Cars
An excellent network of motorways, dual carriageways and federal roads stretches across the entire country and also connects Austria with its neighbouring countries. All main border check points are open day and night. In general, Austrian traffic regulations and traffic signals are similar to those enforced in other European countries.
Motorways
A toll is charged for the use of the motorway network in Austria. If you drive onto a motorway, you must be in possession of a valid motorway vignette. You can buy this vignette at tobacconists in Austria as well as at border crossings and motorway service stations.
The vignette is also available in digital form and can be purchased in the online shop of the Austrian motorway operator ASFINAG.
More Information related to leisure and road traffic in Austria.
More information on vehicle regulations in Austria.
Car ownership
Compared to the rest of Europe, Austria is in the middle range when it comes to the costs of owning a car.
On average, car owners spend about €1000 a month, and around €800 on an electric car. This includes fixed costs such as insurance, taxes, annual inspections and variable costs such as fuel. All registered vehicles in Austria need to have a valid sticker, called a Pickerl. The stickers validate the vehicle’s road worthiness and operational safety, and must be renewed periodically following a set schedule of inspections.
All driver’s licenses issued by an EU and EEA country are recognized in Austria. You can, but don’t have to, convert your EU or EEA license to an Austrian license , unless your driver’s license is a category C (C1 or D1) EEA-issued license, which is only valid in Austria for the first five years. For non-EU and EEA-issued licenses, you have six months to convert your license before it loses its validity in Austria. Depending on which country issued your license, you may need to do a practical examination.
Further Information
More information on Driving License Conversion can be found in Topic Relocation, Foreign Driving License Conversion.
More information on Car Import in topic 2 – Relocation.
Car registration and insurance
You need an official registration of your motor vehicle. It may only be used on public roads once it has been registered.
In order for a vehicle to be registered with an official registration office, it must be covered by third-party liability insurance (KFZ Haftpflichtversicherung) which is valid in Austria.
The insurance must be purchased from an insurance company that is entitled to provide third-party liability insurance services in Austria.
Austrian insurance companies work - especially for private vehicles - with the bonus-malus system, under which claim-free years reduce the charged premium (no-claims bonus). In contrast, if claims are reported, a higher premium will be charged. The bonus-malus system can differ from one insurance company to another. They are not obliged to take into account the previous damage history of EU citizens who take out third-party liability insurance when registering their vehicle in Austria, but they often do so in practice.
Usually, if you are the one at fault for an accident, your own third-party liability insurance will cover the cost of the damage incurred by the other driver, but not your own damage costs. In order to be compensated for these damages, you require fully comprehensive insurance.
Information about product details for vehicle and motorcycle insurance policies is provided by insurance companies operating in Austria and by the motorists’ associations ÖAMTC and ARBÖ.
Further Information
More information on liability insurance benefits.
You can register your car at a licensing office (VVO) in the district of your main residence. Please find here an overview of all registration offices in Austria in German.
The required documents must be submitted to a registration office. The data is entered there without having to fill out a form; the applicant only has to sign the application form. With a written power of attorney, a representative can also register the vehicle. When registering a vehicle, the registration office issues a registration certificate (formerly: registration certificate). Authorities and state inspection offices also issue registration certificates for the relevant cases.
Necessary documents
- 01
Official photo ID of the applicant
- 02
Proof of main residence (for private individuals)
Query of the Central Register of Residents by the registration office (the costs will be passed on to the applicant).
- 03
Confirmation of insurance
- 04
Proof of approval or approval document
For first-time registration:
- Type certificate or
- Individual approval or
- Proof of registration or
- Valid certificate of conformity or
- Data extract from the approval database for vehicles with EC type approval
- 05
When registering a new vehicle you will also need to:
- Enter the owner in the type certificate or
- Obtain a purchase contract, invoice, sales confirmation, provided with the name of the buyer on it
- 06
When registering a used car you will also need:
- Valid, positive test report for vehicles subject to periodic inspection (Pickerl), if a periodic inspection has already become due and the report is not yet stored in the inspection sticker database
- Personal declaration of the previous owner at the registration office or
- Purchase contract, invoice, confirmation of sale, provided that the name of the buyer can be seen on it or
- Possibly gift contract, court judgment, court order, inheritance order, declaration of consent of the person appointed to represent the estate, knockdown at auction, contribution contract, declaration of transfer of use
- 07
For a leased car you will need the lease contract.
Further Information on Leasing
Find more information and an overview of different leasing options in Austria in German.
More information about leasing in German.
Car Sharing
Car sharing has become a popular concept, especially in Austria’s capital. The city of Vienna offers the Wien Mobil Auto car sharing pool.
The City of Vienna offers the Wien Mobil Auto car sharing pool.
Car sharing options in Austria.
Additional Information
More Information on using the Handyparken App for parking.
Learn more about the different parking regulations in German.
