Alcool au Volant: France's Drink Driving Limits and Penalties Explained

Information last verified on 20 July 2026. This article presents general legal information, not legal advice.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers drink driving and drug driving law under the French Code de la route and Code pénal. It does not address rules outside France.

The Legal Alcohol Thresholds in France

French law sets two distinct blood alcohol thresholds for driving. The general threshold, which applies to most licensed drivers, is 0.5 g/L of blood, equivalent to 0.25 mg/L of exhaled breath measured on a breathalyser at a roadside checkpoint or following an accident.

A lower threshold of 0.2 g/L of blood, equivalent to 0.1 mg/L of exhaled breath, applies to three categories of driver under Article R234-1: holders of a permis probatoire, the probationary licence issued to newly licensed drivers; drivers of public transport vehicles such as buses and coaches carrying passengers; and drivers whose licence is restricted to a vehicle fitted with a court-ordered alcohol interlock (éthylotest anti-démarrage) under Article L234-17. A driver in either category who tests above 0.2 g/L is already over the legal limit, even though the identical reading would not be an offence for a fully licensed driver outside these two categories.

These thresholds are measured objectively by a breath test or, where required, a blood test, and apply regardless of how the driver subjectively perceives their own level of impairment. A driver's actual blood alcohol level depends on factors such as body weight, the amount and type of alcohol consumed, and the time elapsed since drinking, which is why the thresholds are enforced as a fixed, measured figure rather than by reference to a number of drinks or any other estimate.

An initial roadside check is typically a breath test administered by an officer at a checkpoint, after a traffic stop, or following an accident. Where the result indicates the driver may be over the applicable threshold, or where a breath test is not practical, a further, more precise measurement can be required to confirm the level before any charge proceeds. For an overview of how these alcohol rules fit alongside the other driving offences covered on this site, see the main France driving laws hub.

0.5 to 0.79 g/L: A Contravention

Driving with a blood alcohol level between 0.5 g/L and 0.79 g/L is a 4th class contravention rather than a criminal délit. The standard forfaitaire fine actually charged for an offence in this band is 135 EUR, though the statutory ceiling that a court could theoretically impose for this class of contravention is higher.

The offence carries a withdrawal of 6 points from the driver's license, a significant reduction given that even a fully licensed driver holds only 12 points in total. A court or préfet can also order a license suspension of up to 3 years for an offence in this band, or require the driver to fit a court ordered alcohol interlock device, the éthylotest anti-démarrage, as an alternative to suspension. Neither the suspension nor the interlock requirement is automatic in every case falling in this band; both remain within the deciding authority's discretion, applied case by case.

Because this band is a contravention rather than a délit, it is generally handled through the forfaitaire fine system rather than an automatic court appearance, and a driver who disputes the underlying facts can pursue the contestation process described in our guide to contesting a traffic fine in France. Paying the forfaitaire fine and contesting the underlying facts are separate paths, and the deadlines that apply to a contestation run from the date of the notice, not from the date of the incident itself.

0.8 g/L or Above: A Délit Since the July 2025 Reform

Driving at 0.8 g/L or above is classified as a délit, a criminal offence prosecuted differently from a contravention, rather than a mere administrative penalty. Loi n. 2025-622 du 9 juillet 2025 raised the penalties that apply to this offence, and the new figures took effect on 11 July 2025.

Since that date, driving at 0.8 g/L or above is punishable by up to 3 years imprisonment and a fine of up to 9,000 EUR. The maximum license suspension available to a court was also raised, to up to 5 years, and a court can instead order cancellation of the license entirely, with a 5 year ban on reapplying for a new one. The offence continues to carry a withdrawal of 6 points, the same as the lower contravention band, though the surrounding penalty is far more severe.

The penalty scale that applied before 11 July 2025 is no longer current for offences committed after that date. Because the reform is comparatively recent, some published material, including guidance and articles that predate the change, may still show the earlier, now superseded figures. Readers should treat any pre-reform figure they encounter elsewhere as historical only, and should rely on the current post-reform penalties described above for any offence committed from 11 July 2025 onward.

A délit conviction of this kind can also carry consequences beyond the criminal penalty itself. It is recorded on the driver's casier judiciaire, described further below, and it can affect matters such as motor insurance terms and, for anyone who drives professionally, the ability to continue working as a driver. This article addresses the criminal and licensing penalties only; readers facing these broader consequences should seek advice specific to their own situation from a qualified professional.

The 0.2 g/L Threshold for Probationary and Public Transport Drivers

As noted above, probationary drivers and drivers of public transport vehicles are held to a stricter 0.2 g/L threshold rather than the general 0.5 g/L limit that applies to other drivers. This lower threshold reflects the added risk associated with inexperienced drivers on one hand, and with vehicles carrying passengers on the other, and it applies for as long as the driver holds a permis probatoire, or for as long as they are driving a public transport vehicle in a professional capacity.

A probationary driver who tests between 0.2 g/L and the general 0.5 g/L threshold is already committing an alcohol offence, even though the identical reading would not be an offence for a fully licensed driver outside the probationary period. For a full explanation of how the probationary license works, including its reduced points balance, the disque A requirement, and its other obligations, see our companion article on the permis probatoire.

