicketsTrafficViolationsAreNoLongerReportable.aspx. Remember to bring cash with you. Then the next time I was going to Italy, I wouldn't be sweating bullets. I'm not confident enough that the authorities would ignore it. I don't trust that even if we were to wire the money today, that the ticket would be cleared by next Saturday. If you receive a notice after four years of the violation, the ticket will be valid for another five years. There are many substantial defects for every type of infraction, but these are the most common ones: Also, you need to prove in front of the Judge the substantial defect. Mostly because cops send registered letters to foreign offenders. It will ask the municipality to cancel your fine. They may appreciate that you at least try to pay. Problem is, the login in page will not let me get past the Captcha Validation page to make a payment. Only administrative sanctions are mutually recognized in Europe. Until they can prove that I violated one of "their" traffic codes, I'm going to just dispute their claim and see where this goes (see: https://thecreditbureau.com/2016/07/credit-agencies-stop-reporting-unpaid-tickets/). These are the costs for submitting an appeal to the Judge:Fine AmountCourt FeeStamp DutyUp to 103343NoneFrom 1033.01 to 11004327From 1100.01 to 52009827From 5200.01 to 26,00023727Some travel expenses could be added if the Judge is not in town. Likewise, for non-US citizens in the USA, tipping is entirely optional, and is not required. Our Criminal Defense Attorneys can helping you. Using fines as an ATM machines to collect money from people is not a problem only in Italian cities and towns, as you can read below: https://thehill.com/opinion/judiciary/391449-american-courts-should-not-be-turned-into-revenue-machines, https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15104884/traffic-tickets-have-become-a-tax-hack-pile-on-column/. Not one other post mentions that it may be impossible to avoid the zones when driving to and from rental car offices. So, I thought it was all part of the overall discussion. The May 11th you are reading is likely the 5th of November, two days later. Would appreciate feedback and guidance on what to do or not do. If the reasons are not detailed, the fine is unlawful. If you go back to Italy during this 5 year period, the possibility they might catch up with you is very slim. We stayed at an upscale hotel in the historic area of one city and they were very aware of us driving a rental car, as they parked the car, but never mentioned the zones all around us. The directions were on the ticket. No law obliges you to notify the municipality in advance. if the 360 day limit is valid and the police have not followed the rules to send by 360 days is there any action to payment. This only applies if the offender and the vehicle owner are different people.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'italianviaggio_com-narrow-sky-1','ezslot_13',692,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-italianviaggio_com-narrow-sky-1-0'); You can choose between administrative and judicial appeal in Italy.
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