Belgium gets tougher on traffic offenders

Traffic fines in Belgium will increase by 10 percent starting in July. Drivers caught driving under the influence o falcohol will receive a temporary 12-hour driving ban, which will also start in July.

The traffic fines concern the amounts for immediate collection for traffic violations. An administrative fee of about 10 euros is added to each of these. Specifically, the total amount – including the administrative surcharge – for a first-degree offense, such as a 'minor' speeding violation, will rise from 68 to 74 euros. Second-degree fines, such as not wearing a seatbelt, will go from 126 to 138 euros. Anyone caught using a mobile phone while driving (a third-degree offense) will have to pay 201 euros, compared to 184 euros currently.

Fines for driving under the influence of alcohol are also increasing. For instance, anyone just above the alcohol limit of 0.5 per mille will have to pay 207 euros (instead of 189 euros). Above 0.8 per mille, that will be 472 euros (instead of 430 euros). All amounts for immediate collections had not been adjusted since 2017.

Traffic fines in Belgium generated approximately 600 million euros in revenue in 2025. In 2025, the police recorded more than 10 million traffic violations for the first time, averaging about 27,000 fines per day.

Drivers caught driving under the influence of alcohol will receive a temporary 12-hour driving ban. Currently, temporary driving bans following a positive alcohol test can last two, three, six, or twelve hours. The new law stipulates that these temporary driving bans will henceforth be extended to 12 hours in all cases.

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