🍷 Can I drive after one or two drinks in Luxembourg?

With conditions

Quick answer

It depends who you are — and that is the whole trap. The general limit is 0.5‰ in the blood (0.25 mg/l of breath). But it falls to 0.2‰ (0.10 mg/l) for drivers still in their probationary period, anyone under 18, taxis, buses, lorries, ambulances, rental cars, dangerous-goods transport, driving instructors and accompanying drivers. For them, a single drink is enough to cross the line. And the "0.5 g/l is two beers" myth is wrong twice over: the law sets no number of drinks, and no official Luxembourg source publishes any drink-to-level equivalence. Between 0.5 and 0.8‰, expect €145 and 2 points.

📋 The rules

General limit: 0.5‰ in the blood, i.e. 0.25 mg/l of exhaled breath.
Limit lowered to 0.2‰ / 0.10 mg/l for learner drivers, drivers in their probationary period (24-month provisional licence), instructors, accompanying drivers, emergency vehicles, dangerous-goods transport, taxis, rental cars, ambulances, tow trucks, buses, coaches, lorries, semi-trailer tractors, paid passenger transport, and every driver under 18.
From 0.5‰ and below 0.8‰: serious offence — €145 and 2 points.
0.8 to 1.2‰: a police report is mandatory, the case goes to court, with a fine of €25 to €500, a driving ban of 8 days to 1 year and 4 points.
From 1.2‰ (0.55 mg/l): the criminal offence of drunk driving — 8 days to 3 years in prison, a fine of €500 to €10,000, a driving ban of 3 months to 15 years, 6 points, immediate withdrawal, and mandatory confiscation of the vehicle on a repeat offence within 3 years.

🔓 Exceptions

Even below 0.5‰, a driver showing obvious signs of intoxication is still penalised: the number is not a shield.
A repeat offence within 2 years with a level between 0.5 and 1.2‰ is treated as drunk driving — 6 points, not 2 or 4.
Refusing the breath test means your licence is taken on the spot, 6 points and the same penalties as the drunk-driving offence. Refusing buys you nothing.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

€145 and 2 points between 0.5 and 0.8‰; court and 4 points between 0.8 and 1.2‰; a criminal offence, prison, €500 to €10,000, 6 points and immediate withdrawal from 1.2‰. The invisible consequences usually hurt more. The conviction goes on your criminal record and is communicated to the country of nationality of any EU citizen: a cross-border commuter convicted in Luxembourg is flagged back home. The vehicle is confiscated automatically on a repeat offence. And the owner or keeper who allowed someone to drive while drunk faces exactly the same penalties as the driver.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

How many drinks can I have before driving in Luxembourg?

There is no legal answer: no statute and no official Luxembourg source publishes an equivalence between a drink and a blood alcohol level. The only legal reference point is the measured level, never the number of glasses.

Why is the limit 0.2‰ for some drivers?

The Highway Code lowers the threshold for drivers in their probationary period, minors and many transport professionals. For them the margin is effectively nil: one drink is enough to cross the limit.

What happens at exactly 0.50‰?

Official sources diverge: the Justice offence table refers to a level "above 0.5‰", while the road safety authority says "equal to or above". The case of exactly 0.50‰ is therefore not settled.

Can I refuse the breath test?

You can, but it protects you from nothing: refusal means immediate licence withdrawal, 6 points and the same penalties as the drunk-driving offence. It is the worst possible calculation.

Can the car owner be prosecuted too?

Yes. The owner or keeper of the vehicle who allowed someone to drive while intoxicated faces the same penalties as the driver. Handing over your keys is not a neutral act in Luxembourg.

🔎 Common searches

What people search to land here:

“drink driving limit luxembourg”
“how many drinks before driving luxembourg”
“blood alcohol limit luxembourg 0.5”
“drink driving penalty luxembourg fine”
“luxembourg alcohol limit new drivers 0.2”
“refusing breathalyser luxembourg consequences”