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Drivers in Cyprus will be allowed to use dashboard cameras (dashcams) from 23 July 2026, following the introduction of new legislation to improve road safety, support accident investigations, and help police tackle traffic-related offences.

The new law, published in the Official Gazette on 22 April 2026, establishes a legal framework for the installation and operation of image-recording devices in private vehicles, commercial fleets, and government-owned vehicles. Until now, the use of dashcams has existed in a legal grey area due to concerns surrounding privacy and data protection.

What Drivers Need to Know

From 23 July 2026:

• Dashcams will be legal in Cyprus.
• Video recording will be permitted, but audio recording will not.
• Footage can be used for accident and crime investigations.
• Police and insurers may request relevant recordings.
• Public sharing of footage without consent will generally be prohibited.
• Data protection rules must be strictly followed.
• Courts will decide whether recordings are admissible as evidence.

The new framework aims to balance the benefits of modern vehicle recording technology with the need to protect personal privacy, marking a significant change in Cyprus’ approach to road safety and digital evidence.

Drivers involved in minor traffic collisions in Cyprus are now legally required to move their vehicles off the road when it is safe to do so, under amendments to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Law that came into force following publication in the Official Gazette on 21 April 2026. The changes are designed to reduce severe traffic congestion often caused by vehicles remaining at accident scenes long after minor incidents.

When Vehicles Must Be Moved

The obligation to move a vehicle applies only when all of the following conditions are met:

• No person has suffered visible injuries.
• Police attendance is not required.
• The vehicles can be moved safely without the need for towing.
• Moving the vehicles will not cause additional damage to the vehicles or the road surface.
• It is reasonable and safe to relocate the vehicles under the circumstances.

When these conditions exist, drivers are expected to move their vehicles to a nearby safe location that does not obstruct traffic.

What Drivers Must Do Before Moving Their Vehicles

Before relocating their vehicles, drivers must complete several important steps to protect their insurance and legal interests:

1. Contact their insurance company immediately.
2. Exchange personal and vehicle information with the other driver, including:
   • Full name
   • Telephone number
   • Driving licence number
   • Insurance policy details
   • Vehicle registration and identification details
3. Take clear photographs of:
   • The accident scene
   • The position of the vehicles immediately after the collision
   • Vehicle registration plates
   • Visible damage
   • The surrounding road environment
4. Provide the photographs to the person designated by their insurance company.

Authorities stress that collecting photographic evidence before moving the vehicles is essential for supporting any subsequent insurance claim or investigation.

New legislation regulating the use of e-scooters came into force on Tuesday, raising the minimum age for riders to 17 and introducing stricter safety rules.

Police said the amendments, which apply to “personal mobility devices” including e-scooters, were published in the official gazette last month.

Under the new framework, only individuals aged 17 and over are permitted to ride e-scooters. The minimum age was increased from 14 following growing concerns over road safety and a series of accidents involving younger riders.

The updated legislation also grants authorities wider powers to confiscate e-scooters when violations are detected.

New provisions set out where scooters may be used, establish technical standards for the devices, and introduce regulations for companies operating scooter rental services.
Police said the changes are intended to improve public safety and strengthen enforcement of existing laws.

The amendments follow months of parliamentary debate over whether e-scooters should face tighter regulation or be banned entirely from public spaces. Last month, MPs rejected proposals for a total ban and instead voted in favour of stricter controls.

The legislation also introduces penalties for adults who allow underage individuals to use e-scooters, as well as for riders carrying passengers below the legal age.

Additional measures approved by parliament require scooters to comply with European safety standards and display the appropriate certification markings.

Police and other authorised authorities are now empowered to temporarily seize scooters involved in breaches of the law.
The revised rules also raise the speed threshold for penalties from 20km/h to 25km/h.

Cyprus has introduced new rules allowing for the immediate suspension of driving licences in cases involving drink or drug driving. Under the updated system, police now have the authority to act on the spot, removing a driver’s licence instantly if they are found to be over the legal alcohol limit or under the influence of drugs.

Previously, offenders could often continue driving until their case was processed through the courts. The new measure is intended to close that gap and strengthen road safety by ensuring that potentially dangerous drivers are taken off the road without delay.

Authorities say the change is part of a broader effort to reduce serious road accidents and fatalities. By enforcing stricter, immediate consequences, officials hope to deter drivers from taking risks involving alcohol or drugs.

