Driving Offences and Penalties in France: Fines, Tickets & Points

In France, all drivers – including foreign drivers and rental car drivers – must adhere to the French ‘Code de la Route’. Many of these laws are common sense and will likely be similar to those in place in your own country. However, there may also be some fineable offences which differ to those you are used to, so it’s a good idea to familiarise yourself with the rules before you hit the road. Our article on Driving in France is a good place to start.

The most common driving offences (infractions routières) in France are as follows:

• Speeding
• Failure to wear a seat belt (for both the driver and passengers)
• Crossing a red light
• Driving under the influence of alcohol
• Driving under the influence of drugs
• Failure to wear a helmet (motorcycle drivers)
• Driving in a prohibited lane
• Use of a mobile phone (or any other communication equipment – including headphones and Bluetooth headsets) while driving
• Parking offences (parking in a dangerous or inconvenient manner, or failure to pay the required parking fees)

What happens if you commit a driving offence in France?

Violation of any of these rules can result in a fine, points on your licence, impounding of your vehicle, and/or prosecution, depending on the severity of the offence. In France, the penalties faced depend upon the severity of the offence committed, and there are five different classes of tickets (contraventions) that can be issued, with the 5^th being the most severe.

The following is a rough breakdown of traffic violations/tickets:

1^st Class (1re classe)

• Parking infraction (Non respect des règles de stationnement) – minor

2^nd Class (2e classe)

• Change of direction without indicating (Changement de direction sans clignotant)
• Non-payment of a toll (Non-paiement d´un péage)
• Absence of an insurance certificate (Absence d´attestation d´assurance)
• Parking infraction (Non respect des règles de stationnement)

3^rd Class (3e classe)

• Speed less than 20 km/h (for a maximum authorized speed greater than 50 km/h) (Excès de vitesse inférieur à 20 km/h (pour une vitesse autorisée maximale supérieure à 50 km/h))
• Non-compliant braking devices (Dispositifs de freinage non conformes.)

4^th Class

• Use of a handheld telephone (Usage d’un téléphone tenu en main)
• Driving on the hard shoulder of a motorway (Circulation sur la bande d’arrêt d’urgence)
• Driving without seat belt (Conduite sans ceinture de sécurité)
• Failure to give priority (Refus de priorité)
• Failure to respect a red light or stop (Non-respect d´un feu rouge ou d’un stop)
• Crossing or overlapping a solid line (Franchissement ou chevauchement d’une ligne continue)
• Absence of a valid Controle Technique (Absence de visite technique périodique)
• Driving under the influence of alcohol (Conduite en état alcoolique)
• Driving in a prohibited direction (Circulation en sens interdit)
• Non-compliance with the safety distance (Non respect de la distance de sécurité)
• Speeding (up to 50 km/h over the speed limit) (Excès de vitesse inférieur à 50 km/h)
• Dangerous overtaking (Dépassement dangereux)
• Circulation without lighting (Circulation sans éclairage)
• Absence of a vehicle registration certificate (Absence de certificat d´immatriculation)

5^th Class

• Speeding more than 50 km/h over the speed limit) (Excès de vitesse supérieur à 50 km/h)

* Classifications are taken from the government guidelines here and may be subject to change.

The penalties for each class of driving offence will depend on the classification level and the type of offence. Typically, all offences will result in a fine and the deduction of points from your licence. More serious offences such as driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and accidental injury or death to another driver or pedestrian are likely to also be classed as a criminal offence, resulting in the loss of your licence, a criminal record, and a possible prison sentence.

The below chart shows the fine amounts for the different classes of offence – the ‘normal’ fine amount is generally reduced to the ‘minority’ amount if paid within 15 days, while the ‘increased’ fine is applicable if you fail to pay the fine or contest it within 45 days.

Whether you own a car in France, travel to France in your UK or EU-registered car, or hire a rental car – FrenchEntrée has all the need-to-know info about driving in France. Our Essential Reading articles will take you through buying, registering, and insuring your car, as well as offering tips and advice on driving and car ownership in France.