Vietnam Motorbike Traffic Fines (2026): What Tourists Actually Pay Under Decree 168
Real fine amounts for motorbike violations in Vietnam under Decree 168/2024. What tourists pay for riding without a license, running a red light, no helmet, speeding, and what happens when you get stopped.
If you rented a motorbike in Vietnam before 2025 and got pulled over for a missing license, the fine was usually manageable — something in the 200,000 to 400,000 VND range. You paid it, maybe a bit annoyed, and rode on.
That era ended on January 1, 2025, when Decree 168/2024 took effect. The new fines are not small. Running a red light now costs 4–6 million VND on a motorbike. Riding without a valid license on a bike over 125cc can hit 8 million VND plus impoundment. Several violations now include license suspension and a points-deduction system that follows you.
Most travel blogs have not updated their fine numbers. Even some rental shop websites still quote the old Decree 100 figures from 2019. This guide corrects that — here are the real fines tourists face in 2026, what actually happens at a police stop, and how to avoid the worst outcomes.
What Changed Under Decree 168/2024
Decree 168/2024/ND-CP replaced the previous Decree 100/2019 and brought three major changes:
1. Fines increased dramatically. The fines in this article are 3–10 times higher than what they were in 2024. A red light violation that cost 600,000 VND in 2024 now costs 4,000,000–6,000,000 VND. The government's stated goal is to bring Vietnam's road death rate down — roughly 11,000 fatalities per year — through financial deterrence.
2. A driving license points system was introduced. Every license now has 12 points. Serious violations deduct points. Lose all 12 and your license is suspended until you retake the test. In practice, this mostly affects residents with Vietnamese licenses, but it matters for anyone holding a converted license.
3. Enforcement expanded. More cameras, more checkpoints, and "cold fines" (phạt nguội) — camera-issued tickets that arrive by mail — are now operational in Da Nang, Hanoi, and HCMC. Police checkpoints on the Hai Van Pass and on rural roads out of Da Nang are more frequent than they were in 2023–2024.
The Decree applies to foreigners exactly as it does to Vietnamese citizens. There is no tourist discount.
The Fine Table: What Violations Actually Cost (2026)
These are the fines you face as a motorbike rider. All amounts in Vietnamese đồng (VND). At July 2026 exchange rates, 1 million VND is roughly $39 USD.
| Violation | Fine (VND) | Additional Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Riding without a valid license — bike under 125cc | 2,000,000 – 4,000,000 | — |
| Riding without a valid license — bike over 125cc | 6,000,000 – 8,000,000 | Bike may be impounded for 7–10 days |
| Running a red or yellow light | 4,000,000 – 6,000,000 | License points deducted |
| Speeding by more than 20 km/h over the limit | 6,000,000 – 8,000,000 | License suspended 2–4 months |
| Any alcohol in your system while riding | 2,000,000 – 8,000,000+ | License suspended, bike impounded |
| No helmet, or helmet strap unfastened (rider or passenger) | 400,000 – 600,000 | — |
| Riding against traffic on a one-way street | 4,000,000 – 6,000,000 | License points deducted |
| Using a phone while riding (held in hand) | 800,000 – 1,000,000 | — |
| No rear-view mirror (required on both sides by law) | 400,000 – 600,000 | — |
| Riding on the sidewalk | 400,000 – 600,000 | — |
| Carrying more than two people on a motorbike | 400,000 – 600,000 | — |
| No turn signal when turning or changing lanes | 300,000 – 400,000 | — |
The largest jump from the old Decree 100 is the no-license fine on larger bikes — up from roughly 1.5 million VND to a maximum of 8 million VND. A single police stop can now cost more than a week of accommodation in Da Nang.
The 125cc License Category Change
A detail that catches even informed riders: Vietnam's license categories changed in 2025. An A1 license (and its IDP equivalent) now only covers motorbikes up to 125cc, down from the previous 175cc limit. If you are riding a 150cc or 160cc scooter — common rental choices for Hai Van Pass — you need a full A-category license, not an A1.
If you hold a pre-2025 A1 license, it remains valid up to 175cc until it expires. But a new A1 IDP issued in 2025 or 2026 is capped at 125cc. This matters because many rental shops in Da Nang offer 150–160cc scooters (PCX 160, ADV 160, NVX 155) as the default "better" option without flagging the license mismatch.
What Actually Happens at a Police Stop
Most Da Nang police stops are quick and professional. The officer asks for your license and passport, checks the documents, and either waves you through or writes a ticket. The experience is not confrontational — Vietnamese traffic police are generally polite with foreigners — but the fine amounts are no longer negotiable.
If you have a valid license and IDP: show both, along with your passport. The stop typically ends in under two minutes, often with a nod and a wave.
If you do not have a valid license: the officer will write a ticket. You will need to pay the fine at the district police station or, in some cases, directly to the officer on the spot against an official receipt. If the bike is over 125cc, the officer has the legal authority to impound it. In that case, the rental shop's staff typically handle the retrieval — but the impound costs and the daily rental fees continue while the bike sits in the lot.
If you cannot communicate: call your rental shop. Every reputable shop in Da Nang has English-speaking staff who handle police calls daily. They will talk to the officer and explain your situation. This is the single most useful thing you can do in a stop — the shop knows the procedure and the local officers.
