Andorran Courts Mixed Rulings on Drink-Drivers' Work Driving Appeals

Andorran courts have recently ruled on three requests from drink-driving offenders to regain driving privileges for work purposes, denying two and granting one under strict conditions.

In the first case, a man convicted in April 2025 via penal ordinance for driving with a blood alcohol level of 1.52 g/l received a 12-month licence suspension and fine, aggravated by prior offences. He sought permission to drive during work hours, citing the need to travel long distances to visit international clients, particularly in France, and claiming public transport was impractical due to frequent strikes. Magistrates rejected the appeal, noting the offence occurred just 16 months after a previous drink-driving conviction and less than a month after he regained his licence. They highlighted his ability to work without driving during the 15 months of his prior suspension, as well as his apparent financial means, casting doubt on his claims of hardship. The court concluded these factors prevented a positive assessment of his future conduct.

The second case involved a man needing to drive his vehicle a couple of times weekly for work at a livestock farm in Spain's Vall d'Aran, where he transported animals and might need to present his Andorran licence to Spanish authorities. Although Andorran driving bans apply only within the Principat, courts ruled that residents with locally issued licences must surrender them fully until the penalty expires. His defence invoked the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which allows non-residents to retain licences when leaving the sanctioning country. However, magistrates dismissed this, as the convention does not apply to Andorran residents, leading to rejection of the appeal.

In the third ruling, the only approval, courts authorised a man to drive solely for work—weekdays from 8am to 7.30pm—due to job sites inaccessible by public transport and the need to carry loads. Officials acknowledged the original offence posed an abstract risk but noted no actual harm occurred, the man accepted responsibility, showed no alcohol addiction or prior similar convictions, and the sanction had already been imposed. The permission comes with warnings: it can be revoked for any breach of trust, and each authorised day counts as half a day towards his suspension.