The policy reflects growing concern over road safety in Cyprus, with officials emphasizing that swift enforcement is necessary to protect the public.

Cyprus is set to introduce average speed cameras on its motorways in a major bid to curb high speeds and reduce a rising toll of road fatalities.

The measure, which was first discussed 15 years ago, involves installing cameras at the entry and exit points of motorways connecting the island’s cities. The system will calculate a driver’s average speed over a set distance. If a vehicle reaches its destination faster than the time required at the legal speed limit, the driver will automatically receive a fine.

Traffic Police Director Haris Evripidou explained that the system works by recording the exact time a vehicle enters and leaves a specific stretch of road.

“If, for example, it should take a specific amount of time to reach the next city at the permitted speed, and the camera at the exit records the driver arriving earlier, a fine will be issued,” Evripidou said.

While the official motorway speed limit is 100km/h, police currently allow a margin of up to 120km/h. The time calculations will be based on this 120km/h threshold; however, anyone caught exceeding this limit will be fined based on the original 100km/h limit.

The move comes alongside other legislative changes. Mobile cameras are being upgraded with new software to detect drivers using mobile phones or not wearing seatbelts. Police data shows that these two violations account for more than a third of all annual road deaths in Cyprus.

Authorities are also tightening rules on drink-driving. Evripidou noted that immediate driving licence revocations will now apply to repeat offenders. Any driver caught over the limit twice within 12 months, where the level of alcohol requires a court appearance rather than a fixed fine, will lose their licence on the spot.

Currently, the legal limit is 21μg. Levels above 71μg require a court hearing. For novice drivers, the limit is 9μg, with any violation resulting in an automatic court referral and licence suspension.

​Following legislation passed last December, Cyprus is tightening the screws on Drunk driving and drug driving offenses. Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades is officially delegating his authority to the Police Chief, granting officers the power to immediately suspend driving licenses for motorists under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

​The Procedure:

• ​Roadside Detection: If a driver tests positive during a check, they will be arrested and taken to a station.
• ​Formal Notice: At the station, the driver will receive a formal suspension notice.
• ​System Integration: The Road Transport Department will be alerted instantly to update electronic records, ensuring any “license-less” driving is flagged.

​Suspension Timelines:

• ​Drugs: The suspension sticks until the driver provides a medical certificate proving they are drug-free.
• ​Alcohol: Depending on the severity of the offense, the ban lasts either until the court hearing or for a period of one to two months.

The Road Transport Department (RTD) has officially opened the renewal period for 2026 vehicle road tax. To avoid penalties, vehicle owners must complete their renewal by the firm deadline of Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Below is a concise breakdown of everything you need to know for this year’s renewal.
📅 Key Deadlines & Penalties
The RTD has stressed that there will be no extensions to the renewal period.

• Start Date: January 7, 2026
• Final Deadline: Midnight, March 11, 2026
• Late Penalties: Renewing after the deadline will result in a €10 flat fee plus a 10% surcharge on the total annual tax amount.
• Police Enforcement: Starting March 12, driving without a valid license can result in a €150 fine.
  🛠️ Renewal Requirements
  Before you attempt to renew, ensure you have the following in order:
• Valid Insurance: Your vehicle must be covered by active insurance.
• Valid MOT: A Certificate of Roadworthiness is required for all vehicles over a certain age.
• Registration Details: You will need your vehicle’s registration number and the last three digits of the owner’s ID or passport.
  💳 How and Where to Pay
  Renewals can be made for 3, 6, 9, or 12 months.
  | Method | Details |
  |—|—|
  | Online (Recommended) | Via the Road Transport Department Portal. |
  | Citizen Service Centers | Available at all KEP locations across Cyprus. |
  | Post Offices | Available at District Post Offices (KEPO). |
  | RTD District Offices | In-person at your local department branch. |
  | Banks | Online only. Commercial banks no longer process these at the counter. |
  ⚠️ Important Notes
• No Reminders: The department does not send out individual reminders; it is the owner’s responsibility to renew on time.
• Immobilisation: If you do not intend to use your vehicle in 2026, you must submit a request to “immobilise” it (Form TOM 12) before the March 11 deadline to avoid being charged.
• Deregistration: Vehicles with unpaid road tax that have not been declared immobilised may be automatically removed from the registry.
  Would you like me to find the contact details for your nearest Citizen Service Center (KEP) or help you calculate your road tax based on your engine size?

