Can I drive after drinking?
Only within the legal limit: for many drivers it's zero. Driving after drinking is allowed only if the blood-alcohol level stays within the legal limit, set at 0.5 g/l. But for some categories the limit is zero: new drivers in the first 3 years, under-21 drivers and professional drivers. With the new Highway Code, sanctions are stricter. Between 0.5 and 0.8 g/l the fine ranges from €543 to €2,170 with licence suspension of 3 to 6 months; over 0.8 g/l penalties rise and you may be required to drive vehicles with an alcolock (the device that blocks ignition if alcohol is present), with the licence "marked" for 2-3 years. For drugs, zero tolerance applies: a positive test is enough.
📋 The rules
- General limit: 0.5 g/l
- Zero for new drivers (3 years), under-21s and professionals
- 0.5-0.8 g/l: fine €543-2,170 and suspension 3-6 months
- Over 0.8 g/l: harsher penalties and possible alcolock
- Drugs: zero tolerance, a positive test is enough
🔓 Exceptions
- The most serious thresholds (over 1.5 g/l) carry significant criminal sanctions
- Refusing the test (breathalyser): sanctioned as the most serious level
- Alcolock: mandatory for those over certain thresholds, at their own cost
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Driving with a level over the limit carries heavy fines, licence suspension (and in serious cases revocation), point deduction and, above certain thresholds, criminal consequences (arrest). For new drivers and under-21s the limit is zero, so any level triggers the sanction. Refusing the breathalyser is punished as the most serious case. The new Code's changes also include the alcolock and the marked licence. For drugs, you don't need to prove impairment: a positive test is enough. The safe rule is simple: if you drink, don't drive.
📎 Official sources
- MIT · New Highway Code (alcohol and drugs while driving) →
- Normattiva · Highway Code (driving under the influence of alcohol, art. 186) →
- State Police · Alcohol and driving →
❓ Frequently asked
What's the alcohol limit for driving?
The general limit is 0.5 grams per litre. But for new drivers in the first 3 years, under-21 drivers and professional drivers the limit is zero: any blood-alcohol level triggers the sanction. The safest rule is not to drink if you have to drive.
How much is the drink-driving fine?
It depends on the level. Between 0.5 and 0.8 g/l the fine ranges from 543 to 2,170 euros with licence suspension of 3 to 6 months. Over 0.8 g/l sanctions rise, with criminal consequences and possible alcolock. Over 1.5 g/l you also risk arrest.
What is the alcolock?
It's a device that blocks the engine from starting if it detects alcohol in the driver's breath. With the new Highway Code, those over certain thresholds can be required to drive only vehicles fitted with an alcolock, at their own cost, and have their licence marked for 2-3 years.
And if I drive after taking drugs?
For narcotics, zero tolerance applies: you don't need to prove the driver is impaired, a positive test is enough to trigger the sanctions, which are very severe and include fines and criminal consequences.
What happens if I refuse the breathalyser?
Refusing to take the breathalyser test is sanctioned as the most serious violation, i.e. as if you'd been found with the highest blood-alcohol level. So it's best to take the test: refusing doesn't avoid the consequences, it worsens them.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “alcohol driving limit 0.5”
- “zero alcohol new drivers”
- “drink-driving fine”
- “alcolock new highway code”
- “drugs driving zero tolerance”
- “refuse breathalyser sanction”