Free tap water in restaurants: where the law guarantees it

Can you ask for tap water in a European restaurant without paying? It depends on the country. In France and Spain, the law requires restaurants to offer tap water for free. In Italy, the Court of Cassation ruled in 2026 that there's no such obligation.

The difference adds up. A bottle of water at every meal over a week of travel comes to a noticeable sum.

France: the carafe d'eau goes back to 1967

In France, free water rests on an old rule. A ministerial order of June 8, 1967, on restaurant prices, says the "couvert" is part of the price of a meal. And the couvert includes bread and ordinary water, along with seasonings and tableware, according to a French law firm that reviewed the rules in June 2026.

In 2022 the rule was strengthened. Since January 1 that year, France's Environment Code has required restaurants and bars to state visibly that customers can ask for free drinking water, and to have that water available. The aim is to cut plastic bottle waste.

The right applies to paying customers. No law requires a restaurant, café or bar to give free water to someone who orders nothing.

To ask, say "une carafe d'eau, s'il vous plaît".

Spain: agua del grifo since 2022

In Spain, the obligation is more recent. Law 7/2022 on waste, passed in April 2022, requires hospitality businesses to always offer customers the option of free, unbottled water, according to Spain's European Consumer Centre, part of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.

As in France, the goal is to reduce single-use packaging. Bottled water is still on sale. What changes is that the free option has to exist.

To ask, say "agua del grifo, por favor".

England and Wales: wherever alcohol is licensed

Outside the EU, the UK has its own rule. In England and Wales, every business licensed to sell alcohol, such as pubs, bars and restaurants that serve alcohol, must provide free tap water on request where it is reasonably available, according to the British law firm Freeths. The obligation is one of the mandatory conditions under the Licensing Act 2003, created by a 2010 order debated in the UK Parliament.

The rule has limits. Cafés that don't sell alcohol aren't covered. And businesses can charge for filtered water, the glass or a service fee, as long as the tap water itself is free. Breaching the condition can lead to fines, up to six months in prison and a review of the alcohol licence. Scotland has an equivalent requirement under different legislation; Northern Ireland doesn't.

To ask, just say "tap water, please."

Italy: the court said restaurants can refuse

Italy is a different story. On April 29, 2026, the Court of Cassation, the country's highest court for civil and criminal cases, ruled that no rule obliges restaurants or hotels to serve tap water.

The case started at Christmas 2019 in a five-star hotel in Corvara, in the Dolomites. A guest bought a half-board package, drinks excluded, for more than 5,700 euros. At dinner, the hotel refused to serve tap water and offered mineral water at 7 euros a bottle. It even turned down her offer to pay for jugs of tap water.

The guest sued for 2,763 euros in damages, arguing that water is a human right. She lost at every level. According to the newspaper Il Post, the court concluded that, without a prior agreement, whether to serve tap water is up to each establishment.

That doesn't mean every Italian restaurant will say no. It just means customers can't demand it.

Practical tips

In France, ask for "une carafe d'eau". It's your right when you're eating or drinking there.
In Spain, ask for "agua del grifo". The restaurant has to offer the free option.
In England and Wales, ask for "tap water" in pubs and restaurants that sell alcohol. They have to serve it free.
In Italy, ask whether they serve "acqua del rubinetto" before ordering. The restaurant can say no and charge for bottled water.
Anywhere, check the menu: the price of mineral water is usually listed.

FAQ

Do restaurants in France have to give free water?

Yes, to customers eating or drinking there. A 1967 rule includes ordinary water in the price of a meal, and since 2022 businesses must tell customers they can ask for free drinking water.

Is tap water free in Spanish restaurants?

Yes. Law 7/2022 requires bars and restaurants to always offer the option of free, unbottled water.

Can Italian restaurants charge for water?

They can refuse tap water and sell bottled water instead. In April 2026, the Court of Cassation ruled that no law requires them to serve tap water.

Do pubs in England have to give free water?

Yes, if they're licensed to sell alcohol. In England and Wales, licensed premises must provide free tap water on request.

How do you ask for tap water in French, Spanish and Italian?

In French, "une carafe d'eau". In Spanish, "agua del grifo". In Italian, "acqua del rubinetto".

In Italy, even coffee has two prices. Find out why coffee costs less at the counter.

Sources

Arrêté du 8 juin 1967 et article L 541-15-10 : le droit à l'eau gratuite au restaurant, Caporale Avocats, June 10, 2026: the 1967 order, the Environment Code article in force since 2022 and the limit of the right to paying customers.
New standard that guarantees free tap water in hotels, European Consumer Centre in Spain, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, May 31, 2022: the obligation created by Law 7/2022.
Free tap water: obligations for pubs and restaurants, Freeths, June 19, 2024: the Licensing Act 2003 mandatory condition, who it applies to, what can be charged, penalties and the position in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Licensing Conditions) Order 2010, Hansard, UK Parliament, March 15, 2010: the debate on the order that created the mandatory conditions.
Ristoranti e hotel possono rifiutarsi di servire acqua del rubinetto ai clienti, Il Post, May 27, 2026: the Court of Cassation ruling and the details of the Dolomites hotel case.