Control cameras
Welcome to the “Control Cameras” section.
Here you’ll find out why you might have received a notice despite having a valid vignette and how to avoid replacement toll claims.
All questions - Control cameras
A substitute toll is an amount charged when the toll has not been properly paid. If you pay the substitute toll in full and on time, you avoid an administrative penalty.
This is how we request payment of substitute toll:
verbally by toll monitoring on-site
in writing via a notice on the vehicle if the toll monitoring did not encounter the driver
by post – notice is sent to the registration owner
Payment deadlines:
For a verbal request by toll monitoring, the substitute toll must be paid immediately on-site. In this case, there is no deadline of several days or weeks. After payment, you will receive a payment confirmation.
For a written request on the vehicle: two weeks.
For postal delivery: four weeks from the issuance date of the notice.
Does the paid substitute toll replace a valid vignette?
From 1.1.2026, the following applies:
Within 30 calendar days, you may receive a maximum of two substitute toll requests – regardless of whether they concern the vignette or section toll.
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. Only this way can you avoid an administrative penalty.
A digital vignette is only valid if it is registered for the correct license plate. If the license plate was not changed in time, the toll was not properly paid. Therefore, a payment request was issued.
Can I change the vehicle license plate after the validity has started?
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. Only this way can you avoid an administrative penalty.
A digital vignette is only valid if it is registered for the correct license plate.
I made a typo. Can I change the license plate?
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. Only this way can you avoid an administrative penalty.
If you are required to pay the substitute toll despite having a scratch card, the card was either not activated or not activated for the correct license plate.
Owning a scratch card alone is not sufficient. It must also be correctly activated for the correct license plate before driving. Only then does a valid digital vignette come into effect.
After successfully activating your digital annual vignette, you will receive an order confirmation via email.
How to redeem the scratch code?
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. Only this way can you avoid an administrative penalty.
If you drive on a toll road before the validity of your digital vignette begins, the toll is considered unpaid. Therefore, a payment request was issued.
Why is the digital vignette not valid immediately after purchase?
- If you purchase a digital 2-month or annual vignette in the ASFINAG-Mautshop as a consumer, you have a 14-day withdrawal right.
- Additionally, 3 days of postal time are considered in case you wish to withdraw from the purchase by letter.
- Therefore, the digital vignette is valid at the earliest 18 days after purchase, if you buy as a consumer (18-day rule).
Exceptions: Vignettes without the 18-day rule
The following products can be purchased with immediate validity (18-day rule does not apply):
- Digital 1-day vignette
- Digital 10-day vignette
Purchase a digital 2-month or annual vignette with immediate validity
You can purchase a digital 2-month or annual vignette without the 18-day rule from our distribution partners on-site.
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. Only this way can you avoid an administrative penalty.
Important: You cannot use the toll sticker from one windshield on a new windshield! Once you remove the toll sticker from the windshield, it becomes invalid and cannot be reused. Carrying the removed sticker does not count as valid toll payment.
What you can do now
If you need to replace your windshield, you can apply for a replacement vignette or a cost reimbursement for a newly purchased annual vignette.
What happens to the toll sticker when the windshield needs to be replaced?
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. Only this way can you avoid an administrative penalty.
Important: You cannot use the toll sticker from one windshield on a new windshield! Once you remove the toll sticker from the windshield, it becomes invalid. Carrying the removed sticker does not count as valid toll payment.
What you can do now
If your vehicle is a total loss, you can apply for a replacement vignette or a cost reimbursement for a newly purchased annual vignette.
What happens to the adhesive vignette if my car is a total loss?
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. Only this way can you avoid an administrative penalty.
The offense type “no valid vignette” means:
There is no properly affixed toll sticker on the windshield.
There is no valid digital vignette for the license plate.
It is not just the presence of a vignette, but the proper payment of the toll that determines whether you receive a substitute toll request or not.
If you have purchased a toll sticker vignette
A toll sticker vignette is only valid if it:
is clearly visible from the outside and easily controllable.
is fully affixed to the inside of the windshield without additional aids.
is not affixed to the tinted strip.
is undamaged, and all security features are visible.
is correctly punched.
is used within the validity period.
If at least one of these conditions is not met, a toll sticker vignette is not valid – even if it was purchased.
Note: Even a vignette affixed later leads to a substitute toll request. If you affix the toll sticker vignette only after driving on the toll road network, the toll for the duration of the trip is considered unpaid. This also applies to short periods, for example 15 minutes, during which you drove without a properly affixed vignette.
If you have purchased a digital vignette
The digital vignette is only valid if:
the license plate is correctly entered.
the correct registration state is selected.
it is used within the validity period.
Note: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. Only this way can you avoid an administrative penalty.
The offense type “vignette invalid” means: Your vignette was expired at the time of the check. An expired vignette is considered improper toll payment, even if the vignette expired recently (e.g., one day ago).
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time.
This way, you avoid an administrative penalty procedure.
The offense type “vignette damaged” means: One or more security features of your toll sticker vignette are visibly damaged. This makes the vignette invalid.
