Answers to the most common questions about Austrian motorway vignettes.
Click any question below to expand the answer. All answers are based on current ASFINAG regulations.
No. The vignette is only required on motorways (A-roads) and expressways (S-roads) managed by ASFINAG. National roads (Bundesstraße) and regional roads do not require a vignette. However, if your route uses any section of motorway or expressway, even briefly, a valid vignette is required for that portion.
Yes, you can purchase the digital vignette with a start date of today. However, it is strongly recommended to purchase at least one day in advance to ensure the registration is fully processed in ASFINAG's database before you reach the first ANPR camera. In practice, the digital vignette is typically active within minutes of purchase.
If you drive on a vignette-required road without a valid vignette, enforcement officers can issue an on-the-spot fine starting at €120 for passenger vehicles. Alternatively, you may be offered the option to purchase a vignette immediately at a higher administrative surcharge. Ignoring a penalty notice can result in fines of up to €3,000 through court proceedings.
The digital vignette becomes valid on the start date you select during purchase, at 00:00 CET. If you select today as the start date, it is technically valid from midnight — but in practice, ASFINAG recommends allowing a few hours for database synchronisation. For same-day travel, purchase well before you reach the motorway.
No. The digital vignette is linked to a specific licence plate and cannot be transferred. The physical sticker vignette is self-destructing — it cannot be removed from the windscreen without destroying it, making transfer impossible. Each vehicle requires its own vignette.
No. The Brenner Motorway (A13) requires a separate distance-based toll in addition to a valid vignette. The toll is collected at the Schönberg toll plaza. As of 2024, the one-way toll for a passenger car is approximately €10–€12. The vignette alone is not sufficient for the Brenner route.
If you have a physical sticker vignette and your windscreen is replaced, you will need to purchase a new vignette. The old sticker cannot be transferred. For this reason, many drivers with windscreen replacements opt to switch to the digital vignette for the remainder of the validity period.
No. Electric vehicles are subject to the same vignette requirements as combustion engine vehicles. There is no exemption for electric or hybrid vehicles under the current Austrian motorway toll legislation.
Present your purchase confirmation email to the enforcement officer. The officer can also verify your vignette status directly through ASFINAG's database using your licence plate number. It is advisable to save the confirmation email offline on your phone in case of poor mobile coverage.
Yes, under specific conditions. A digital vignette can be cancelled and refunded if: (1) the cancellation is made within 18 days of purchase, AND (2) the selected start date has not yet been reached. Once the start date has passed, no refund is available. Physical sticker vignettes are non-refundable once purchased.
Yes. Motorcycles require a motorcycle-specific vignette, which is priced lower than the passenger car vignette. A car vignette is not valid for a motorcycle, and a motorcycle vignette is not valid for a car. The validity periods (10 days, 2 months, annual) are the same as for cars.
ASFINAG's customer service hotline is +43 800 400 12 400 (free from Austrian landlines). For international callers, use +43 50 108 10 000. The service is available Monday to Friday, 08:00–18:00 CET. For urgent matters outside business hours, the ASFINAG website has an online contact form.
If your question is not answered above, please visit our Contact page to send us a message. We aim to respond within 2 business days. For urgent regulatory queries, contact ASFINAG directly at +43 800 400 12 400.