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Can you hide your face in a public place?

Verified 03 September 2020 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

No, it is forbidden to hide or completely cover your face in a public place: public road and places open to the public or assigned to a public service. But there are exceptions, such as when the face is obscured by an object that is being worn by the authorities. This is the case for the obligation to wear masks for health reasons, the non-compliance with which is penalized. The penalties are more severe for someone who forces another person to mask his face.

The wearing of any clothing intended to conceal one's face is prohibited:

  • on the public road (in the street, driving your car...),
  • in places open to the public (a shop, a bank, a cinema, etc.),
  • or in places assigned to a public service (town hall, train station, school...).

This prohibition does not apply in private places, such as a home.

The prohibition does not apply if you are in one of the following situations:

  • The outfit is required or authorized by law (a full helmet for a motorcycle, for example)
  • The outfit is justified by health reasons or professional reasons (protective mask for example)
  • The outfit is part of sporting practices, festivals or artistic or traditional events.

It is also punishable to require someone, because of his or her gender, to conceal his or her face by using threats, violence, coercion, or abuse of authority or power.

General case

Possible sanctions:

At a protest

The contravention may go as far as €1,500 if all of the following are present:

  • The person participates in a protest or is next to the protesters
  • The person voluntarily conceals their face to avoid identification
  • There are circumstances which may give rise to a fear of a disturbance of public order.

There are two cases in which the penalty is not imposed:

  • when the event is in accordance with local customs (e.g. carnival)
  • or if concealment of the face is justified by a legitimate reason (e.g. medical bandage).

It is also punishable to require someone, because of his or her gender, to conceal his or her face by using threats, violence, coercion, or abuse of authority or power.

In this case, the penalty may be up to:

  • 1 year in prison,
  • and €30,000 of fine.

When the victim is a minor, the sentence is doubled:

  • 2 years in prison,
  • and €60,000 of fine.