Vietnam has no “one beer is fine” allowance. Article 8 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety (No. 36/2024/QH15) prohibits operating any vehicle with alcohol in your blood or breath: any detectable alcohol while riding a motorbike or moped is an offence.
The fine bands for motorbikes and mopeds
Decree 168/2024/NĐ-CP (Article 7) sets the punishment bands for motorbike and moped riders — the same levels for both:
| Blood alcohol | Breath | Fine (VND) | Extra penalties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 50 mg/100 ml | Up to 0.25 mg/L | 2,000,000 – 3,000,000 | 4 licence points deducted |
| Over 50–80 mg/100 ml | 0.25–0.4 mg/L | 6,000,000 – 8,000,000 | 10 licence points deducted |
| Over 80 mg/100 ml | Over 0.4 mg/L | 8,000,000 – 10,000,000 | Licence suspension 22–24 months |
Refusing an officer’s alcohol test is itself punishable at the top fine band, and drug use while riding carries the same 8–10 million VND band.
Pedal-type electric bicycles are treated separately, with lower fines under the decree’s non-motorised vehicle schedule — but the zero-tolerance prohibition still applies to their riders too.
What this means in practice
- One beer can put you in the lowest band; more puts you higher
- The police conduct breath tests at checkpoints, especially at night and around holidays
- Alcohol involvement after a crash can invalidate insurance claims and worsens your liability position
If you plan to drink
Leave the bike. Take a taxi or ride-hailing car, walk, or arrange your evening so the motorbike is not part of the return trip. This is also the advice we give our own rental customers: a drink-driving fine, or worse, costs far more than any taxi.
Information, not legal advice. All figures verified against the full text of Law 36/2024/QH15 and Decree 168/2024/NĐ-CP on 2026-09-21.