Cyprus’s Traffic Department is seeking legislative changes due to a rise in drivers caught under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or both.

Currently, such drivers are arrested but usually released the next day and allowed to keep driving until a trial, which may be delayed for months or not occur at all.

The proposed change would allow police to issue an on-the-spot notice temporarily suspending a driver’s license, ensuring immediate consequences and reducing bureaucracy.

In 2025, there were 45 road fatalities, up from 41 in 2024, continuing an upward trend after a low in 2023. Of these, 11 deaths involved drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police issued 3,226 alcohol-related citations and 869 drug-related citations, high figures for Cyprus.

Motorcyclists were particularly affected (16 deaths), alongside pedestrians (9), cyclists (3), and car occupants. Young people (up to age 25) accounted for 16 of the 45 victims.

The leading causes of fatal collisions were careless or distracted driving (often mobile phone use) and driving under the influence, each responsible for 11 deaths.

Saturdays and Fridays, especially between 8:00 PM and midnight, were the most dangerous times.

Comparison of road safety trends in Cyprus vs. the EU to give broader context to the 2025 Cyprus road toll situation:

📊 Recent Trends — EU Overall

In 2024, the EU recorded about 19,800 road deaths, a 3 % decrease compared with 2023 — but progress is considered too slow to meet the target of halving road deaths by 2030.

The EU average road death rate is about 44–45 per million inhabitants.

Vulnerable road users — pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists — make up a significant share of fatalities in many countries.

🇨🇾 Cyprus — Longer-Term and Recent Trends

2023: Cyprus saw an 8.1 % drop in road fatalities, better than the EU average decline (1.3 %) that year. The Cypriot fatality rate (36 per million) was lower than the EU average (46 per million) in 2023.

Decade-long trend: Over the last decade Cyprus reduced road deaths by around 8.9 %, but this was less than the EU’s overall reduction (~17.2 %).

2024 statistics showed a rise in fatalities in Cyprus (from 34 to 41), representing one of the larger increases among EU countries, and causing Cyprus to drop in the EU road safety rankings.

Even with this increase, Cyprus’s road death rate (~42 per million) remained slightly below the EU average (~45 per million) in 2024.

📍 Key Differences in Where Crashes Happen

In many EU countries, rural roads account for the majority of fatalities.

In Cyprus, a higher proportion of road deaths occur on urban roads — over 60 %, which is much more than the EU norm.

📌 Goals and Challenges

The EU aims to cut road deaths by 50 % by 2030 and achieve Vision Zero (zero deaths) by 2050.

However, both Cyprus and the EU overall are not currently on track to meet these targets without stronger measures — for example, enhanced enforcement, technology, and infrastructure improvements.

🧠 Summary

EU trend: modest reduction in road fatalities, but insufficient pace to hit long-term goals.

Cyprus trend: historically stronger short-term improvements than the EU average, but recent increases in deaths and changing patterns (more urban fatalities) signal growing challenges.

📈 Road deaths rising

• Cyprus has seen an increase in road fatalities this year, with 43 deaths in 43 collisions reported so far — up compared with last year.

🏍️ Motorcyclist deaths surpass car drivers

• For the first time, motorcyclists (16) have outnumbered car drivers (13) in the fatality figures.

📱 Major role of distraction / mobile phones

• Driver distraction, strongly linked to mobile phone use, is highlighted as a leading cause.
• Careless driving/distraction accounted for 11 deaths and overall inattentive driving factors were linked to 19 of the deaths.

👶 Young people & vulnerable road users

• Eleven of the victims were aged up to 25, including eight young motorcyclists.
• There were also eight pedestrian and three cyclist deaths.

🚨 Other contributing causes

• Besides distraction, fatalities included cases involving alcohol or drugs (five victims) and speed (two victims).

📍 Most affected area

• Limassol recorded the highest number of road fatalities (15).

⚖️ Government response

• Officials say the figures endanger Cyprus’s goal to cut road deaths by 50% by 2030, and are pushing for urgent corrective measures early next year.
• Plans include potential legislative changes such as zero alcohol tolerance for young drivers and improvements to police resources and technology.