Can I use my phone while driving in Belgium?
No — holding it is banned, and in Flanders it costs you €201 plus 15 days of your licence. Using, holding or handling a mobile electronic device with a screen while driving is a third-degree offence: since 1 July 2026 an immediate fine of €201. Flemish prosecutors go further: since 1 January 2025 your licence is withdrawn on the spot for 15 days when caught — Wallonia has no such automatic withdrawal, a striking regional split. What is allowed: the phone in a mount on the dashboard, touched only the way you'd operate a sat-nav. At red lights or in traffic jams you're still 'the driver' — so no scrolling. If the file goes to the police court: fines of €300 to €5,000 and disqualification up to 5 years.
📋 The rules
- Phone in hand = 3rd degree: €201 (since 1/7/2026)
- Flanders: licence withdrawn 15 days when caught (prosecutor policy since 2025)
- Allowed: phone in a mount, operated like a sat-nav
- At red lights/in jams you're still the driver — no scrolling
- Police court: €300–5,000, disqualification 8 days–5 years
🔓 Exceptions
- Legally parked (not: stopped at a light) — then calling is fine
- Emergency calls to 112 at an accident: common sense prevails
- Phone in a mount on the dashboard or windscreen: allowed, and you may operate it the way you would a sat-nav
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The immediate fine is €201 since 1 July 2026. In Flanders a more painful sanction comes on top: prosecutors withdraw your licence on the spot for 15 days. In Wallonia and Brussels that withdrawal is not automatic — but the €201 fine applies everywhere, a regional split that catches many drivers out. If the prosecutor refers the case, the police court hands down fines of €300 to €5,000, doubled for a repeat within three years, plus disqualification for 8 days to 5 years. And getting caught is mundane: one glance down at a junction is enough.
📎 Official sources
- Public Prosecution Service · Immediate licence withdrawal for phone use (NL) →
- Ghent Local Police · Fine amounts from 1/7/2026 (NL) →
- VSV · Phones at the wheel: rules and fines (NL) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I use my phone at a red light?
No. Even stopped in traffic you are legally still the driver, so scrolling at a red light or in a jam is an offence. Only when you are legally parked may you pick up the phone.
Is the 15-day withdrawal nationwide?
In Flanders yes: prosecutors agreed it as of 1 January 2025 and withdraw the licence immediately. In Wallonia and Brussels that withdrawal is not automatic, but the €201 fine applies across the whole country.
Can I use it as a sat-nav?
Yes, as long as the device sits in a mount on the dashboard or windscreen and you operate it like a sat-nav. Type the route before you set off: holding the device while driving remains an offence.
Do smartwatches or tablets count?
Yes. Any mobile electronic device with a screen falls under the ban the moment you hold or operate it while driving. So it is not only about your smartphone — a tablet or a smartwatch counts just as much.
What does it cost if my case goes to court?
At the police court the fine rises to between €300 and €5,000, and that amount doubles for a repeat offence within three years. The judge can add disqualification from driving of 8 days to 5 years.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “phone driving fine belgium”
- “belgium 15 day licence phone”
- “phone mount rule belgium”
- “texting red light belgium”
- “gsm fine flanders”
- “phone driving police court belgium”