In Poland, driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or any other similarly acting drug is prohibited. The permissible alcohol content in the driver’s blood must not exceed 0.2 per mille. Police devices show a result of mg/l in exhaled air, and this means that the permissible alcohol content shown by the device cannot exceed 0.1 milligrams per litre (0.2 per mille).
The law in Poland distinguishes between:
- state after the use of alcohol (concentration in the blood from 0.2 to 0.5 per mille, or the presence in exhaled air from 0.1 mg to 0.25 mg of alcohol in 1 dm3).
- state of intoxication. (More than 0.5 per mille of alcohol in the blood or the alcohol content in 1 dm3 of exhaled air exceeds 0.25 mg or leads to a concentration exceeding this value).
Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of an intoxicant is a crime, punishable by imprisonment. In cases specified in the law, the court additionally orders the forfeiture of the vehicle or its equivalent and a ban on driving.
Driving after the use of alcohol or a similarly acting agent is a misdemeanour and punishable by arrest or a fine.
Legal basis:
Act of June 6, 1997, Criminal Code (c.t. Journal of Laws of 2024, item 17,1227)
Act of May 20, 1971, Code of Offences (c.t. Journal of Laws of 2023, item 2119),Article 87
Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism c.t. Journal of Laws of 2023, item 2151)
Information current as of: .
The editorial staff of the portal makes every effort to ensure that the content presented complies with the law, is up-to-date (as of the date of publication, indicated on each subpage) and is useful to users. We note that the content published on the website is for informational purposes only and presents the essence of the issues raised in a general manner. They do not constitute advice or legal opinions in individual cases and should not be the sole basis for decisions on the resolution of specific legal problems. Individual legal advice should be sought from qualified professionals.