They Won't Get More Expensive

Government Freezes Fees for Passports and Other Documents

Anyone getting married in 2027 or needing a new passport or driver’s license has reason to celebrate...(Bild: Krone-Collage/Christof Birbaumer, Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger, Klemens Groh)

Good news for Austrians struggling with inflation: As the “Krone” has learned, federal fees will not increase next year. This applies to passports, ID cards, driver’s licenses, vehicle registration certificates, and much more. The last increase, however, had been all the more significant...

The inflation adjustment for federal fees will be suspended for the coming year, Finance Minister Markus Marterbauer told the “Krone.” Compared to a full adjustment, this will provide Austrians with relief amounting to 25 million euros.

This fee freeze applies, for example, to the issuance of passports or ID cards, vehicle registration certificates, driver’s licenses, criminal record certificates, and the issuance of patents. In addition, the costs of the highway vignette and the climate ticket will increase at a rate below inflation.

Relief After a Massive Increase 
However, in 2025, as part of the austerity budget, fees were raised dramatically. Most federal fees had not been increased for years prior to that (in some cases since 2011), resulting in an inflation adjustment of 48.2 percent. For example, in July 2025, the fee for passports was raised from 76 to 112 euros, and the fee for ID cards from 62 to 91 euros. The fee for issuing a driver’s license is now 90 euros instead of 61, and the fee for a vehicle registration certificate is 178 euros instead of 120. By comparison, the fees for marriage remain relatively low at 74 euros instead of 50.

Markus Marterbauer also aims to curb inflation with this measure.(Bild: Eva Manhart)

Hundreds of thousands of documents are issued annually
According to Statistics Austria, 168,437 driver’s licenses were issued in 2025. The average number of passports issued per year is 750,000. In addition, more than 1.4 million vehicle registration certificates are issued annually (including new registrations and re-registrations), and between 220,000 and 240,000 criminal record certificates are issued.

The fee cap will also curb general inflation, explains Marterbauer. “Austria has long been among the EU countries with the highest inflation rates. Despite the tight budgetary situation, the federal government is implementing a package of measures to curb inflation. The fact that the vast majority of federal fees will not be increased is another step toward mitigating the rise in people’s cost of living.”

In conjunction with the fee cap, prices for the Klimaticket and the annual passenger car vignette will be increased by only 2 percent—instead of the planned 3.6 percent—in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). In addition, drivers will benefit from an early-bird promotion for the annual vignette: Anyone who purchases the new vignette for 2027 before January 1, 2027, will still receive it at the current price of 106.80 euros. The vignette price will not increase by two percent to 108.90 euros until the start of the new year.

Anyone who purchases a Klimaticket valid through December 31 will receive it at the previous, lower price of 1,400 euros. Tickets valid starting January 1, 2027, will then cost 1,428 euros. “With our transportation package, we are deliberately keeping the price adjustments for the Klimaticket and vignette below the rate of inflation. This is a concrete contribution to combating inflation and provides relief for the people of our country,” emphasizes Mobility Minister Peter Hanke.