The new proposal could go into effect before the end of 2025 and should effectively be interpreted as a no-drink policy, affecting all drivers.
Spain’s directorate-general for traffic, the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), has suggested a new set of drink-driving rules. In their proposal, the universal alcohol limit would be lowered to 0.2 grams per liter in blood or 0.1 milligrams per liter in breath, whereas the current limits allow up to 0.5 grams and 0.25 milligrams, respectively. All drivers, including those on e-scooters and bicycles, would be affected by the change.
“The proposal to reduce the limit to 0.2 gram per liter should really be understood as ‘not a single alcoholic drink if I’m going to drive,’ and should clarify its incompatibility with driving”, Jesús Monclús, director of the Road Safety and Prevention Area at the Mapfre Foundation, told the Majorca Daily Bulletin.
Although the quantity of alcohol present in the body after drinking depends on a great number of factors, for most people, even one beer would mean they surpass the new limits, which could be adopted before the end of 2025.
When going over the allowed limit, drivers would risk a fine of €500 to €1,000. As Spain uses a 12-point driving license system, points could also be deducted from one’s license. Refusing to take a breath-analyser test could result in a separate criminal offence, as would driving with a blood alcohol content of over 1.2 grams per liter. Depending on the situation, a driving ban of up to four years and even a six-month prison sentence could be given to those drivers.
“With this reduction in the maximum legal blood alcohol level, we hope to reduce the percentage of drivers who get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol, and thus the associated accidents. The impact is expected not only in the 0.2-0.5 gram per liter limit, but also at higher levels. In Sweden and Norway, two benchmark countries, a significant reduction in accidents was observed after implementing a 0.2 gram per liter limit”, stated Álvaro Gómez, director of the DGT’s National Road Safety Observatory.
"Por beber un poco no pasa nada"
— Policía Nacional (@policia) October 24, 2025
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Spanish rules
If the new limits come into effect, they would be the latest addition to a growing list of new rules for travellers to keep in mind when visiting Spain. For example, in July 2025, Spain introduced €200 fines for drivers who breach the safe stopping distance in some areas. Moreover, on 9 September 2025, the Spanish coalition government put forward legislation to restrict smoking and related activities in public spaces, although the new restrictions have not been adopted just yet.
