Romania on a French Licence — 0.0 Alcohol & Horse-Cart Roads

A French driver arrives in Romania on easy terms — right-hand traffic, an EU licence that needs no IDP, 112 everywhere — so the adjustments are about the limit you must respect and the road in front of you, not the documents in your pocket.

Zero, not 0.05

Romania’s alcohol limit is 0.0 BAC — a genuine zero, against the 0.05 you are used to in France. The difference is more than a number: a single glass of wine that is legal in Lyon puts you over the line in Cluj, and Romanian police breath-test routinely at roadside checks. Treat it as no alcohol at all before driving; the penalties beyond the limit are serious.

The road, not the sign

This is what surprises French visitors most. The motorway network is limited, so the majority of a Romanian trip happens on single-carriageway national and county roads. On those you share the lane with horse-drawn carts, slow agricultural vehicles and heavy trucks, the surface quality varies, markings fade, and unlit traffic appears after dark. The 90 km/h rural limit is a legal maximum, not a comfortable pace — overtaking demands patience and a long, clear view, and rushing it is where tourists come unstuck.

Road tax, speeds and money

Every vehicle on the main network needs the rovinietă, an electronic road tax checked by camera; a rental usually includes it, but confirm at the desk. If you are touring beyond Romania, our vignette countries guide lays out how each country charges. Motorways are 130 km/h where they exist, towns 50, and a minor speeding fine is roughly RON 290–725 (≈ €60–150) — see the speeding fine calculator for your figure.

Winter tyres are required in wintry conditions, fuel is about €1.42/litre, and the car must carry a warning triangle, vest, first-aid kit and extinguisher. The full rules are on the Romania driving guide; emergencies are 112.