Key Takeaways
- Dutch traffic law corrects every radar reading before deciding whether a driver broke the limit.
- The official correction removes 3 km/h if the measured speed is 100 km/h or less, and 3 percent if it’s over 100 km/h.
- Fines start once the corrected speed is more than 3 km/h above the limit — or any amount above it on 130 km/h roads.
- The Centraal Justitieel Incassobureau (CJIB — Central Judicial Collection Agency) issues all fines, deadlines, and appeals.
- An 8 km/h excess almost always becomes a fine, but smaller differences (up to +6 or +7) often fall below the threshold after correction.
Story & Details
The Dutch Approach: Precision Over Punishment
In the Netherlands, speed control is mathematical rather than moral. The law doesn’t assume guilt for tiny variations — it checks the numbers carefully. Every radar and camera reading is adjusted before the system decides if you were truly speeding.
This approach comes from the Mulder Act (Wet administratiefrechtelijke handhaving verkeersvoorschriften), which separates minor offences from criminal cases. The goal: keep enforcement fair, simple, and automatic.
The Correction in Simple Terms
- If the camera measures 100 km/h or less, take off 3 km/h.
- If it measures over 100 km/h, take off 3 percent.
- Compare the result with the limit.
- If the corrected number is still more than 3 km/h over, a fine is sent — except on 130 km/h roads, where even +1 counts.
When 8 km/h Over Is a Problem
Let’s see how the math plays out.
- City street (50 km/h):
Radar sees 58 → minus 3 → 55 → 55 − 50 = 5 over → fine. - Rural road (80 km/h):
Radar sees 88 → minus 3 → 85 → 85 − 80 = 5 over → fine. - Highway (120 km/h):
Radar sees 128 → minus 3% (≈4) → 124 → 124 − 120 = 4 over → fine.
No matter the road, an 8 km/h measured excess still ends up at 4–5 over after correction — and that’s above the tolerance.
When It’s Not a Problem
It’s only ignored when the corrected number lands within 3 km/h of the limit.
That means:
- Up to +6 km/h measured in 50, 80 or 100 zones → no fine (because 6 − 3 = 3).
- Up to +7 km/h measured on 120 zones → no fine (because 7 − 3% ≈ 6.8, still below +4).
- On 130 km/h roads, no safe zone: any excess after correction triggers a fine.
So an “8 km/h over” reading crosses the line everywhere except in rare high-speed cases where rounding works in your favour.
What Happens Next
If a fine is due, the CJIB sends a letter to the vehicle’s registered keeper — not necessarily the driver — with:
- The measured and corrected speeds.
- The location, date and time (Europe/Amsterdam).
- The fine amount and payment deadline (about eight weeks).
Ignore it, and the fine rises by 50 percent, then 200 percent. Appeal (“bezwaar”) within six weeks if there’s a valid reason. All steps are listed on CJIB’s website.
Why It Works
The Dutch model uses math to stay fair. Everyone gets the same correction; everyone faces the same threshold. The idea is to protect honest drivers from equipment error while keeping roads predictable. It’s not about punishment — it’s about trust in numbers.
Conclusions
An “8 km/h over” case is a perfect example of Dutch precision: every fine begins with subtraction. Once the correction is applied, only clear excesses remain. That’s why an 8 km/h excess nearly always ends in a fine — but a 5 or 6 km/h difference usually slips just under the radar.
Fair, measurable, and transparent: that’s how Dutch law keeps speed enforcement steady and respected.
Sources
- CJIB — Our procedures for traffic fines: https://www.cjib.nl/en/our-procedures-traffic-fines
- CJIB — Do you disagree with a traffic fine?: https://www.cjib.nl/en/do-you-disagree-traffic-fine
- Government.nl — Appealing against a traffic penalty: https://www.government.nl/topics/mobility-public-transport-and-road-safety/appealing-against-a-traffic-penalty
- IamExpat — Traffic fines in the Netherlands: https://www.iamexpat.nl/expat-info/driving/traffic-fines-netherlands
- SWOV — Traffic enforcement and sanction types: https://swov.nl/en/fact/traffic-enforcement-which-are-sanction-types-traffic-violations
- Inelo — What are the fines for speeding in the Netherlands?: https://inelo.com/what-are-the-fines-for-speeding-in-the-netherlands/
- NL Times — Nearly 40,000 fines in four months for exceeding Amsterdam’s 30 km/h limits: https://nltimes.nl/2024/09/25/nearly-40000-fines-four-months-exceeding-amsterdams-30-kmh-speed-limit
- YouTube — Driving in the Netherlands: Dutch Driving & Car Culture, Rules, Tips, Traffic Signs and More: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRGHZg5kyBU
Appendix
Tolerance margin — The small deduction applied to radar readings (3 km/h or 3 percent) to cancel technical error before calculating a fine.
Undergrens (minimum limit) — The smallest corrected excess that counts as a violation: normally +4 km/h, except on 130 km/h roads where any excess counts.
Registered keeper — The person or company listed on the licence plate record who receives the fine notice and can identify the actual driver if different.
CJIB (Centraal Justitieel Incassobureau) — The Dutch government agency that sends, collects and manages all administrative traffic fines.
Mulder Act (Wet administratiefrechtelijke handhaving verkeersvoorschriften) — The Dutch law that governs administrative fines, separating small traffic errors from criminal offences.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 