The Zero-Alcohol Rule
Vietnam has a strict zero-tolerance policy for drinking and riding. The legal blood alcohol limit for motorbike riders is 0.0 mg/L. This is not a "one beer is fine" situation — any detectable alcohol results in a fine, license suspension, and impoundment. The fines for alcohol violations start at 2 million VND and can reach 8 million VND depending on the BAC level.
In practice, police set up alcohol checkpoints on weekend evenings, especially on the beach road (Vo Nguyen Giap) and around the An Thuong tourist area. Every rider is waved through a checkpoint and breath-tested. If you had a beer with dinner, take a Grab back to your hotel.
Cold Fines: Tickets You Receive by Mail
Vietnam expanded its traffic camera network under Decree 168. In Da Nang, cameras now cover most major intersections along the Han River bridges, the Dragon Bridge roundabout, and the beachfront road. These cameras capture license plates for red light running, speeding, and wrong-lane violations.
The fine arrives by mail to the registered owner of the vehicle — which, for a rental bike, is the rental shop. The shop then forwards the fine to you. Most reputable shops include a clause in the rental contract making the rider responsible for any cold fines incurred during the rental period.
This matters because cold fines are not negotiable and cannot be argued away at a roadside checkpoint. The camera evidence is definitive and the fine is already processed by the time you know about it.
What If the Bike Gets Impounded?
If you are caught riding without a valid license on a bike over 125cc, the police can impound the bike for 7–10 days. This creates a chain of problems:
1. The bike goes to the district impound lot. You cannot retrieve it yourself without a valid license.
2. The rental shop's staff must go to the lot with the bike's registration papers. This typically takes a day or two.
3. Impound fees of roughly 100,000–200,000 VND per day accumulate, plus a release fee.
4. The rental shop continues charging the daily rental rate while the bike is impounded — you signed a contract saying you are responsible for the bike.
5. The shop may charge a service fee for the time and hassle of retrieving the bike.
In total, an impound incident on a 150cc rental can easily cost 3–5 million VND before the fine itself: the daily rental fees for 7–10 days plus impound storage plus the shop's retrieval fee. This is the worst-case scenario that makes a $7/day rental suddenly a $200+ problem.
Practical Ways to Avoid Fines
Get the right bike for your license situation. If you do not have a motorcycle license, rent a 50cc scooter — it is the only category legally rideable without a license in Vietnam. The top speed is roughly 45 km/h, which is slow but sufficient for Da Nang city, the Hoi An coastal road, and Son Tra. It is not suitable for Hai Van Pass or longer intercity rides.
If you have a motorcycle license but only an A1-category IDP, stick to bikes 125cc and under: Honda Vision (110cc), Yamaha Janus (125cc), Honda Air Blade (125cc). These handle Da Nang city, Hoi An, and Son Tra comfortably, and at 125cc they are legal for A1 holders with an IDP.
Wear your helmet properly — every time. The helmet fine is the most common tourist ticket because it is the easiest violation for police to spot from a distance. Clip the strap. Do not push the helmet back on your head. Your passenger must wear one too; the fine applies per person.
Know the one-way streets. In Da Nang, Bach Dang runs southbound along the river, and the parallel roads (Tran Phu, Le Duan) alternate direction in the city center. Riding the wrong way down a one-way street is a 4–6 million VND fine — among the most expensive common violations and one that tourists trigger by following Google Maps navigation into the wrong lane.
Do not ride after drinking. At all. Even one beer. The fine is severe and the breath-test checkpoints are common on weekend evenings.
Check the bike's equipment before you leave the shop. Both mirrors must be present and tight. All lights — headlight, brake light, both turn signals — must work. The horn must sound. A broken light that gets you pulled over is your problem, not the rental shop's, unless you documented it in photos at pickup.
Keep your phone in your pocket or on a handlebar mount. Holding a phone while riding is now an 800,000–1,000,000 VND fine. A phone mount costs about 50,000 VND at any market in Da Nang.
What This Means for Your Rental Decision
The higher fines do not mean you should avoid renting a motorbike in Da Nang. The city remains one of the best places in Vietnam to ride — the traffic is calmer than Hanoi or HCMC, the roads are wide and well-maintained, and the most popular routes (Son Tra, Hoi An, Hai Van Pass) are genuinely enjoyable on two wheels.
What the new fines do mean is that the "ride first, worry about fines later" approach no longer makes financial sense. A single police stop for an unlicensed rider on a 150cc scooter can cost more than the entire rental for a two-week trip. The smart move is to either (a) bring the correct license and IDP, (b) rent a bike within your license category, or (c) rent a 50cc scooter that does not require a license.
We cover the license requirements in detail in our motorbike license guide for Vietnam, and the full rental process — including what to check before you ride off — in our Da Nang rental guide.
Summary
- Decree 168/2024 took effect January 1, 2025 and increased most traffic fines by 3–10 times.
- Riding without a valid license on a bike over 125cc: 6–8 million VND plus possible impoundment.
- Running a red or yellow light: 4–6 million VND.
- Any alcohol while riding: 2–8 million VND — zero tolerance, no exceptions.
- A1 license/IDP now only covers bikes up to 125cc (down from 175cc).
- Camera-enforced "cold fines" are operational in Da Nang and follow the rental bike back to you.
- The 50cc category remains the only license-free option under Vietnamese law.
- Call your rental shop during any police stop — they handle this daily and can translate.
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