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NOT ALLOWEDOffence All of Belgium Depends on the municipality

Is it an offence to spray graffiti on a wall or to damage a car or a bus shelter?

In short

Yes. Spraying graffiti on, or damaging, someone else's property without permission is vandalism. For buildings, vehicles and community facilities, the penalty is heavier (level 2). The municipality can also impose an administrative fine.

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This rule in 63 seconds
Video transcript

You're out at night with friends. Spray paint in your hand, a blank wall in front of you. Not allowed: Spraying graffiti on someone else's property without permission, or damaging it, is vandalism. On buildings, vehicles and shelters, the penalty is heavier. The right way: Leave other people's property alone. If you want to do graffiti, get the owner's permission first. Consequences (Level 2 offence): Building, vehicle, shelter: 6 months – 3 years prison; Municipal fine: Up to 500 €; Also: Repair costs.

What is not allowed, what is required?

  • Deliberately breaking, damaging or making unusable something that belongs to someone else, or spraying graffiti on it without permission, is vandalism (vandalisme; Criminal Code art. 514). The basic penalty is level 1 (art. 515).
  • Buildings, vehicles, trees, woodland and facilities used by the community (maatschappelijke infrastructuur / infrastructure sociétale) are given special protection. Damaging them is level 2; if the damage is serious, level 3 (art. 517).
  • Scratching a car's paintwork, writing on the wall of a building without permission or smashing the glass of a bus shelter can all fall under this. Damaging a grave, a gravestone or a memorial to someone who has died in a way that insults their memory is a separate offence (art. 370, level 2).
  • Vandalism that causes serious damage is also level 2 (art. 516). If it is done with violence or threats, the penalty is heavier (art. 518).
  • If the municipality has provided for this in its regulations, it can impose an administrative fine (GAS / SAC) for vandalism: no more than 500 € for adults and no more than 175 € for young people aged 14 or over.

Penalty and indirect consequences

PENALTY NOTICEOffence · Criminal Code, level 2
Fine / payment
Simple vandalism (level 1): by law, a fine of 200 € – 20.000 € or 20 – 120 hours of community service; no prison. If the municipality issues the fine: no more than 500 € (175 € for 14- to 17-year-olds). The victim can also claim the cost of repairs separately.

Legal basis:Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36

Court / prison
Damage to a building, vehicle, tree or shared facility (level 2): 6 months – 3 years in prison or an alternative penalty. If the damage is serious, level 3: 3 – 5 years in prison.

Legal basis:Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36

What does this level mean? Criminal Code, level 2: 6 months – 3 years in prison or an alternative sentence. All penalty levels →

What really matters: the indirect consequences

What do these terms mean?

GAS fine
An administrative fine imposed by the municipality itself. It is not a criminal sentence. The maximum is €500 for adults and €175 for minors. You can appeal within 1 month to the police court (the youth court for minors).
Criminal record
The state register of convictions handed down by a court. The extract asked for a job, residence or nationality application comes from it. Municipal GAS fines are not entered in it.

All terms: glossary →

Why does this rule exist?

Walls, bus shelters, parks and vehicles were paid for by the community or by someone's hard work. In the end, repairs are paid for out of taxes or by the owner. The rule keeps shared spaces clean and safe.

Where can you go?

  • Free first-line legal advice and pro deo lawyerA free or low-cost lawyer if your income is low
  • Justice HouseInformation and support for victims, accused people and convicted people (Justitiehuis / Maison de justice)
  • Emergency112 · Police 101
  • Social interpreterAt the municipality, the OCMW/CPAS, school and hospital, you can ask for an interpreter in your language; it is often free.

This site does not handle individual cases; it points you to the right service. All help addresses

Source and reliability

Official source
Source check
16 / 16 statements in an official source
Checked: 22.10.2026
Last checked
22.10.2026
Rules can change
Show the 16 checked statementsopen

The checked statements are in Turkish, as in the source text. This check does not replace legal advice.

General information, not legal advice. For your own situation, ask a lawyer or free legal aid. How was this information prepared?

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