Security features include:
- The letter A or B (depending on the vignette type).
- The year.
If the vignette is damaged, the text UNGÜLTIG / INVALID and the federal eagle may also become visible.
These features indicate that the toll sticker vignette is no longer valid, even if it is still visible on the windshield.
Note: If the vignette is damaged due to windshield replacement or total loss of the vehicle and it is a toll sticker annual vignette (not a 10-day or 2-month vignette), you can apply for a replacement vignette or a cost reimbursement for a newly purchased annual vignette.
What happens to the adhesive vignette if my car is a total loss?
What happens to the adhesive vignette if the windshield needs to be replaced?
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time.
This way, you avoid an administrative penalty procedure.
Even if you have purchased a toll sticker vignette, the toll is only considered paid if the vignette is properly affixed.
A toll sticker vignette is only considered properly affixed if it:
- is clearly visible from the outside and controllable.
- is completely removed from the carrier foil and directly affixed to the inside of the windshield.
- is affixed without additional aids.
- is not affixed to the tinted strip.
- is undamaged, and all security features are clearly visible.
- If at least one of these conditions is not met, you will be required to pay the substitute toll.
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
- Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time. This way, you avoid an administrative penalty procedure.
Why did you still receive a substitute toll request?
Even if you have purchased a vignette, the toll is only considered paid if all rules have been followed. If this was not the case, you will be required to pay the substitute toll.
If you have purchased a toll sticker vignette
Purchasing alone is not enough. You may only use the toll road network if the toll sticker vignette is properly affixed to the vehicle.
A toll sticker vignette is only considered properly affixed if it:
- is clearly visible from the outside and controllable.
- is completely removed from the carrier foil and directly affixed to the inside of the windshield.
- is affixed without additional aids.
- is not affixed to the tinted strip.
- is undamaged, and all security features are clearly visible.
A toll sticker vignette is also only valid if it:
- is correctly punched.
- is used within the validity period.
If at least one of these conditions is not met, you have received a substitute toll request.
If you have purchased a digital vignette
The digital vignette must be registered to your license plate.
Common reasons for substitute toll requests:
- incorrect license plate
- incorrect registration state
- incorrect validity period
These details can be found on your order confirmation.
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
Yes. Please pay the substitute toll in full and on time.
This way, you avoid an administrative penalty.
Why did I receive a payment request?
Even if you have purchased a vignette, the toll is only considered paid if it has been properly paid. Otherwise, you must pay the substitute toll.
If you purchased a toll sticker vignette
Purchasing alone is not enough. You may only use the toll road network if the toll sticker vignette is properly affixed to the windshield.
A toll sticker vignette is only valid if it:
is clearly visible from the outside and easily controllable.
is fully affixed to the inside of the windshield without additional aids.
is not affixed to the tinted strip.
is undamaged, and all security features are visible.
is correctly punched.
is used within the validity period.
If at least one of these conditions was not met, the toll was not properly paid.
Note: Even a vignette affixed later leads to a substitute toll request. If you affix the toll sticker vignette during or after your trip, while already on the toll road network, the toll for this period is considered unpaid. This also applies to short periods, such as 15 minutes, during which you drove without a properly affixed vignette.
If you purchased a digital vignette
The digital vignette must be correctly registered for your vehicle license plate, otherwise, it is not valid.
Common reasons for substitute toll despite a digital vignette:
incorrect license plate
incorrect registration state
incorrect validity period
Check these details on the order confirmation you received after purchase.
Depending on the type of offence, you will find further details here:
Can I transfer an already applied vignette to another car?
What happens to the adhesive vignette if my car is a total loss?
What happens to the adhesive vignette if the windshield needs to be replaced?
Is a switch between adhesive vignette and digital vignette possible?
Important: Always ensure before driving that you have a valid vignette!
No. The paid substitute toll does not replace a vignette.
The substitute toll is an amount due when the toll has not been properly paid. While paying the substitute toll avoids an administrative penalty, it does not replace the toll for further journeys.
If you pay the substitute toll, you are allowed to use the toll road network for a limited time.
The authorization is valid:
- on the day of the inspection (by a toll enforcement officer or via a control camera) or on the day a payment request was left on the vehicle
- and on the following calendar day.
After that, you will need a valid vignette again.
ASFINAG checks both toll sticker vignettes and digital vignettes.
Manual checks
Our colleagues from the toll enforcement service (Service and Control Service) conduct random checks on motorways and expressways.
They check:
- whether a toll sticker vignette is correctly affixed and valid, or
- whether a valid digital vignette is registered for the license plate.
Control cameras
For the 2,278-kilometer-long motorway and expressway network, control cameras are available. These cameras:
- are used at varying locations,
- automatically check license plates, and
- detect whether a valid digital vignette or toll sticker vignette is present.
What data is stored?
The control systems only store data from vehicles without a valid vignette.
We use this data exclusively:
- to provide evidence of a toll offense and
- as a basis for a substitute toll request.
All other data – i.e., from vehicles with a valid vignette – is not stored and is not available.