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 Flemish prosecutors go further: since 1 January 2025 your licence is withdrawn on the spot for 15 days when caught — Wallonia has no such automatic withdrawal, a striking regional split.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- Flanders: licence withdrawn 15 days when caught (prosecutor policy since 2025)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
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Immediate €201 fine plus — in Flanders — a 15-day licence withdrawal. On referral: €300 to €5,000 (doubled for repeats within 3 years) and driving disqualification up to 5 years.
📎 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 — stopped in traffic you're still legally the driver; only when legally parked may you pick up the phone.
Is the 15-day withdrawal nationwide?
Flanders yes (prosecutors' agreement since 2025); Wallonia and Brussels don't withdraw automatically — the €201 fine applies everywhere though.
Can I use it as a sat-nav?
Yes, in a mount on the dashboard or windscreen — type the route before departing; holding it while driving remains an offence.
Do smartwatches or tablets count?
Any mobile electronic device with a screen falls under the ban the moment you hold or operate it while driving.
🔎 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”