The six ways you can lose your driving licence in Austria
From drink-driving to dangerous tailgating, these are the offences that can lose you your license in Austria.
Speeding
Most Austrian motorways have a speed limit of 130 km/h, though, on some open roads, a lower limit of 100 km/h applies. The speed limit for built-up areas (such as main roads in towns and cities) is generally 50 km/h.
In order to get your license revoked for speeding, you need to be driving at a dangerously high speed and the higher the velocity, the longer you’ll lose your license for:
- Exceeding the speed limit by 40 km/h in a built-up area or by 50 km/h on a highway comes with a driving ban of two weeks
- Driving 60 km/h over the speed limit in a built-up area or 70 km/h on a highway can result in a 6-week driving ban
- Exceeding the speed limit by 80 km/h in a built-up area or by 90 km/h on an open road will result in a ban of at least three months
- Driving 90 km/h over the speed limit in a built-up area or 100 km/h on a highway can result in a ban of at least six months
Exceeding the speed limit in front of schools, kindergartens or cyclist crossings by more than 20km/h can also get you a six-month ban.
Driving under the influence
In Austria, having an alcohol level of more than 0.5 (50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood) counts as drink-driving -the same as in neighbouring countries Germany and Italy.
Drinkers toast with beer glasses. Photo: ELEVATE/Pexels
To lose your license through drink-driving, you need to be caught with an alcohol level of at least 0.8 - which will land you a ban of at least one month.
An alcohol level of 1.2 carries a ban of at least four months while driving with a blood-alcohol level of at least 1.6 or refusing to take a breathalyser test can result in a driving ban of at least six months, as a refusal to be tested is always considered as heavy drinking.
Getting behind the wheel while high on drugs will also land you with at least a one-month ban.
Dangerous and irresponsible driving
As well as speeding and drinking under the influence, there are several other reckless driving behaviours that can get you banned.
Aggressive tailgating - or failing to keep a distance of at least 0.2 seconds (e.g. less than 7 metres at 130 km/h) can lead to a driving suspension of at least six months.
READ ALSO: Reader question: Do I need an international permit to drive in Austria?
Failing to stop immediately or to provide the necessary assistance after a road traffic accident can result in a three-month ban.
Ignoring overtaking bans or overtaking in poor visibility, as well as participating in unauthorised road races all come with six-month bans.
Losing your driving license abroad
If your driving license is confiscated while travelling abroad, the ban generally only applies in the country in question. However, if the Austrian authorities subsequently find out about the ban, and if the offence committed abroad also comes with a license suspension in Austria, the authorities will take away your license in Austria, too.
Criminal Offences
You don't need to commit an offence behind the wheel to have your license suspended, sometimes any serious offence will be enough.
A gavel is banged in a courtoom. Photo: EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA/ Pexels
If you, for instance, commit a serious bodily assault, get convicted of serious drug crimes, or even robbery, this can be grounds for suspending your driving license.
Repeat offenders
When any of the above offences are repeated, they can come with longer driving bans the second time around or even a permanent driving suspension.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are the rules on winter and summer tyres in Austria?
For drink-driving, offences are considered to be repeat offences when committed within a five-year time period following the initial offence. Speeding and other dangerous driving offences, meanwhile, will carry more weight if repeated within a four-year period.
You can find a list of repeat offences that can get you banned under offences named Wiederholungsfall (repeated case) here.
How do I get my driving license back?
Once the time period of the driving suspension has passed, you can make an application to have your license reinstated. You can find the relevant form here.
Depending on the offence that resulted in the ban, you may also be required to complete follow-up training, traffic-psychology coaching or get a medical report on your fitness to drive.
If the driving licence has been revoked for more than 18 months, then you have to take the driving test again.
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Speeding
Most Austrian motorways have a speed limit of 130 km/h, though, on some open roads, a lower limit of 100 km/h applies. The speed limit for built-up areas (such as main roads in towns and cities) is generally 50 km/h.
In order to get your license revoked for speeding, you need to be driving at a dangerously high speed and the higher the velocity, the longer you’ll lose your license for:
- Exceeding the speed limit by 40 km/h in a built-up area or by 50 km/h on a highway comes with a driving ban of two weeks
- Driving 60 km/h over the speed limit in a built-up area or 70 km/h on a highway can result in a 6-week driving ban
- Exceeding the speed limit by 80 km/h in a built-up area or by 90 km/h on an open road will result in a ban of at least three months
- Driving 90 km/h over the speed limit in a built-up area or 100 km/h on a highway can result in a ban of at least six months
Exceeding the speed limit in front of schools, kindergartens or cyclist crossings by more than 20km/h can also get you a six-month ban.
Driving under the influence
In Austria, having an alcohol level of more than 0.5 (50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood) counts as drink-driving -the same as in neighbouring countries Germany and Italy.
To lose your license through drink-driving, you need to be caught with an alcohol level of at least 0.8 - which will land you a ban of at least one month.
An alcohol level of 1.2 carries a ban of at least four months while driving with a blood-alcohol level of at least 1.6 or refusing to take a breathalyser test can result in a driving ban of at least six months, as a refusal to be tested is always considered as heavy drinking.
Getting behind the wheel while high on drugs will also land you with at least a one-month ban.
Dangerous and irresponsible driving
As well as speeding and drinking under the influence, there are several other reckless driving behaviours that can get you banned.
Aggressive tailgating - or failing to keep a distance of at least 0.2 seconds (e.g. less than 7 metres at 130 km/h) can lead to a driving suspension of at least six months.
READ ALSO: Reader question: Do I need an international permit to drive in Austria?
Failing to stop immediately or to provide the necessary assistance after a road traffic accident can result in a three-month ban.
Ignoring overtaking bans or overtaking in poor visibility, as well as participating in unauthorised road races all come with six-month bans.
Losing your driving license abroad
If your driving license is confiscated while travelling abroad, the ban generally only applies in the country in question. However, if the Austrian authorities subsequently find out about the ban, and if the offence committed abroad also comes with a license suspension in Austria, the authorities will take away your license in Austria, too.
Criminal Offences
You don't need to commit an offence behind the wheel to have your license suspended, sometimes any serious offence will be enough.
If you, for instance, commit a serious bodily assault, get convicted of serious drug crimes, or even robbery, this can be grounds for suspending your driving license.
Repeat offenders
When any of the above offences are repeated, they can come with longer driving bans the second time around or even a permanent driving suspension.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: What are the rules on winter and summer tyres in Austria?
For drink-driving, offences are considered to be repeat offences when committed within a five-year time period following the initial offence. Speeding and other dangerous driving offences, meanwhile, will carry more weight if repeated within a four-year period.
You can find a list of repeat offences that can get you banned under offences named Wiederholungsfall (repeated case) here.
How do I get my driving license back?
Once the time period of the driving suspension has passed, you can make an application to have your license reinstated. You can find the relevant form here.
Depending on the offence that resulted in the ban, you may also be required to complete follow-up training, traffic-psychology coaching or get a medical report on your fitness to drive.
If the driving licence has been revoked for more than 18 months, then you have to take the driving test again.
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