The police stopped me for a traffic check: which documents must I show, and can I refuse a breath test?
In short
Yes, you must show your driving licence, and the vehicle documents must be in the vehicle. You cannot refuse a breath test: deliberately refusing it carries the same penalty as an alcohol level of 0,8 per mille or more.
Video transcript
A traffic check on the road. The police ask for your driving licence and want to do a breath test. Required: Showing your licence is compulsory; the registration and insurance papers must be in the car. Refusing a breath test: same penalty as 0.8 per mille or more. The right way: Stay calm: hand over your licence, registration and insurance papers. Do the breath test. Consequences (Level 1 offence): Licence not carried/shown: 80 € – 4.000 €; Refusing a breath test: 1.600 € – 16.000 €; Also: 12-hour driving ban.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- You must carry your driving licence (rijbewijs / permis de conduire) and show it when the police ask for it.
- The vehicle part of the registration certificate (inschrijvingsbewijs / certificat d'immatriculation) must be in the vehicle, and you must hand it over if the police ask for it. Also carry the insurance certificate (verzekeringsbewijs / certificat d'assurance). If your vehicle is subject to roadworthiness testing, its inspection must be valid.
- The police can breath-test anyone driving on the road, even if there has been no offence or accident.
- Deliberately refusing a breath test or breath analysis carries the same penalty as 0,8 per mille or more. You will also not be allowed to drive for 12 hours, and your licence can be withdrawn on the spot.
- The police may only search your vehicle if they have reasonable grounds, for example suspicion of a crime, a wanted person or a dangerous object. They may also search it if you refuse to let them check the vehicle. The vehicle can be held for at most 1 hour for this search.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- Not carrying or not showing your licence is a level 1 crime: the law sets a fine of 80 € – 4.000 €. Refusing a breath test is also a level 1 crime: the law sets a fine of 1.600 € – 16.000 €. This is the same penalty as for 0,8 per mille or more.
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 31 (Justel)Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 34 §2 (Justel)
- Court / prison
- There is no prison sentence for level 1 crimes. The case can go to the police court (politierechtbank / tribunal de police); the court decides the penalty.
Legal basis:Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- If you refuse the test, you may not drive for 12 hours and must hand your licence to the police for that period. If you cannot hand over your licence immediately, the vehicle is impounded at your expense.
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 61 (Justel)
- Refusing the test is one of the situations in which your licence can be withdrawn on the spot (normally for 15 days).
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 56, 1° (Justel)
- If you cannot show the documents, the police can write a report. If they suspect the vehicle is not insured, they can immobilise it or seize the vehicle or its number plate.
Legal basis:WAM-wet 21.11.1989, art. 20, 23WAM-wet 21.11.1989, art. 20, 21
What do these terms mean?
- Police court
- The court for traffic offences and appeals against GAS fines. Despite the name, it is not part of the police; an independent judge decides.
Why does this rule exist?
Checks protect everyone on the road: the police can check that the driver has a licence, that the vehicle is insured and roadworthy, and that the driver has not been drinking. The power to search is limited by law; the police cannot search your vehicle without good reason.
Where can you go?
- Municipal driving licence serviceExchanging a foreign driving licence and other licence matters
- Free first-line legal adviceIf you have been summoned to the police court (juridische eerstelijnsbijstand / aide juridique de première ligne)
- 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
- 21 / 21 statements in an official source
- Checked: 22.10.2026
- Last checked
- 22.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 21 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Sürücü ehliyeti yanında taşımalı
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 21 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Polis istediğinde ehliyeti göstermek zorunlu
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 22 (Justel) - Corrected according to the source
Ruhsat (araç bölümü), sigorta belgesi, muayene belgesi araçta olmalı; asılları istenir
KB 20.7.2001 inschrijving voertuigen, art. 17; WAM-wet art. 7 en 23 - Found in an official source
Ruhsat 2013'ten beri iki parçalı; araç bölümü araçta kalır
KB 20.7.2001 inschrijving voertuigen, art. 16 §2 en 17 §1 - Found in an official source
Polis, ihlal veya kaza olmadan da yolda araç kullanan herkese nefes testi yapabilir
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 59 §1, 2° (Justel) - Found in an official source
Nefes testini/analizini bilerek reddetmek, ≥0,35 mg/l (0,8 promil) ile aynı paragrafta aynı ceza
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 34 §2, 1° en 3° (Justel) - Found in an official source
Reddetmede 12 saat sürüş yasağı
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 60 §3, 3° (Justel) - Found in an official source
Reddetmede ehliyete hemen el konabilir
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 55 §1, 1° (verwijst naar art. 60 §3) (Justel) - Found in an official source
Polis aracı makul sebeple arayabilir (suç, aranan kişi, tehlikeli eşya/delil) veya sürücü kontrolü reddederse
Wet op het politieambt 5.8.1992, art. 29 (Justel) - Found in an official source
İdari polis aramasında araç en fazla 1 saat tutulabilir
Wet op het politieambt 5.8.1992, art. 29 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Ehliyeti taşımamak/göstermemek seviye 1, 80–4.000 €
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 31 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Testi reddetmek seviye 1, 1.600–16.000 €
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 34 §2 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Seviye 1'de hapis yok
Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36 - Found in an official source
Ehliyet rijverbod süresince verilir; hemen verilemezse araç masraf ve risk sürücüye ait tutulur
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 61 (Justel) - Found in an official source
El koyma kural olarak 15 gün
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 56, 1° (Justel) - Corrected according to the source
Belgeler gösterilemezse tutanak; asılları gösterilene kadar araç bağlanabilir
WAM-wet 21.11.1989, art. 20, 23 - Found in an official source
Seviye 1 cezaları hapis içermez (para, iş, probasyon cezası vb.)
Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek I, art. 36 - Found in an official source
Trafik suçları dosyası polis mahkemesine gider
Sv. art. 138, 6° - Found in an official source
Kanunda belge gösterilene kadar bağlama yok; sigortasızlık şüphesinde araç bağlanabilir/el konabilir, sigorta kanıtlanınca kaldırılır (art. 21)
WAM-wet 21.11.1989, art. 20, 21 - Found in an official source
Geçerli muayene belgesi ve etiketi olmadan muayeneye tabi araç yola çıkamaz
KB 15.3.1968, art. 24 §2-3 - Found in an official source
Abartı taraması (2026-10-22): Kanun reddi (bilerek reddetme) 0,35 mg/l (0,8 promil) ve üstü alkolle aynı paragrafta cezalandırır; 'en yüksek alkol derecesi' belirsiz ve daha ağır bir durumu (ör. alkol kilidi gerektiren çok yüksek değerler) çağrıştırıyor. Kurallar (rules
Kaynak alıntısıyla karşılaştırma (abartı taraması)
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?