Speeding Fines Around the World in Cedis: How Ghana's GH₵120 TraffiTech Fine Compares

Short answer: Ghana's TraffiTech-GH camera fine of GH₵120 is one of the lowest speeding fines in the world when you put it in cedis. Going about 20 km/h over the limit in a town costs around GH₵900 in Kenya and Germany, GH₵1,564 in England, GH₵1,760 in France and over GH₵2,700 in California and Sydney. Only Nigeria's federal fine (about GH₵43) is lower. But Ghana is different in two ways: there is no discount for paying early, and once the 14 days are up, 1% of the fine is added every day with no limit published.

Updated: Wednesday 4 November 2026. Cedi amounts use the Bank of Ghana reference rates of 3 November 2026 for the dollar (GH₵11.66), euro (GH₵13.04), pound (GH₵15.64), Canadian dollar (GH₵8.33) and naira. For the Kenyan shilling, South African rand and Australian dollar we used the Bank of Ghana dollar rate with market rates on 4 November. Rates move, so treat the cedi figures as a guide.

How much is a speeding fine in each country, in cedis?

To compare like with like, we used the fine for going about 20 km/h over the limit in a town (in Ghana, 70 km/h in a 50 zone), a first offence, paid on time. Each figure is from that country's government, police, court or legislation website unless a note says otherwise.

What the numbers mean, country by country:

• Ghana: under Regulation 242 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2519), a camera fine is GH₵120 for each of your first three offences, GH₵180 for the fourth and GH₵240 for the fifth, whatever your speed. Some drivers have shared first tickets showing GH₵240, so always go by the amount on your own notice. To check the amounts yourself, use the NIB payment portal or the Ghana Police Service site. See TraffiTech-GH fines: how much and how to pay.
• Nigeria: ₦5,000 is the Federal Road Safety Corps fine for any speed limit violation. In July 2026 the Senate passed a bill raising it to ₦100,000, but we could not confirm it has been signed into law. Lagos State charges its own, higher fines.
• South Africa: the R500 figure for 16 to 20 km/h over is from news reports of the AARTO schedule, which is still being rolled out area by area. Elsewhere, magistrates' courts set their own fines.
• Kenya: under the Traffic (Minor Offences) Rules, 16 to 20 km/h over is an instant fine of KSh 10,000. Going more than 20 km/h over means a court case instead.
• Ontario: the fine is worked out per km/h: C$3.75 for every km/h when you are 20 to 29 km/h over, so 20 over is C$75. A surcharge and court costs are added. Fines double in community safety zones.
• Germany: €70 for 16 to 20 km/h over in town. The scale climbs to €800 for more than 70 km/h over.
• England and Wales: the minimum is £100 and 3 points. If it goes to court, the fine is based on your weekly income, up to £1,000 (£2,500 on a motorway).
• Finland: €200 is the fixed fee for 16 to 20 km/h over where the limit is 60 km/h or less. Go more than 20 km/h over and the fine is based on your income, with no upper limit.
• California: 20 km/h is about 12 mph. The base fine for 1 to 15 mph over is $35, but state add-ons bring the total to $234 (Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule 2026).
• New South Wales: A$345 is the fine for going more than 10 km/h over (figure as at 1 July 2025; NSW updates fines every July). More than 20 km/h over is A$592 and 4 points.
• Netherlands: €255 plus €9 admin costs for 20 km/h over in a built-up area, as listed by the motoring club ANWB for 2026. More than 30 km/h over becomes a criminal case.
• New York: a court sets the fine between $90 and $300 for 11 to 30 mph over, and a state surcharge is added.

What happens if you pay late?

This is where Ghana's rule is unusual. Most countries add one big jump, once. Ghana adds a little every day, with no limit published.

• Ghana: pay or contest within 14 days of the notice. After that, the police add 1% of the original fine for each day of default. On a GH₵120 fine that is GH₵1.20 a day: GH₵36 extra after 30 days, and the fine has doubled after 100 days. Unpaid fines also block DVLA services such as licence renewal. Work out yours with the TraffiTech late fine calculator.
• France: the €135 fine becomes €375 if it is not paid within 45 days, nearly three times as much (about GH₵4,889).
• England and Wales: if you do not pay within 28 days, the fine is registered with the court and goes up by 50%.
• Netherlands: 50% is added at the first reminder, and 100% at the second.
• New South Wales: A$65 (about GH₵528) is added if the fine becomes overdue after the reminder.

Do any countries reward paying early?

Yes, and Ghana does not. France cuts the €135 fine to €90 if you pay within 15 days (about GH₵1,173 instead of GH₵1,760). South Africa takes 50% off an AARTO fine paid within 32 days. In Ghana, the 14 days are a grace period, not a discount: GH₵120 on day 1 is still GH₵120 on day 14.

What makes a fine bigger?

• How fast you were going. In most countries the fine climbs with every band over the limit. Germany's town scale runs from €30 to €800.
• How many times you were caught. Ghana's camera fine stays the same whatever your speed, but rises with each offence: GH₵120, GH₵180, then GH₵240, and a sixth offence within 24 months can mean court and a suspended licence for at least 12 months.
• How much you earn. In Finland, once you are more than 20 km/h over, the fine is counted in "day fines" based on your monthly income, with no upper limit. Rich drivers there have paid fines in the tens of thousands of euros. In Switzerland, 16 to 20 km/h over in a town is no longer a fixed fine at all but a criminal case.

What this means for drivers in Ghana

1. Do not wait. There is nothing to gain from paying on day 14 instead of day 1, and every day after that costs you 1% more.
2. Check the notice first. Look at the photo and the vehicle number on the official portal, and contest within the 14 days if it is wrong. Paying settles the case. See how to check or contest a notice.
3. Pay only through official channels: traffitech-ghpay.nib.com.gh (type the address yourself) or *710*0#. Fake fine texts are going round: read how to spot a fake TraffiTech-GH text.
4. Driving abroad? A fine that costs GH₵120 at home can cost GH₵1,500 to GH₵3,500 in Europe, North America or Australia, and points on a foreign licence can follow you.

Sources

• Ghana: Ghana Police Service TraffiTech-GH questions and answers; published summary of L.I. 2519 by the police Legal and Prosecution Unit.
• Nigeria: FRSC 2025 compendium of offences.
• Kenya: Traffic (Minor Offences) Rules.
• South Africa: Road Traffic Infringement Agency (discount); fine amount from news reports of the AARTO schedule.
• Ontario: Ontario Court of Justice set fines, Schedule 43.
• Germany: German federal government, fines catalogue.
• England and Wales: GOV.UK speeding penalties.
• France: service-public.gouv.fr and the Code de la route (article R413-14).
• Finland: Finnish police (poliisi.fi), fines and traffic surveillance pages.
• California: Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule 2026.
• New York: New York State traffic safety, speeding penalties.
• New South Wales: Transport for NSW demerit points and fines table; nsw.gov.au overdue fines.
• Netherlands: ANWB fines list for 2026; CJIB (late payment).

Last checked: 4 November 2026. Fines change, often every year. For Ghana, the Ghana Police Service TraffiTech-GH page and your own notice are the final word.