Alcohol behind the wheel

Verified 27 août 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

Your situation

  • You prepare the driving license with a driver
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The maximum level of alcohol allowed to drive varies depending on your situation:

You prepare the driving license accompanied

If you are preparing the driving license accompanied (driving early, framed or supervised), it is forbidden to drive with blood alcohol level greater than or equal to 0.2 g/l of blood. This amounts to 0.10 mg of alcohol per liter of breath.

FYI  

If you have consumed alcohol, you can measure your blood alcohol with a breathalyzer before you get behind the wheel. Visit the road safety website that gives tips to avoid taking risksAlcohol and driving.

Law enforcement agencies are carrying out a verification of blood alcohol in a mandatory manner, optional or preventive. The verification may be preceded by screening of blood alcohol.

Mandatory verification

Verification of blood alcohol is mandatory if you have any of the following:

  • You are in state of intoxication
  • You're refusing blood alcohol testing
  • Your state of health, attested by a doctor, does not allow you to undergo a screening by breathalyzer
  • You are involved in a traffic accident that has caused personal injury
  • You are the alleged perpetrator of a offense to the traffic code punished by additional penalty from suspension of driving license.

Optional Check

Verification of blood alcohol is optional if you have any of the following:

  • You are involved in a traffic accident that only caused property damage
  • You are the alleged perpetrator of a offense to the highway code which is not punished by the additional penalty from suspension of driving license.

Preventive verification

THEblood alcohol can be checked randomly, apart from any offense or accident.

One judicial police officer (OPJ) or a judicial police officer (JPO) shall be authorized to carry out the screening tests and checks of blood alcohol.

A deputy judicial police officer, on the order and under the responsibility of a judicial police officer, is authorized to conduct blood alcohol tests.

Screening

Law enforcement provides you with a breathalyzer.

The breathalyzer is used only for screen for blood alcohol.

If the screening is positive, law enforcement have your precise blood alcohol level checked.

Verification

The verification of the alcohol level is done with breathalyzer or by blood tests and medical examinations. The result is yours notified.

Law enforcement should ask you if you want a 2nd control. In the event of a positive response, this check is carried out immediately and the result is communicated to you.

The driver does not choose the method of checking the alcohol level.

The use of a blood test is only done in case of proven impossibility to use an ethylene meter.

Law enforcement hold your driver's license as a precautionary measure if you have any of the following:

  • Blood alcohol testing and your behavior suggest that your blood alcohol level is 0.8 g/l or higher
  • Verification with a breathalyzer has determined that your blood alcohol level is 0.8 g/l or higher
  • You drive in manifest state of intoxication
  • You're refusing to test and check for blood alcohol.

For the duration of the retention, your vehicle may be immobilized.

The penalties for exceeding the alcohol limit for driving vary depending on your situation:

Content between 0.2 and 0.8 g/l

Driving with a blood alcohol level equal to or greater than 0.2g/l and less than 0.8g/l is a contravention. You will be fined up to €750. In general, it is a lump sum fine from €135.

Your vehicle can be immobilized and impounded upon authorization of the prefect or public prosecutor.

6 points shall be withdrawn from the driving license.

You also risk additional penalties following:

  • Suspension of driving license for a maximum of 3 years. The suspension may be limited to driving outside the professional activity.
  • Prohibition, for a maximum period of 3 years, to drive a vehicle that is not equipped with a alcohol interlock (EAD).

Content of 0.8 g/l or more

Driving with an alcohol level equal to or greater than 0.8 g/l of blood is a offense. This amounts to 0.40 mg of alcohol per liter of breath. You will be fined up to €9,000 and by a penalty of 3 years in prison maximum.

Your vehicle can be immobilized and impounded upon authorization of the prefect or public prosecutor. If you also drive after using narcotics or having manifestly used narcotics, the police must, with the authorization of the prefect, the fixed asset and the impounding of the vehicle.

6 points shall be withdrawn from the driving license.

You also risk additional penalties following:

  • Suspension the permit for a maximum of 5 years, with no possible accommodation outside the professional activity
  • Cancelation of the permit and prohibition to apply for a new permit for a maximum of 5 years
  • Sentence of community service
  • Sentence of fine days
  • Prohibition to drive certain vehicles, including vehicles without a license, for a maximum period of 5 years
  • Obligation to perform, at your expense, a road safety awareness course
  • Prohibition, for a maximum of 5 years, to drive a vehicle that is not equipped with a alcohol interlock (EAD)
  • Confiscation of your vehicle.

Clerk in recurrence, the offense of driving in manifest state of intoxication or with an alcohol level of 0.8 g/l of blood or more, is sanctioned by cancelation of the driving license.

You also risk additional penalties following:

  • Confiscation mandatory for your vehicle. However, the judge may not pronounce the confiscation sentence provided that state the reasons for its decision.
  • Fixed asset of your vehicle for a maximum of 1 year.

If you obtain a new license less than 3 years after the cancelation, you are prohibited, for a maximum of 3 years, from driving a vehicle that is not equipped with a alcohol interlock (EAD).

Driving the driving in manifest state of intoxication or with an alcohol level of 0.8 g/l of blood or more, is a aggravating circumstance in the event of an accident.

