You saw the flash on the motorway, and you knew. Weeks later, the proof arrives: a letter from the CJIB. Dutch traffic fines come with strict deadlines and their own vocabulary, and missing the window costs you the right to object. Here is how a flitspaal fine works and how to contest it.
Who’s fining you: the CJIB
Minor traffic fines are issued and collected by the CJIB (Centraal Justitieel Incassobureau). As the Public Prosecution Service’s traffic-fine FAQ explains, most speed-camera fines are Wet Mulder fines, administrative sanctions for light offences (minor speeding, a red light), recognisable by a letter M at the top right of the letter.
The fine itself is a beschikking (official decision), and it normally goes to the registered keeper of the vehicle.
The 6-week clock (don’t miss it)
This is the critical part. As the CJIB explains objecting to a traffic fine, you can file bezwaar (objection) within 6 weeks, and the clock starts on the dagtekening, the date printed on the letter, not the date you received it.
Miss it by even a day and your objection is automatically niet-ontvankelijk (inadmissible). So act fast.
How to object, and what it pauses
To object, per the Juridisch Loket on objecting to a traffic fine, you address the bezwaar to the officier van justitie (public prosecutor) via the CJIB portal or by post. Once filed, payment is automatically suspended until there’s a decision, so you don’t pay while you wait.
If you just pay (do it on time)
If you’re not objecting, pay by the due date. Miss it and the fine increases by 50%, with further reminders adding more. Fines over 225 euros can be paid in instalments via cjib.nl, and on a tight budget you can usually request three to six.
The vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| de flitspaal | speed camera |
| de beschikking | official decision/fine |
| de dagtekening | date on the letter |
| het bezwaar | objection |
| de officier van justitie | public prosecutor |
| de verkeersboete | traffic fine |
Where it connects
A CJIB fine is part of the admin side of Dutch driving, alongside filling out a schadeformulier after a crash, keeping your car road-legal at the garage and APK, and the road rules you learned for the CBR driving test.
The bottom line
A flitspaal flash means a CJIB beschikking, usually a Wet Mulder fine (marked M). To contest it, file bezwaar with the officier van justitie within 6 weeks of the dagtekening, the date on the letter, or lose the right; objecting pauses payment. Otherwise pay on time, late means +50%, with instalments available over 225 euros. Learn beschikking, bezwaar and dagtekening, watch that date, and a speeding fine won’t snowball into a bigger mess.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that teaches the admin Dutch these letters use, beschikking, bezwaar, dagtekening, officier van justitie by real situation in five-minute lessons, so you can read a CJIB fine and act in time instead of missing a deadline you didn’t understand.
Frequently asked questions
Who sends Dutch speeding fines and what is a Mulder fine?
Minor traffic fines are issued and collected by the CJIB (Centraal Justitieel Incassobureau). Most speed-camera fines are Wet Mulder fines (administrative sanctions for light offences like minor speeding or a red light), recognisable by the letter M at the top right of the CJIB letter. The fine is a beschikking (official decision); the registered keeper of the vehicle normally receives it.
How long do I have to object to a CJIB fine?
Six weeks, and the clock starts on the dagtekening, the date printed on the letter, not the day you received it. Even one day late means your objection is automatically declared inadmissible (niet-ontvankelijk), so act quickly. You file the bezwaar with the officier van justitie via the CJIB portal or by post. Once you’ve objected, payment is automatically suspended until there’s a decision.
What happens if I don’t pay a Dutch traffic fine on time?
It gets more expensive. The CJIB sets a due date; if you haven’t paid by then, the fine is increased by 50 percent, and a second reminder can add more. So pay on time unless you’re objecting. Fines above 225 euros can be paid in instalments via cjib.nl/betalen, and if money is tight you can often request three to six instalments. If you object, the payment deadline pauses.
What is the best app to learn Dutch for fines and official letters?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it teaches the admin Dutch these letters use, beschikking, bezwaar, dagtekening, officier van justitie, in five-minute lessons built around real situations, so you can read a CJIB fine and act in time instead of missing a deadline you didn’t understand.
