Spain Switches On 33 New Speed Cameras: Drivers Face Fines After March Warnings

Spain News Published: 09 March 2026 08:41 CET

Spain’s traffic authority has switched on 33 new speed cameras across the country, and for many drivers the first sign will not be a flash on the road but a warning letter at home. The rollout began on 27 February 2026 and affects roads used every day by residents, tourists, commuters, and foreign drivers moving around Spain by car.

What happened

The Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) activated 33 new speed cameras on 27 February 2026 as part of its wider enforcement rollout. According to the official notice, 20 are fixed cameras and 13 are section-control cameras.

For the first month after activation, drivers caught above the limit on these routes will receive an informational letter instead of an immediate penalty. After that initial warning period ends, the same cameras move into normal enforcement and speeding offences can then lead to the usual fines and points consequences.

The new control points are spread across roads in several provinces, including Alicante, Asturias, Avila, Cantabria, La Coruna, Las Palmas, Leon, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia, Pontevedra, Segovia, Seville, Tenerife, Toledo, Valencia, Valladolid and Zaragoza.

Some of the routes most relevant to foreign drivers include:

A-355 in Malaga (section-control)
M-501, M-601 and M-100 in Madrid
A-31 and A-7 in Alicante
CV-30 and CV-400 in Valencia
RM-620 in Murcia
TF-1 in Tenerife

DGT says these new cameras are signposted on the road and their locations are also published so navigation providers can include them in route guidance systems.

Who this affects

This matters to anyone driving in Spain, but it is especially relevant for English-speaking foreigners who may not follow DGT updates closely.

You are more exposed if you are:

Driving regularly between towns or airports on regional and national roads
Using a hire car in Spain and assuming your satnav will warn you in time
Living in Spain with a foreign licence and still getting used to local road enforcement
Making frequent trips in areas such as Malaga, Madrid, Alicante, Valencia or Murcia
Using the same familiar route every day and assuming nothing has changed

For expats and long-stay residents, the bigger risk is not just one fine. Repeated speeding penalties can also affect your driving record and, depending on the offence, your licence points. If you need a refresher, see Driving Licence Points In Spain And How The System Works.

What you should do now

Treat March as a warning window, not a free pass. The grace period is only for the first month after the cameras went live.
Slow down on the named roads, especially if you regularly drive in Malaga, Madrid, Alicante, Valencia or Murcia.
Update your satnav or traffic app and do not assume your current setup already reflects the new radar points.
Watch for speed-limit changes before and within section-control stretches, where your average speed is measured over distance rather than at one single point.
If you receive a notice, check it carefully and act quickly. Our guide How Do I Appeal A Traffic Fine In Spain? explains the basics.
If the fine is valid and you need the next step, read Paying Traffic Fines In Spain.
If you rely on digital alerts while driving, our related guide The Apps You Need To Download On Your Mobile Phone To Avoid DGT Speed Cameras In Spain may help.

What changes legally or administratively

This is an enforcement change rather than a new nationwide speed-limit law. In other words, the legal speed rules have not been rewritten in this announcement, but the number of places where DGT is actively checking compliance has increased.

The practical administrative change is simple: for the first month after 27 February 2026, these new cameras send warning letters to drivers detected speeding. Once that first-month period finishes, the same cameras begin issuing normal speeding sanctions.

DGT has also made the locations public and says they are signposted and shared with navigation operators. That means drivers should assume these controls are not temporary surprises but part of a permanent enforcement expansion.

Tip for drivers

99% of the new speed cameras are mounted on the back of overhead motorway signs. That makes them much harder to spot at the last second from a moving car. If you only start slowing down once you are under the sign, you may already be too late.