Driving Licences in France

If your foreign driving licence cannot be exchanged for a French one, or if you do not have a foreign driving licence, you will need to take the full theory, practical and for some categories of licence, oral, examinations in French.

The information below is a basic guide to the process you can expect when applying for and taking a French driving test. For detailed or specific information, you must enquire at a driving school or your Préfecture.

Vehicles not requiring driving licence

Under certain conditions, certain types of vehicles may be driven without a driving licence:

Mopeds: with an engine size up to 50cc, maximum speed of 45 kph, if it has automatic gears, if the driver is over 14 years of age and has insurance for the moped.
Mini-cars "carriages" and electric cars under 1 kW power: if the car has been registered since 1 March 1992, the driver is over 14 years and has insurance.
Tractors or agricultural machines: at a maximum speed of 40kph, on farmland, if the driver is over the age of 16 years.

Mopeds

A moped or scooter of up to 50cc must have certain certificates displayed:

If the driver is between 14 and 16 years of age, they must show the patent of road safety, brevet de sécurité routière.
A certificate of insurance stating: the insurance company, the identification number of the insurance holder, the engine number of the vehicle.
The proof of insurance certificate

NOTE: From June 2004 50cc mopeds and bikes must be registered.

See the INFOrmation page on Carte Grise: Moped Registration

Standard category driver's licence: class B

The licence B permits a driver to drive a vehicle with a maximum weight of 3,5 tons, and seating no more than 9 passengers, including the driver. This includes standard passenger cars, people carriers and microbusses.
The licence B driver may tow a trailer with a maximum weight of 750 kg (or at least not heavier than the towing car) with a total weight of 3,5 tons.
B licence holder may drive Tricycles and heavy power-driven quadricycles
B licence holder may drive a motorcycle of 125cc or less if they have had their B licence for 2 years minimum.

Applying for the Driving Licence

Permis de conduire en candidat libre Permis de conduire définitif

Application for a Driving Test:

Apply at the Préfecture or through a driving school for the registration form Cerfa n°11246.
This must be completed and submitted with the following. (If you are a minor, it must be filled in by your parent or guardian).

Proof of identity - residency permit or Carte de Séjour
Two recent identity photos with your name printed on the back.
Two stamped, self-addressed envelopes.
A medical certificate.
The copy of the driving licences for which you are applying.

An overview of the process for a standard category B licence:

Get a medical examination by a local medical examiner, commission médicale départementale
Study for and take theoretical exam, the code (Study book, Code de la Route available in French only from bookshops.)
Once you have passed the theory exam you are entitled to five attempts at the practical exam over the course of 2 years.

Learner Drivers: Apprentissage Anticipé de la Conduite (AAC)

Basic driving practice can begin at 16 years if certain criteria are met. First register with the prefecture. Then sign up with a registered driving school for an "evaluation of knowledge". If successful, the learner must follow a minimum of 20 hours driving practice with a school before taking a general theory test. If successful, the candidate is issued with a certificate valid for three years to drive accompanied by an adult, with a teaching follow-up by the driving school in preparation for full test and training from age 18.

See this page of the ministry of transport website

The practical exam can only be taken from the age of 18 years by a learner who has completed the accompanied driving training for a period of 1 to 3 years and completed at least 3000 km.

An unlicenced trainee driver may not drive outside of France and is restricted to a speed limit of 110km/h on the Autoroute.

You receive a certificate permitting you to drive accompanied by a qualified driver over the age of 28, who has held their licence for a minimum of 3 years.
Before you may take the practical test you must drive for 3,000km accompanied by a qualified driver.
The insurance company of the owner of the vehicle must be notified and be in agreement.
The vehicle must be equipped with two side rear-view mirrors.
The car must have the "A" (learner driver) sign on the back, ideally a central handbrake and a manual gear box. Learning to drive in an automatic car does not qualify you for the full category B licence.
The exam takes you through a 20-minute course in traffic.

Note: If you already hold a foreign driver's licence, you are not required to drive the full 3,000km "practice driving".

Once you pass the practical exam, you are issued with a provisional driver's licence, the pink attestation provisoire or la "feuille rose". This is valid for 2 months and permits you to drive anywhere within France.

You have between 2 weeks and 2 months to collect your licence from the Prefecture or the place of the exam.

You must take:

The feuille rose supplied by the inspector
Proof of identity
Money - to pay the regional tax

You may request you licence by post, sending:

The feuille rose supplied by the inspector
A stamped, self-addressed registered envelope
A check for payment of regional taxes

Note: If you wear spectacles or contact lenses, it must be stated on your licence and it is compulsory to wear either of them to drive. If you use contact lenses, you must keep a set of spectacles with you at all times while driving.

There are special exceptions for physically disabled people. Please enquire at the Préfecture or your driving school.