Sale of alcohol to take away at night
Verified 17 December 2025 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
If a business wants to sell alcohol to take away at night between 10pm and 8am, the operator must undergo specific training. For the fixed businessesHowever, it is in addition to the one needed to sell alcohol during the day (small or large take-away license). For the walking shops, it is in addition to the declaration in town hall necessary for the day sale.
Supermarket, grocery store, caterer
Grocery stores and supermarkets remain open at night after 10pm, as do some caterers. These permanent shops, which are open at night, are often settled in large urban areas.
Note that the service stations must stop the sale of alcohol from 6pm until 8am. They are therefore not concerned.
Stationary liquor outlets can sell the same type of liquor to take away at night as they are allowed to sell during the day.
To sell during the day, they must hold one of the following licenses:
- Small license to take away (alcohols less than 18°)
- Takeaway License (alcohols greater than 18°)
Example :
A drinking establishment with a small take-away license may only sell at night alcohol below 18° which it is authorized to sell during the day.
To sell alcohol between 10pm and 8am , the operator of the establishment must have received specific training.
If the operator is fully trained, the operator will receive a permit to sell alcoholic beverages at night : this is the PVBAN: titleContent.
The permit is valid for 10 years. He is renewable by conducting a new 6-hour training.
The training must be taken in a training center. accredited training in face-to-face.
It lasts about 8 p.m. (2.5 days).
The training covers the prevention and fight against alcoholism, the protection of minors, the repression of public intoxication, the fight against noise. It also provides training in narcotics legislation and civil and criminal sanctions.
At the end of the training, the organization provides the operator with the completed permit form.
License to operate a beverage outlet or restaurant
Operating permits and specific training
Classification of beverages by category
Different liquor licenses
Small licenses restaurant to take away
Sale of alcohol to take away at night
Training for the renewal of the operating license
Establishments that sell take-away alcohol must put breathalyzers for sale for customers and make them easily visible by these (for example next to the place of collection).
How many breathalyzers per facility?
Whatever the size of your establishment, you must put it up for sale at least 50 breathalyzers for your customers.
They must be available at the time of each opening.
The minimum number varies according to the capacity of the establishment.
Type of device | Minimum Number |
|---|---|
Chemical Breathalyzer | 1 breathalyzer for 1/4 of the capacity |
Electronic Breathalyzer making it possible to produce a limited number of blasts |
|
Electronic breathalyzer without limitation of the number of murmurs (with annual calibration) | 1 breathalyzer for 300 people |
Reminder
The blood alcohol level is illegal and prohibits driving if it is not less than 0,5 g/l blood (and greater than or equal to 0,2g/l for young drivers in probationary permit for 2 or 3 years after the permit).
The breathalyzer gives the level of alcohol in the exhaled air (in mg of alcohol per liter of air).
Example :
0.10 mg/l alcohol in exhaled air corresponds to 0.2 g/l of alcohol in the blood and 0.25 mg/l alcohol in the air exhaled corresponds to 0.5 g/l in the blood.
What checks should be carried out on breathalyzers?
The disposable tips must be in individual packagings and sealed (hermetically sealed and guaranteed to be used only once).
Warning
It is recommended to check the effective date breathalyzers, usually 2 years maximum, and to possess more than the mandatory minimum number.
How to inform customers of the presence of breathalyzers?
Breathalyzers should be reported by a posting information.
The poster must be placed near the exit the establishment, in the immediate vicinity of the breathalyzers.
The display must be in the format minimum of 21 × 29,7 cm (A4), and may be enlarged proportionately.
The operator shall make available a instructions for use near the breathalyzer.
It must comply with the following characteristics:
- Paper support in a minimum size of 21 × 29,7 cm (A4), with no magnification limit
- Letters in character Helvetica (normal or bold) black on yellow background
The package leaflet must include the following information :
- Single use of the end piece
- Maximum display thresholds (0.10 mg/l and 0.25 mg/l in exhaled air) triggering a ticket when driving a vehicle
- Maximum duration of use between two settings and/or the maximum number of blows allowed
- Results of measurements considered unreliable, obtained with an expired breathalyzer test
- Wait time of at least 20 minutes after drinking and before blowing into the breathalyzer for the test to be reliable
- The user cannot contest the result obtained by the police during a check by presenting the result obtained with a breathalyzer previously in the establishment
- No driving if the test result is higher than 0.10 mg/l for new drivers (probationary or apprenticeship license) or higher than 0.25 mg/l for other drivers
Please note
It is possible to use templates for information media available for download from the road safety website.
