What You Need to Know About Lanzarote’s Drink Driving Laws

It’s important to know that Lanzarote’s drink driving laws may be different from those in your home country.

Hiring a car is one of the best ways to explore Lanzarote, giving you the freedom to visit hidden beaches, volcanic landscapes and charming villages at your own pace.

However, before you pick up the keys, it’s important to know that Lanzarote’s drink driving laws may be different from those in your home country. Every year, tourists are caught out because they assume the legal limit is the same everywhere in Europe.

What Is the Drink Driving Limit in Spain?

For most drivers in Spain, including visitors to Lanzarote, the legal alcohol limit is:

0.5 grams of alcohol per litre of blood (0.05% BAC)
0.25 milligrams of alcohol per litre of breath

New drivers (those who have held a licence for less than two years) and professional drivers are subject to lower limits.

How Does Spain Compare With Other European Countries?

Country	Legal Blood Alcohol Limit (BAC)
Spain	0.05%
Republic of Ireland	0.05% (lower for learner, novice and professional drivers)
Scotland	0.05%
England	0.08%
Wales	0.08%
Northern Ireland	0.08%
France	0.05%
🇩🇪 Germany	0.05%
Italy	0.05%
Portugal	0.05%
Belgium	0.05%
Netherlands	0.05% (lower for new drivers)
Greece	0.05% (lower for new and professional drivers)
Sweden	0.02%
Norway	0.02%
Poland	0.02%
Czech Republic	0.00%
Hungary	0.00%
Romania	0.00%

So… How Many Drinks Can You Have?

This is the question everyone asks, but there’s no simple answer.

Your blood alcohol level depends on many factors, including:

Your weight.
Your age.
Whether you’re male or female.
What you’ve eaten.
The strength of your drinks.
How quickly your body processes alcohol.

For some people, just one or two alcoholic drinks may be enough to put them close to—or even over—the legal limit.

That’s why the Spanish authorities never recommend trying to calculate how much you can safely drink before driving.

Don’t Forget the Morning After

Many people think that after a night’s sleep they’ll automatically be safe to drive.

Unfortunately, alcohol leaves your body slowly. After a heavy evening out, you could still be over the legal limit the following morning, especially if you were drinking late into the night.

If you’re planning an early drive after enjoying Lanzarote’s restaurants or nightlife, it’s worth keeping this in mind.

What Happens If You’re Caught?

Drink driving is treated very seriously in Spain.

Depending on the circumstances, penalties can include substantial fines, driving bans, vehicle immobilisation and, for very high alcohol levels or dangerous driving, criminal prosecution.

For anyone on holiday, it’s simply not worth the risk.

The Best Advice for Visitors

Lanzarote has an excellent choice of taxis, buses and organised excursions, making it easy to enjoy a meal or a few drinks without worrying about driving.

If you’re planning to drive, the safest advice is also the simplest:

If you’re driving, don’t drink.

That way you can enjoy everything Lanzarote has to offer without risking your holiday—or anyone’s safety.