Austria scraps the vignette sticker: from 2027 it is digital only

What changed

Austria’s government says that from the 2027 vignette year the vignette will only be sold as a digital vignette, no longer as a sticker. The 2027 vignettes go on sale from 1 December 2026, digital only. A 2026 annual sticker you already have still covers you until it runs out on 31 January 2027.

A digital vignette has nothing on the windscreen. It is registered against your number plate and checked by cameras, so there is nothing to peel off, swap between cars or forget to stick on.

• It covers Austrian motorways and expressways for cars and motorcycles. Some tunnels and the scenic toll roads, like the Grossglockner and Silvretta, charge separately.
• No valid vignette means a substitute toll on the spot, then fines of €300 to €3,000 if you don’t pay it.
• 2027 prices hadn’t been published when we wrote this, so we aren’t quoting them. Our travel advice page has the 2026 prices.

The 18-day rule

This is what catches people out. Buy a 2-month or annual digital vignette online and it only becomes valid 18 days after purchase. That gap exists because online buyers get a consumer right to cancel. The 1-day and 10-day digital vignettes are valid straight away.

Buy at a sales point, such as a petrol station near the border or an ASFINAG outlet, and the vignette can be valid immediately. Online is fine too, but do it well before you leave.

What to do before an Austrian trip

• Short trip through Austria: a 10-day digital vignette, bought online the night before or at the border, is usually all you need.
• Annual or 2-month vignette: buy it online at least three weeks before you cross, or buy it in person.
• Use the official ASFINAG shop. Other sites resell vignettes with a fee added on top.
• Type the number plate carefully. The vignette is only valid for the plate you enter, so a typo means you’re driving without one.
• Changing plates or cars? An annual vignette can be moved to a new plate through ASFINAG, but check how before you need it.