Drivers caught speeding a certain level above the limit in France will get a criminal conviction under new rules

The French Government has taken bold steps to reduce speeding by making speeding a criminal offense under new rules introduced at the end of last year.

Effective December 29, 2025, any situation where a driver is caught going 50 km/h (31 mph) over the speed limit will now be classed as a traffic accident. ‘délit’ (middle category of criminal offence) and drivers will be given a criminal conviction or the offense will be added to the existing offence.

UK drivers caught committing such an offense will be subject to the French legal system, under which they could be fined a maximum of €3,750 (£3,250), with the possibility of their vehicle being immediately confiscated and a three-month prison sentence.

Britons could also be banned from driving for three years in France.

The AA responded to the new laws by urging Britons to be wary of the rule change before crossing the Channel.

Previously in France, such traffic offenses were punishable by a fine of 1,500 euros (£1,300).

France has a cross-border information exchange system with 19 EU countries, as well as the UK, to enforce road traffic offenses that occur in the country, including speeding caught on roadside cameras.

However, it is not yet clear whether the speeding ticket issued in France will appear on your criminal record in the UK.

Both France and the United Kingdom are part of ECRIS (European Criminal Records Information System), which allows criminal record information to be shared electronically between EU member states.

The Home Office told us: ‘Under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK and EU Member States exchange information on criminal convictions of UK and EU citizens through ECRIS.

‘If a UK citizen is convicted of a recognized offense in France, the French authorities will notify the UK through the ACRO Criminal Records Office, which acts as the UK’s Central Authority for managing ECRIS notifications.

‘These conviction details can then be added to the Police National Computer.’

Even though details are not held in the UK criminal records database, the AA warns drivers that they will be subject to immediate fines if caught on the roadside by French authorities well over the speed limit.

This could include a large fine, car confiscation, and possibly being taken to court.

Effective from 29 December 2025, any incident where a driver is caught going 50 km/h (31 mph) over the limit will now be classed as a ‘délit’ (crime) and drivers will be given a criminal record or the offense will be added to their existing record. Drivers will also face a maximum fine of €3,750 (£3,250) and a potential prison sentence of three months.

According to the latest crime figures in the country, there were 63,217 cases of ‘overspeeding’ on French roads in 2024.

This marks a 69 percent increase in cases recorded seven years ago in 2017.

With the 2025 road fatality statistics in France expected to show another increase, most of which will be caused by overspeeding, the Government has begun taking measures to reduce these rising numbers.

A 2018 report by the French Road Safety Observatory estimated that road accidents cost 2.2 percent of the country’s GDP, taking into account lost working hours and reduced productivity, damages, medical care and other factors.

“Exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 km per hour is not a simple violation: it is an act that deliberately endangers lives,” said Minister delegate Marie-Pierre Vedrenne.

‘By now classifying this speeding as an offence, we are sending a clear message with a tougher legal response: road violence will no longer be tolerated.

‘This step forward is a protective measure for everyone, families and the most vulnerable road users.

‘It reflects the demand for responsibility and respect.’

He added: ‘The mission of the law is to guarantee security and I would like to particularly thank the MPs who introduced the bill that made this major step possible.’

French Interior Minister Marie-Pierre Vedrenne said classifying excessive speed as a crime sends a clear message that ‘road violence will no longer be tolerated’.

AA spokesman Luke Bosdet said it was vital Britons were aware of this rule change and the penalties they could face if caught speeding in Fance.

‘Road laws in Europe and elsewhere can differ greatly from what drivers in the UK are used to,’ he explained.

‘The AA has long advised Britons traveling abroad to research and adhere to the traffic rules in the countries they visit.

‘There is no free pass for bad behavior.

‘The French increased penalties for speeding; This is not only excessive but also excessive punishment.

‘Anyone who tries their luck will likely pay a heavy price.

‘Our advice to drivers in the UK is not to take the risk, for both legal and obvious safety reasons.’

Additional penalties will continue to be imposed in extreme cases, such as vehicle seizure, a three-year driving ban and six points added to the licence.

In France, new rules have been implemented as well as harsher penalties for drivers found guilty of careless driving.

‘Road homicide’ is a new charge that prosecutors can now use for incidents where a fatal road accident results from the driver committing a separate offence, such as driving without a license or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

This decision nominally replaces the charge of manslaughter, following campaigns by victims’ families who believed the previous offense did not reflect the seriousness of the crime.

But criminals will still receive the same charges.

These include: A maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment in the case of one aggravating offence, or ten years in the case of several aggravating offences, as well as a fine of €100,000 to €150,000 (approximately £87,000 to £130,000).

‘Manslaughter’, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a fine of up to €75,000 (£65,000), will continue to apply where no other crime has been committed in addition to the accident.