The 0.2 g/L threshold applies for the entire length of the probationary period, not merely for an initial adjustment window after the license is issued, and it applies regardless of which of the two probationary tracks, the standard 3 year track or the 2 year AAC track, the driver is on. A probationary driver who commits an alcohol offence at this reduced threshold is also subject to the point consequences and possible mandatory awareness course described for the probationary license generally, in addition to the alcohol specific penalties set out in this article.

Drug Driving and Combined Offences

Driving under the influence of drugs is sanctioned separately from alcohol under French law. It is its own offence, with its own penalty scale, distinct from the alcohol thresholds described above, and a driver who tests positive for a controlled substance faces criminal exposure independent of any alcohol reading, even where no alcohol was consumed at all.

Where a positive drug test is combined with a positive alcohol test, the combined offence is punished more severely than either offence would be on its own, with greater potential imprisonment, a larger potential fine, and a greater number of points withdrawn than for alcohol or drugs alone. Because the precise figures that apply to drug driving offences were still being confirmed against primary legislative text at the time this article was last verified, this article does not state a specific euro amount or prison term for a drug driving charge. Readers should check the current Code de la route and Code pénal, or consult the official sources linked below, before relying on any specific figure for a drug driving matter.

Drug driving is tested separately from alcohol, generally by a saliva screening test at the roadside, followed by a confirmatory laboratory analysis where the screening result is positive. As with alcohol, refusing a lawfully required drug test is its own offence, treated seriously and independently of whatever the underlying result would otherwise have shown. Because drug driving law changed as part of the same broader 2025 reform that raised the alcohol penalties described above, readers should be alert to the same risk of outdated figures in older material when researching the drug driving rules specifically.

Testing, Refusal, and the Criminal Record

Police in France can require a driver to take a breath test at a routine checkpoint, after a traffic stop for another infraction, or following any accident. Refusing to submit to a breath or blood test when lawfully required to do so is itself an offence, treated seriously by the authorities, and results in the immediate retention of the driver's license pending further proceedings, independent of what the underlying alcohol level might have been.

A conviction for the délit-level offence, driving at 0.8 g/L or above, or for refusing a test, is a criminal conviction and appears on the driver's casier judiciaire, the French criminal record. This is a materially different and more serious consequence than a contravention, which does not carry the same criminal record exposure. A related driving offence that can arise from the same underlying incident, particularly where a driver leaves the scene rather than remaining, is covered in our companion article on délit de fuite.

Point Recovery After an Alcohol Offence

The 6 points withdrawn for either band described above, the 0.5 to 0.79 g/L contravention or the 0.8 g/L and above délit, follow the same general recovery timeline that applies across the French points system. Points lost to a 4th or 5th class contravention or to a délit recover automatically after 3 years without a new infraction, which is the timeline that applies to both alcohol bands, since the lower band is a 4th class contravention and the higher band is a délit.

This 3 year recovery timeline is separate from any license suspension period a court or préfet may also impose. A suspension withholds the right to drive for its own fixed term, set independently by the deciding authority up to the applicable maximum described above, while the 3 year point recovery timeline runs on its own schedule regardless of whether a suspension was also ordered in the same case.

For a probationary driver, an alcohol offence also interacts with the separate annual point-increase mechanism described in our companion article on the permis probatoire: a point-losing alcohol infraction during a probationary year interrupts that year's scheduled increase, on top of whatever specific point withdrawal and recovery timeline applies to the alcohol offence itself.

Disclaimer

This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. French traffic and criminal law changed significantly during 2025, and figures published before those reforms may no longer be accurate. Readers facing a specific infraction, prosecution, or licensing decision should consult the official sources cited above or a qualified French avocat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the legal blood alcohol limit for driving in France?

0.5 g/L of blood, equivalent to 0.25 mg/L of exhaled breath, for most drivers.

Is the alcohol limit lower for new drivers?

Yes. Probationary license holders and drivers of public transport vehicles must stay under 0.2 g/L of blood alcohol, equivalent to 0.1 mg/L of exhaled breath, a quarter of the general limit.

What is the penalty for driving between 0.5 and 0.79 g/L?

It is a 4th class contravention: a 135 EUR standard fine, 6 points withdrawn, and a possible license suspension of up to 3 years, or a court ordered alcohol interlock device as an alternative.

What is the penalty for driving at 0.8 g/L or above?

Since the reform that took effect on 11 July 2025, driving at 0.8 g/L or above is a délit punishable by up to 3 years imprisonment and a 9,000 EUR fine, with a possible license suspension of up to 5 years or cancellation with a 5 year ban on reapplying.

Has the penalty for driving at 0.8 g/L or above recently changed?

Yes. Loi n. 2025-622 du 9 juillet 2025 raised the penalties effective 11 July 2025. Figures published before that date are now superseded and should not be relied on.

What happens if I refuse a breath or blood test?

Refusal is itself an offence and results in immediate retention of the license, separate from any penalty tied to the underlying alcohol level.

Is drug driving punished the same way as alcohol?

No. Driving under the influence of drugs is a distinct offence with its own penalty scale, and combining a positive drug test with alcohol is punished more severely than either offence on its own.