Driving Offences and Penalties in France

What are the main driving offences and punishments in France? We provide a glance summary of what you can expect if you break the Code de la Route on a French driving licence. Fines and imprisonment can also apply on a foreign driving licence.

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Major Offences

Driving Offence	Imprisonment	Fine	Penalty Points	Licence Suspension
Causing death by dangerous driving	≥ 5 years	≥ €75,000	6	5-10 years
Causing serious injury by careless driving	≥ 3 years	≥ €45,000	6	5-10 years
Driving with excess alcohol (≥ 0.4 mg/l in breathing air, or ≥ 0.8 g/l in the blood)/Failing to co-operate with a Breath Test	2 years	€4,500	6	3 years
Drink driving - Second Offence above	4 years	€9,000	6	3 years
Driving under the influence of drugs/Failing to co-operate with preliminary test	2 years	€4,500	6	3 years
Driving without a licence	1 year	€15,000	-	-
Driving whilst disqualified	2 years	€4,500	6	3 years
Contravening a driving ban	2 years	€4,500	-	3 years
Hit and run	2 years	€30,000	6	5 years
Breaking speed limit by over 50 kph - Second offence	3 months	€3,750	6	3 years
Failing to co-operate	3 months	€3,750	6	3 years
Driving with false registration	5-7 years	€3,750 - €30,000	6	3 years
Driving with no insurance certificate	-	€3,750	-	3 years
Perturbing or obstructing traffic	2 years	€4,500	6	3 years
Distribution or sale of devices and systems to modify the moped or motorbike speed limiter	2 years	€30,000	-	3 years
Distribution or sale of devices and systems to locate or disturb speed cameras (radars)	2 years	€30,000	-	3 years

Minor Offences - 5th Class

Driving Offence	Fine	Penalty Points	Licence Suspension
Causing (light) injury by careless driving	€1,500	-	3 years
Breaking speed Limit by over 50 kph	€1,500	6	3 years
Driving on a public highway with moped or motorbike which does not comply with EC Reception Control	€1,500	-	-

Minor Offences - 4th Class

Driving Offence	Fine	Penalty Points	Licence Suspension
Driving without respecting driving licence requirements and restrictions	€135 (1)	3	3 years
Driving an agricultural vehicle or machine under age	€135 (1)	-	-
Driving with TV - or TV monitor - set in field of vision	€135 (1)	2	-
Drink Driving: from 0.25 mg/l to 0.4 mg/l in breathing air, or from 0.5 g/l to 0.8 g/l in the blood	€135 (1)	6	3 years
Failing to give way	€135 (1)	4	3 years
No stopping before a red light or a stop sign	€135 (1)	4	3 years
Driving in a No-Entry way	€135 (1)	4	3 years
Making a U-turn or reversing on a motorway	€135 (1)	4	3 years
Driving at night or in dark surroundings with lights off	€135 (1)	4	3 years
Not respecting the safety distances	€135 (1)	3	3 years
Dangerous overtaking	€135 (1)	3	3 years
Driving on the left when not on a dual carriageway	€135 (1)	3	3 years
Crossing a white line	€135 (1)	3	3 years
Driving on a white line	€135 (1)	1	3 years
Accelerating while being overtaken	€135 (1)	2	3 years
Failing to get in the right-hand lane while being overtaken	€135 (1)	-	-
Driving outside the carriageway or in a reserved lane	€135 (1)	-	-
No wearing an helmet on two wheeler	€135 (1)	3	-
Not fastening seat belt	€135 (1)	3	-
Neither safety jacket nor safety triangle on board	€135 (1)	-	-
Using a vehicle with damaged tyre(s)	€135 (1)	-	-
Using a vehicle with no plates or unreadable plates	€135 (1)	-	-
Driving without the vehicle registration document	€135 (1)	-	-
Using a vehicle without regular MOT	€135 (1)	-	-
Failing to give way when entering a Highway	€135 (2)	4	3 years
Speeding Offences
Breaking speed Limit by between 40 and 50 kph	€135 (1)	4	3 years
Breaking speed Limit by between 30 and 40 kph	€135 (1)	3	3 years
Breaking speed limits by between 20 and 30 kph	€135 (1)	2	-
Breaking speed simits by under 20 kph when the speed limit is ≤ 50kph	€135 (1)	1	-
Parking Offences
Dangerous or inconsiderate stopping or parking	€135 (2)	3	3 years
Stopping or parking at night or in dark surroundings without lighting	€135 (2)	3	3 years
Inconsiderate stopping or parking	€135 (2)	-	-

Minor Offences - 3rd Class

Driving Offence	Fine	Penalty Points	Licence Suspension
Breaking speed limits by under 20 kph when Driving over 50kph	€68 (3)	1	-
Using a vehicle with no prescribed braking system	€68 (3)	-	-

Minor Offences - 2nd Class

Driving Offence	Fine	Penalty Points	Licence Suspension
Turning suddenly without prior warning	€35 (4)	3	3 years
Driving on hard shoulder	€35 (4)	3	3 years
Using a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle	€35 (4)	2	-
Failing to pay a toll fee	€35 (4)	-	-
Cyclist with no safety jacket (when riding out of town)	€35 (4)	-	-
Inadequate stopping or parking	€35 (5)	-	-

Minor Offences - 1st Class

Driving Offence	Fine	Penalty Points	Licence Suspension
Parking while banned	€11 (6)	-	-
Offence committed by a pedestrian	€4 (7)	-	-

(1) (€90 if paying within 3 or 15 days, €375 if paying after more than 45 days)
(2) (€375 if paying after more than 45 days)
(3) (€45 if paying within 3 or 15 days)
(4) (€22 if paying within 3 or 15 days, €75 if paying after more than 45 days)
(5) (€75 if paying after more than 45 days)
(6) (€33 if paying after more than 45 days)
(7) (€7 if paying after more than 45 days)

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