Not wearing a seat belt in France: €135 and 3 points
A driver without a belt loses three points; an adult passenger pays their own fine, with no points. The exceptions are few and written into the text.
Article R412-1 of the French Highway Code requires every driver and passenger of a motor vehicle to wear an approved seat belt when their seat has one. Failing to do so is a class 4 offence: a €135 standard fine, €90 reduced, €375 increased. When the driver is the one not wearing it, three points are taken automatically; a passenger without a belt pays the fine and loses no points. The text provides exemptions: a person whose build is manifestly unsuited to a belt, a holder of a medical exemption certificate that states its period of validity, drivers and passengers of a priority emergency vehicle or an ambulance on call, a taxi driver on duty, and, in built-up areas, door-to-door delivery vehicles and public-service vehicles that stop frequently. The three points come back after three years with no new offence, since it is a class 4 offence.
Standard fine · class 4
€135
Driver not wearing a seat belt
| Reduced (15 days, 30 online) | €90 |
| Increased (after 45 days) | €375 |
| Points deducted | 3 |
| Points left | 9 |
| Suspension risked | no |
| On a probationary licence | course compulsory |
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Minor driving offences that cost three points
| Offence | Class | Standard fine | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver not wearing a seat belt | 4 | €135 | 3 |
| Hand-held phone, earphone or headset | 4 | €135 | 3 |
| Tailgating (safety distance) | 4 | €135 | 3 |
| Driving on the hard shoulder | 4 | €135 | 3 |
| Crossing a solid white line | 4 | €135 | 3 |
| Turning without indicating | 2 | €35 | 3 |
Turning without indicating is the exception: a class 2 offence at €35, but three points like the others. Article R412-1 sets the seat-belt rule and its exemptions.
Fine and points for an offence
Standard fine
€135
| Reduced / increased | €90 / €375 |
| Points | 3 |
| Class | 4 |
Pay quickly
For a €135 standard fine, paying within fifteen days of the notice being sent (thirty online) costs €90, waiting over forty-five days €375. The exact dates are worked out on the increased fine page; when the points come back, on the getting points back page.