France · Пътни закони
France road traffic laws and penalties
Alcohol, phone, emergency equipment and motorcycle filtering rules, with common French fine amounts.
- Държава
- France
- Тема
- Пътни закони
- Последна проверка
- 24 август 2026
- Официален източник
- Отвори източника ↗
Key rules
• Traffic keeps to the right. Posted speed limits always take priority and limits can be lower in rain, poor visibility, towns and temporary zones.
• The usual alcohol limit is 0.5 g/L of blood. A 0.2 g/L limit applies to probationary and certain other drivers. Between 0.2 and 0.8 g/L where the lower limit applies, or between 0.5 and 0.8 g/L for other drivers, the usual fixed fine is €135, with 6 licence points removed; the legal maximum fine is €750 and suspension is possible.
• At 0.8 g/L or above, drink-driving is a criminal offence. It can bring a fine of up to €9,000, up to three years in prison and a driving ban, with more serious consequences where aggravating circumstances apply.
• Holding a phone while driving, or wearing an audio device in an ear, normally costs €135 and 3 licence points. Integrated vehicle systems and motorcycle helmet intercoms are treated differently, but distraction laws still apply.
How French fixed fines work
Many everyday traffic offences are class 4 contraventions with a standard fixed fine of €135. The standard fixed amounts by class are €11 for class 1, €35 for class 2, €68 for class 3, €135 for class 4 and €200 for class 5. Early payment can reduce some fines and late payment can increase them. A court can impose a higher amount up to the statutory maximum.
Emergency and winter equipment
A CE-marked high-visibility vest must be within reach inside the vehicle, and an approved warning triangle must be carried. If stopping on the roadside, wear the vest before leaving the vehicle and use the triangle where doing so is not dangerous. Failure to use the required warning equipment normally attracts a €135 fine and can reach €750.
From 1 November to 31 March, specified communes in mountain areas can require four approved winter tyres or suitable chains or snow socks. Since the transition ended in November 2024, tyres used to satisfy the winter-tyre option need the Alpine symbol as well as the M+S marking. Road signs and local orders remain decisive.
Motorcycle filtering and unusual rules
Motorcycle lane filtering has been legal nationwide since 9 January 2025, but only under strict conditions: dense traffic, suitable divided roads with a normal limit between 70 and 130 km/h, and movement between the two left-most lanes. Eligible two- and three-wheelers must be under one metre wide. Filtering speed is limited to 50 km/h, or 30 km/h when one queue is stationary, and is not allowed in snow, ice or roadworks. A breach is a class 4 offence and removes 3 points.
Radar detectors and devices that warn of the precise position of enforcement controls are restricted. Navigation services operating legally in France alter some alerts into broader danger zones; do not import or use prohibited detection equipment.
Source and scope
Reviewed on 24 August 2026 against France's official Service-Public guidance and Sécurité Routière motorcycle-filtering rules. Fine amounts shown are standard or maximum amounts, not a quote for every case. Vehicle class, licence status, aggravating circumstances and court proceedings can change the sanction. Check the linked official source before travel.
• Traffic keeps to the right. Posted speed limits always take priority and limits can be lower in rain, poor visibility, towns and temporary zones.
• The usual alcohol limit is 0.5 g/L of blood. A 0.2 g/L limit applies to probationary and certain other drivers. Between 0.2 and 0.8 g/L where the lower limit applies, or between 0.5 and 0.8 g/L for other drivers, the usual fixed fine is €135, with 6 licence points removed; the legal maximum fine is €750 and suspension is possible.
• At 0.8 g/L or above, drink-driving is a criminal offence. It can bring a fine of up to €9,000, up to three years in prison and a driving ban, with more serious consequences where aggravating circumstances apply.
• Holding a phone while driving, or wearing an audio device in an ear, normally costs €135 and 3 licence points. Integrated vehicle systems and motorcycle helmet intercoms are treated differently, but distraction laws still apply.
How French fixed fines work
Many everyday traffic offences are class 4 contraventions with a standard fixed fine of €135. The standard fixed amounts by class are €11 for class 1, €35 for class 2, €68 for class 3, €135 for class 4 and €200 for class 5. Early payment can reduce some fines and late payment can increase them. A court can impose a higher amount up to the statutory maximum.
Emergency and winter equipment
A CE-marked high-visibility vest must be within reach inside the vehicle, and an approved warning triangle must be carried. If stopping on the roadside, wear the vest before leaving the vehicle and use the triangle where doing so is not dangerous. Failure to use the required warning equipment normally attracts a €135 fine and can reach €750.
From 1 November to 31 March, specified communes in mountain areas can require four approved winter tyres or suitable chains or snow socks. Since the transition ended in November 2024, tyres used to satisfy the winter-tyre option need the Alpine symbol as well as the M+S marking. Road signs and local orders remain decisive.
Motorcycle filtering and unusual rules
Motorcycle lane filtering has been legal nationwide since 9 January 2025, but only under strict conditions: dense traffic, suitable divided roads with a normal limit between 70 and 130 km/h, and movement between the two left-most lanes. Eligible two- and three-wheelers must be under one metre wide. Filtering speed is limited to 50 km/h, or 30 km/h when one queue is stationary, and is not allowed in snow, ice or roadworks. A breach is a class 4 offence and removes 3 points.
Radar detectors and devices that warn of the precise position of enforcement controls are restricted. Navigation services operating legally in France alter some alerts into broader danger zones; do not import or use prohibited detection equipment.
Source and scope
Reviewed on 24 August 2026 against France's official Service-Public guidance and Sécurité Routière motorcycle-filtering rules. Fine amounts shown are standard or maximum amounts, not a quote for every case. Vehicle class, licence status, aggravating circumstances and court proceedings can change the sanction. Check the linked official source before travel.