Trading
Street vendors who wish to sell alcohol after 10pm must undergo specific training in addition to the declaration necessary for the sale of alcohol during the day. These are walking bars and restaurants, food trucks etc. Only the sale of alcohol of less than 18 ° is allowed to them, regardless of the time.
Street vendors are allowed to sell the same spirits at night that they are allowed to sell during the day, i.e. spirits with a maximum titre of 18°.
Street vendors: spirits authorized for sale
A street vendor can sell alcohol between 10pm and 8am provided you have followed a specific training.
This training is in addition to declaration in town hall that the debit of traveling beverages must do for the sale to take away by day.
If the merchant completes the training, he receives a license to sell alcoholic drinks at night: this is the PVBAN: titleContent.
This permit is valid 10 years. It is renewable by performing a new 6-hour training.
The training must be completed in person at a training center. accredited training.
It lasts about 8 p.m. (2.5 days).
The training covers the prevention and fight against alcoholism, the protection of minors, the repression of public intoxication, the fight against noise. It also provides training in narcotics legislation and civil and criminal sanctions.
At the end of the training, the organization provides the operator with the completed permit form.
License to operate a beverage outlet or restaurant
Operating permits and specific training
Training for the renewal of the operating license
Establishments that sell take-away alcohol must put breathalyzers for sale for customers and make them easily visible by these (for example next to the place of collection).
How many breathalyzers per facility?
Whatever the size of your establishment, you must put it up for sale at least 50 breathalyzers for your customers.
They must be available at the time of each opening.
The minimum number varies according to the capacity of the establishment.
Type of device | Minimum Number |
|---|---|
Chemical Breathalyzer | 1 breathalyzer for 1/4 of the capacity |
Electronic Breathalyzer making it possible to produce a limited number of blasts |
|
Electronic breathalyzer without limitation of the number of murmurs (with annual calibration) | 1 breathalyzer for 300 people |
Reminder
The blood alcohol level is illegal and prohibits driving if it is not less than 0,5 g/l blood (and greater than or equal to 0,2g/l for young drivers in probationary permit for 2 or 3 years after the permit).
The breathalyzer gives the level of alcohol in the exhaled air (in mg of alcohol per liter of air).
Example :
0.10 mg/l alcohol in exhaled air corresponds to 0.2 g/l of alcohol in the blood and 0.25 mg/l alcohol in the air exhaled corresponds to 0.5 g/l in the blood.
What checks should be carried out on breathalyzers?
The disposable tips must be in individual packagings and sealed (hermetically sealed and guaranteed to be used only once).
Warning
It is recommended to check the effective date breathalyzers, usually 2 years maximum, and to possess more than the mandatory minimum number.
How to inform customers of the presence of breathalyzers?
Breathalyzers should be reported by a posting information.
The poster must be placed near the exit the establishment, in the immediate vicinity of the breathalyzers.
The display must be in the format minimum of 21 × 29,7 cm (A4), and may be enlarged proportionately.
The operator shall make available a instructions for use near the breathalyzer.
It must comply with the following characteristics:
- Paper support in a minimum size of 21 × 29,7 cm (A4), with no magnification limit
- Letters in character Helvetica (normal or bold) black on yellow background
The package leaflet must include the following information :
- Single use of the end piece
- Maximum display thresholds (0.10 mg/l and 0.25 mg/l in exhaled air) triggering a ticket when driving a vehicle
- Maximum duration of use between two settings and/or the maximum number of blows allowed
- Results of measurements considered unreliable, obtained with an expired breathalyzer test
- Wait time of at least 20 minutes after drinking and before blowing into the breathalyzer for the test to be reliable
- The user cannot contest the result obtained by the police during a check by presenting the result obtained with a breathalyzer previously in the establishment
- No driving if the test result is higher than 0.10 mg/l for new drivers (probationary or apprenticeship license) or higher than 0.25 mg/l for other drivers
Please note
It is possible to use templates for information media available for download from the road safety website.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
To apply for an authorization to sell alcohol at a fair or party
Town HallTo request authorization for fairs and parties located in Paris
Paris Police Prefecture - Gesvres Central Site
Beverage trade
Repression of public intoxication
Sale of breathalyzers in take-away liquor stores