Traffic fine expiration rules in Spain and Colombia

Traffic fines in Spain and Colombia are subject to statutes of limitations, after which they can no longer be enforced or collected.

In Spain, the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) and local municipalities must notify infractions within specific timeframes: three months for minor infractions and six months for serious or very serious ones. Regarding the expiration of sanctions, economic penalties expire after four years, while non-monetary sanctions, such as community service, expire after one year. The countdown begins the day after the fine is officially signed.

In Colombia, traffic fines may prescribe after three years. For this to occur, the Secretaría Distrital de Movilidad must not have initiated any formal collection actions during that three-year period. If no management actions have been taken by the institution, the requirement to pay the fine expires.