What happens if I drive after smoking cannabis?
In short
Driving under the influence of drugs is forbidden, and there is zero tolerance. If your saliva test is positive, you cannot drive for at least 12 hours. Your licence can be taken away for 15 days and the case goes to court.
Video transcript
You smoked cannabis last night. Today you feel fine, and you get in the car. Not allowed: There is no permitted limit for drugs: zero tolerance. A positive THC test is enough; you don't need to still feel the effect. The right way: If you've taken drugs, don't drive. Take a taxi or let someone else drive. Consequences: Positive test: No driving for 12+ hours; Licence: Can be taken for 15 days; Police court: 2.000 € – 20.000 €.
What is not allowed, what is required?
- Unlike alcohol, there is no limit for drugs below which "a little is fine": in practice there is zero tolerance. The detection thresholds set by law are very low, so even a small amount can be enough for a penalty.
- The police can do a saliva test (speekseltest / test salivaire) on the road. It detects substances such as cannabis, cocaine and amphetamines.
- You can be punished even if you no longer feel the effect. It is enough for THC to be found in your saliva or blood test. Thinking "the effect has already worn off" does not protect you.
- If the test is positive, you cannot drive for at least 12 hours. Your licence can be taken away for 15 days; the court can extend this to up to 3 months.
- Possessing drugs is also a separate crime under the Drugs Act of 1921.
Penalty and indirect consequences
- Fine / payment
- No on-the-spot fine. At the police court: a fine of 2.000 € – 20.000 € (surcharge multipliers included). The court can also give you a driving ban.
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 36, 34 §1, 29 §4 (Justel)
- Court / prison
- The case goes to the police court (politierechtbank / tribunal de police). In a fatal accident, you risk a heavy prison sentence. Ask a lawyer about the level of the penalty.
Legal basis:Sv. art. 138, 6°Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek II, art. 107, 107/1
What really matters: the indirect consequences
- Your licence can be taken away for 15 days; the court can also give you a driving ban
Legal basis:Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 55 §1 1°, 56 1° (Justel)Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 38 §1, 1° (Justel)
- A conviction can appear on your criminal record (strafregister / casier judiciaire)
Legal basis:Sv. art. 590, 1°
- If you lose control because of drugs and cause an accident, your insurer pays the victim. It can then ask you to pay back part of the money, up to 31.000 €.
Legal basis:KB 16.4.2018 (BA-motorrijtuigen), bijlage art. 44, 46 2° b)
- Serious or repeated crimes can affect your residence permit
Legal basis:Vreemdelingenwet 15.12.1980, art. 21
What do these terms mean?
- 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.
- On-the-spot payment
- A fixed amount offered by the police. If you pay, the case is closed and does not go to court. If not, the prosecutor takes over; the amount can rise and the case can go to court.
- 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?
Drugs impair your attention, slow your reactions and make it harder to judge distances. Even if the driver feels fine, they notice danger too late. This rule protects everyone on the road.
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
- 15 / 15 statements in an official source
- Checked: 22.10.2026
- Last checked
- 22.10.2026
- Rules can change
Show the 15 checked statementsopen
- Found in an official source
Uyuşturucu etkisinde sürmek yasak
Wet 16 maart 1968 (Wegverkeerswet), art. 37bis §1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Sıfır tolerans, izin verilen sınır yok
Wet 16 maart 1968 (Wegverkeerswet), art. 37bis §1 ve 61bis §2 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Polis tükürük testi yapabilir; esrar, kokain, amfetamin tespit edilir
Wet 16 maart 1968 (Wegverkeerswet), art. 61bis (Justel) - Found in an official source
Test pozitifse en az 12 saat yasak
Wet 16 maart 1968 (Wegverkeerswet), art. 61ter §1 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Ehliyete 15 gün el konabilir; mahkeme 3 aya kadar uzatabilir
Wet 16 maart 1968 (Wegverkeerswet), art. 55 §1 1°, 55bis, 56 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Bulundurmak 1921 Uyuşturucu Kanunu'na göre suç
Senaat, Informatieverslag 7-225 (19.04.2024) over de drugswet van 24 februari 1921 - Found in an official source
Mahkemede 2.000–20.000 €; sürücü belgesinden men verilebilir (zorunlu değil)
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 36, 34 §1, 29 §4 (Justel) - Found in an official source
Trafik suçları dosyası polis mahkemesine gider
Sv. art. 138, 6° - Found in an official source
Trafikte ölüme sebebiyet seviye 3 (3–5 yıl hapis); uyuşturucu etkisinde verzwaarde: seviye 4
Strafwetboek (W 29.2.2024) Boek II, art. 107, 107/1 - Found in an official source
Uyuşturucu tespitinde ehliyete hemen el konabilir; kural olarak 15 gün
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 55 §1 1°, 56 1° (Justel) - Found in an official source
Mahkeme uyuşturucu (art. 37bis) mahkûmiyetinde sürücü belgesinden men verebilir
Wegverkeerswet 16.3.1968, art. 38 §1, 1° (Justel) - Found in an official source
Ceza mahkûmiyetleri adli sicile kaydedilir
Sv. art. 590, 1° - Found in an official source
Uyuşturucu etkisinde kontrol kaybı + kazayla nedensellik varsa sigortacı en fazla 31.000 € rücu eder
KB 16.4.2018 (BA-motorrijtuigen), bijlage art. 44, 46 2° b) - Found in an official source
Kamu düzeni nedeniyle oturuma son verilebilir
Vreemdelingenwet 15.12.1980, art. 21 - Found in an official source
Abartı taraması (2026-10-22): 'İzin verilen sınır yoktur' mutlak bir ifade. Kanunda düşük de olsa yasal tespit eşikleri var; bu eşiğin altındaki sonuç dikkate alınmaz. Pratikte sıfır tolerans doğru, ama 'hiç sınır yok' kaynağın söylediğinden kesin.
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?