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If you require advice and assistance with the purchase of French property and moving to France, then take a look at the France Insider Property Clinic.
Guide to Driving in France
- Driving Offences and Penalties
- Importing and Registering a Vehicle
- Vehicle Registration Process & Transfer of Ownership
- Vehicle Registration Taxes
- MOT Vehicle Tests
- Obtaining a French Driving Licence
- Use of Vehicle Accident Forms in France
- Crit'Air Emissions Sticker
- Grants for Electric Cars
- Scrapping a Vehicle
1. Driving Offences and Penalties in France
Below is a summary of the penalties you may incur if you break the Code de la Route in France.
Although the penalties sometimes look severe, the licence suspensions and prison suspensions shown are the maximum that a judge can decide.
By contrast, all minor offence fines are automatic.
Those resident in France from within the EU who commit an offence that would otherwise result in:
- Restriction, cancellation or suspension of a French driving licence or,
- Loss of points on the licence,
are also required to exchange their foreign licence for a French one. In practice, they may not require you to do this for a minor offence, but do not bank on it!
If you have a French licence, and you need to check the number of any points for offences you have on the licence, you can do so at Telepoints. You will need to sign in using France Connect.
Since the UK left the EU, drivers in France on UK plates who are flashed for speeding escape fines and penalties, as there is no longer a reciprocal agreement between the two countries.
Nevertheless, fines and imprisonment can also be applied against those driving in France on a foreign driving licence if stopped by police.
We considered cross-border offences in our Newsletter article Cross-Border Fines on Driving Offences, written prior to Brexit, but much of it still relevant.
In relation to some of the offences listed below, as well as the penalties listed you may also be liable to immediate roadside licence disqualification and/or confiscation of the vehicle.
The following is the list of offences and the maximum penalties that apply. Note that in relation to the fines, the amounts are generally less if you settle within a stipulated time-scale.
You might also wish to read an article we published in France Insider in April 2023 concerning the relaxation of a points loss on minor speeding offences.
We also published an article on the operation of speed cameras in France and the margin of error that is used, which depends on the type of camera and your speed. You can read the piece at Speed Cameras and Offences.
Major Offences
Driving Offence | Imprisonment | Fine | Penalty Points | Licence Suspension |
---|---|---|---|---|
Causing death by dangerous driving | ≥10 years | ≥€150,000 | 6 | 5 years |
Causing serious injury by careless driving | ≥3 years | ≥€45,000 | 6 | 3 years |
Driving with excess alcohol of ≥0.8 g/l in blood sample/Failing to co-operate with a breath test | 2 years | €4,500 | 6 | 3 years |
Drink driving - Subsequent offence | 4 years | €9,000 | 6 | 3 years |
Driving under 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 |
Display of device to modify the moped/motorbike speed limiter | 2 years | €30,000 | - | 3 years |
Display of device to locate or disturb speed cameras | 2 years | €30,000 | - | 3 years |
Minor Offences - 5th Class
Driving Offence | Fine | Penalty Points | Licence Suspension |
---|---|---|---|
Driving with TV monitor in field of vision | €1,500 | 3 | - |
Use of illegal speed camera detector | €1,500 | 6 | - |
Causing (light) injury by careless driving | €1,500 | - | 3 years |
Breaking speed limit by over 50 kph | €1,500 | 6 | 3 years |
Minor Offences - 4th Class
Driving Offence | Fine | Penalty Points | Licence Suspension |
---|---|---|---|
Using a mobile phone while driving a motor vehicle | €135 (1) | 3 | - |
Driving without respecting driving licence requirements and restrictions | €135 (1) | 3 | 3 years |
Driving agricultural vehicle/machine under age | €135 (1) | - | - |
Drink Driving: from 0.25 mg/l to 0.4 mg/l in breath sample, | |||
or from 0.5 g/l to 0.8 g/l in blood sample | €135 (1) | 6 | 3 years |
Failing to give way | €135 (1) | 4 | 3 years |
Not stopping before a red light or a stop sign | €135 (1) | 4 | 3 years |
Driving in a no through road | €135 (1) | 4 | 3 years |
Making U-turn/Reversing on a motorway | €135 (1) | 4 | 3 years |
Driving at night/In dark surroundings with lights off | €135 (1) | 4 | 3 years |
Not respecting 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 right-hand lane while being overtaken | €135 (1) | - | - |
Driving outside the carriageway or in a reserved lane | €135 (1) | - | - |
Not wearing an helmet on two wheeler | €135 (1) | 3 | - |
Not using 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 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 km/h | €135 (1) | 4 | 3 years |
Breaking speed limit by between 30 and 40 km/h | €135 (1) | 3 | 3 years |
Breaking speed limit by between 20 and 30 km/h | €135 (1) | 2 | - |
Breaking speed limit by under 20 km/h when the speed limit is ≤ 50kph | €135 (1) | 1 | - |
Parking Offences | |||
Dangerous or inconsiderate stopping/parking | €135 (2) | 3 | 3 years |
Stopping/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 limit by under 20 km/h when limit ≥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 |
Failing to pay a toll fee | €35 (4) | - | - |
Inadequate stopping or parking | €35 (5) | - | - |
Minor Offences - 1st Class
Driving Offence | Fine | Penalty Points | Licence Suspension |
---|---|---|---|
Illegal parking | €11 (6) | - | - |
Since 1 January 2018, each local council can freely set parking fines.
(1) (€90 if paying within 3 or 15 days, depending on offence, or €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, depending on offence)
(4) (€22 if paying within 3 or 15 days, depending on offence, or €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)
We published an article on how to recover point deducted on your French licence at **French Driving Licence - Recovery of Points.
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