Follow these steps to purchase, activate, and use your Austrian vignette correctly.
The vignette system applies to vehicles with a maximum permissible weight of up to 3.5 tonnes. This covers standard passenger cars, SUVs, vans (under 3.5t), and motorcycles. Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes must use the GO-Maut system instead. If you are driving a rental vehicle, check the registration document for the permissible total weight (zulässiges Gesamtgewicht).
Motorcycles have their own vignette category with lower prices. A motorcycle vignette is not valid for a car, and vice versa.
Select the validity period that covers your entire planned time in Austria. The 10-day vignette is ideal for short holidays or transit; the 2-month vignette suits extended stays; the annual vignette is most economical for frequent travellers. Remember that the annual vignette is valid from 1 December of the previous year, so purchasing it in November for a December trip is perfectly valid.
For maximum convenience, purchase the digital vignette online via the ASFINAG website before your journey. This eliminates the need to stop at a border kiosk or petrol station. If you prefer a physical sticker, plan to purchase it at a border crossing service area or a petrol station immediately upon entering Austria — do not drive on the motorway before purchasing.
For digital vignettes: enter your licence plate number exactly as it appears on your registration document (including country prefix for non-Austrian plates). Select your desired start date and validity period. Complete payment. Save your confirmation email.
For physical vignettes: pay the correct amount for your vehicle category and validity period. Retain the receipt as proof of purchase.
Digital vignette: no action required — it activates automatically on the start date you selected. Ensure your licence plates are clean and clearly legible for ANPR cameras.
Physical sticker: apply immediately to the inside of the windscreen, top-left corner (driver's perspective). Do not remove the protective backing partially — apply in one smooth motion. The sticker is self-destructing and cannot be reapplied if removed.
Before departure, check whether your planned route includes any special toll sections (Brenner, Arlberg, Karawanken, Tauern, Pyhrn). These require additional payment on top of the vignette. Budget accordingly and have payment ready — most special toll booths accept cash and cards.
Observe Austrian motorway rules: maximum speed 130 km/h on motorways, 100 km/h on expressways (lower limits may apply in specific sections). Keep your vignette confirmation email accessible on your phone. If stopped by enforcement officers, present your digital confirmation or point to the physical sticker.
If you receive a penalty notice, do not ignore it. Contact ASFINAG customer services within the specified response period. If you believe the penalty was issued in error (e.g., you had a valid digital vignette), provide your purchase confirmation as evidence. See our Policies page for the full complaints procedure.