The drink-drive limit in Spain: general, new drivers, professionals and under 18s
Reviewed on 11 October 2026 · sources: BOE (Reglamento General de Circulación, Ley de Tráfico, Código Penal)
Short answer. The general limit in Spain is 0.25 milligrams of alcohol per litre of exhaled air, which equals 0.5 grams per litre of blood. It falls to 0.15 mg/l of breath (0.3 g/l of blood) for professional drivers and for any driver during the two years after getting their licence. For drivers under 18 the limit is zero. These figures come from article 20 of the Reglamento General de Circulación and article 14.1 of the Ley de Tráfico. Spain tests breath first, so the breath figure is the one to remember, not the blood one.
If you come from a country that measures alcohol as a percentage of blood (0.05 % or 0.08 %), do not convert by feel: learn the breath figure in mg/l, because that is what the police device and the exam use.
The limits by type of driver
| Who is driving | Exhaled air (mg/l) | Blood (g/l) |
|---|---|---|
| General driver, including cyclists | 0.25 | 0.5 |
| Professional: goods vehicles over 3,500 kg, buses over nine seats, public service, school and minors' transport, dangerous goods, emergency and special transport | 0.15 | 0.3 |
| New driver: the two years after obtaining the permit or licence | 0.15 | 0.3 |
| Under 18 | 0 | 0 |
For the two years, article 20 adds that the age of a licence only counts when you drive a vehicle for which that licence is enough. A moped licence's age, for example, does not count if you now drive a car.
What happens at a roadside check
- First test with an approved breathalyser (art. 22).
- Second test if you are over your limit, or if you show obvious signs of being under the influence even when you are not over it. There must be at least 10 minutes between the two, and you may check that (art. 23.1 and 23.2).
- A check test. You may ask for a blood test or similar; you deposit the cost, and it is returned if the result is negative (art. 23.3 and 23.4).
- Refusing the test is a very serious offence, as is a positive result (Ley de Tráfico, art. 77.c and d), and the officer may immobilise the vehicle (art. 25).
Points and fines
Points come from annex II of the Ley de Tráfico, item 1:
| Breath reading | General driver | New or professional driver |
|---|---|---|
| Above the limit, up to double | 4 points (0.25 to 0.50 mg/l) | 4 points (0.15 to 0.30 mg/l) |
| More than double | 6 points (above 0.50 mg/l) | 6 points (above 0.30 mg/l) |
A very serious offence normally costs 500 euros (art. 80.1). The fine is 1,000 euros if you were more than double the limit, or if you were already sanctioned for alcohol in the previous year (art. 80.2.a). Refusing the test, and driving with drugs in your system, also carry the 1,000 euro fine and 6 points.
A worked example: a new driver at 0.21
Marta passed her test 18 months ago. At a checkpoint she blows 0.21 mg/l.
- For a general driver 0.21 would be legal, because it is below 0.25. For Marta it is not: she is still within two years of getting her licence, so her limit is 0.15.
- She is over her limit but not over double it (0.30), so she loses 4 points and faces a 500 euro fine.
- At 0.31 mg/l or more she would lose 6 points and pay 1,000 euros, because that is more than double her limit.
- Neither case reaches the criminal threshold, which starts well above, at 0.60.
When it becomes a crime
Article 379.2 of the Código Penal punishes driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs with three to six months in prison, a fine of six to twelve months, or community work of 31 to 90 days, and loss of the right to drive for more than one year and up to four years. A driver is always convicted with more than 0.60 mg/l of breath or 1.2 g/l of blood.
The trap. Being under the number is not a promise that you can drive. With obvious signs of impairment, an officer can go on to the second test even if you are under the limit, and the criminal offence is about driving under the influence, not only about passing a figure. The 0.25 and 0.5 figures mark the administrative offence; they are not an allowance to spend.
Drugs
There is no safe figure for drugs. The law bans driving with drugs in the body, except substances taken under a prescription for a therapeutic purpose when you are still fit to drive with due care (Ley de Tráfico, art. 14.1). The penalty is 6 points (annex II, item 2).
Keep going
- The topic in the syllabus: alcohol and drugs at the wheel.
- Other numbers to know: speed limits in Spain.
- Practise: today's free 30-question DGT exam, available in English.
Reviewed against the consolidated BOE text on 11 October 2026. DrivingLingo is independent and is not endorsed by the DGT. This page is not legal advice.