In case of driving in manifest state of intoxication or with an alcohol level of 0,8 g/l of blood or more:

  • Causing the death of others, without intention to give it, constitutes a road homicide punishable by 7 years' imprisonment and €100,000 of fine.
  • Causing others, without intent to harm, a total incapacity for work (ITT) for more than 3 months, constitutes road injuries resulting in an ITT at 3 months punishable by 5 years of imprisonment and €75,000 of fine.
  • Causing another person, without intent to harm, an ITT for a period of less than or equal to 3 months constitutes road injuries resulting in an ITT of less than or equal to 3 months punishable by 3 years' imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

You also risk additional penalties.

In the case of multiple aggravating circumstances, penalties are increased. For example, driving in a state of obvious intoxication and after use of narcotics.

In addition, in the case of road homicide or road injuries, when circumstances suggest that you may no longer be fit to drive, you must pass a medical examination, at your expense. The medical examination must be carried out within 72 hours of the road accident or from the moment your health condition allows it. You must contact a licensed city doctor. The list of approved doctors is available on the websites of the prefectures.

Refusing to submit to audits of blood alcohol is a offense. You are sanctioned by a maximum sentence of 3 years' imprisonment and by a fine up to €9,000.

6 points shall be withdrawn from the driving license.

You also risk additional penalties following:

  • Suspension the permit for a maximum of 3 years, without any possible accommodation outside the professional activity
  • Cancelation of the permit and prohibition to apply for a new permit for a maximum of 3 years
  • Sentence of community service
  • Sentence of fine days
  • Prohibition to drive certain vehicles, including vehicles without a license, for a maximum period of 5 years
  • Obligation to perform, at your expense, a road safety awareness course
  • Confiscation of your vehicle
  • Prohibition, for a maximum of 5 years, to drive a vehicle that is not equipped with a alcohol interlock (EAD).

Clerk in recurrence, the refusal to submit to the checks of blood alcohol shall be punished by cancelation of the driving license.

You also risk additional penalties following:

  • Confiscation mandatory for your vehicle. However, the judge may not pronounce the confiscation sentence provided that state the reasons for its decision.
  • Fixed asset of your vehicle for a maximum of 1 year.

If you obtain a new license less than 3 years after the cancelation, you are prohibited, for a maximum of 3 years, from driving a vehicle that is not equipped with a alcohol interlock (EAD).

Refusing to submit to the audits of blood alcohol is an aggravating circumstance in the event of an accident.

If you have refused to submit to the checks of blood alcohol :

  • Causing the death of others, without intention to give it, constitutes a road homicide punishable by 7 years' imprisonment and €100,000 of fine.
  • Causing others, without intent to harm, a total incapacity for work (ITT) for more than 3 months, constitutes road injuries resulting in an ITT greater than 3 months punishable by 5 years of imprisonment and €75,000 of fine.
  • Causing another person, without intent to harm, an ITT for a period of less than or equal to 3 months constitutes road injuries resulting in an ITT of less than or equal to 3 months punishable by 3 years' imprisonment and €45,000 of fine.

You also risk additional penalties.

In the case of multiple aggravating circumstances, penalties are increased. For example, driving in a state of obvious intoxication and after use of narcotics.

In addition, in the case of road homicide or road injuries, when circumstances suggest that you may no longer be fit to drive, you must pass a medical examination, at your expense. The medical examination must be carried out within 72 hours of the road accident or from the moment your health condition allows it. You must contact a licensed city doctor. The list of approved doctors is available on the websites of the prefectures.

The fact of driving manifest state of intoxication is a offense punished with 3 years of maximum imprisonment and €9,000 maximum fine.

If you also drive while obviously using drugs, you risk up to 5 years in prison and €15,000 of fine.

Your vehicle can be immobilized. If you also drive after using narcotics or having manifestly used narcotics, the police must, with the authorization of the prefect, the fixed asset and the impounding of the vehicle.

6 points shall be withdrawn from the driving license.

You also risk additional penalties following:

  • Suspension the permit for a maximum of 5 years, with no possible accommodation outside the professional activity
  • Cancelation of the permit and prohibition to apply for a new permit for a maximum of 5 years
  • Sentence of community service
  • Sentence of fine days
  • Prohibition to drive certain vehicles, including vehicles without a license, for a maximum period of 5 years
  • Obligation to perform, at your expense, a road safety awareness course
  • Prohibition, for a maximum of 5 years, to drive a vehicle that is not equipped with a alcohol interlock (EAD)
  • Confiscation of your vehicle. Forfeiture is mandatory if you also drive while obviously using drugs. However, the judge may not pronounce the confiscation sentence provided that state the reasons for its decision.

Clerk in recurrence, conduct in a state of obvious intoxication shall be punished by cancelation of the driving license.

You also risk additional penalties following:

  • Confiscation mandatory for your vehicle. However, the judge may not pronounce the confiscation sentence provided that state the reasons for its decision.
  • Fixed asset of your vehicle for a maximum of 1 year.

If you obtain a new license less than 3 years after the cancelation, you are prohibited, for a maximum of 3 years, from driving a vehicle that is not equipped with a alcohol interlock (EAD).

In the event of an alcohol accident, your insurance company will apply sanctions (increase in contributions, termination of the contract, etc.).

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