Getting a driving licence in France
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If you already hold a licence, start with the exchange rules - you may not need any exam at all. If you do not, the French path is a few steps, two exams and one decision that determines most of the cost. Both cases are covered below, in English. The Highway Code and the exams are national, so the rules are the same wherever you live in France.
Start with the right question
EU or EEA licence?
It stays valid in France, and you can exchange it if needed with no exam at all. This is the single most useful thing to check before planning anything else.
Non-EU licence?
It depends on a reciprocity agreement with the issuing country. Some are exchangeable directly, others require the code and practical tests. The préfecture, through the ANTS, decides your case.
No licence at all?
Then the full French path applies: code test from 15 with accompanied driving, learning, practical test from 17, full licence.
Exchanging a foreign licence
This is where most people arriving in France should start, because the answer often removes the rest of the process entirely.
A licence issued in an EU or EEA country stays valid in France and can be exchanged without any exam. A licence from outside the EU depends on a reciprocity agreement with the issuing country: some are exchangeable directly, within a time limit after you settle, and some are not - in which case both the code and the practical test apply. The lists change and your residence situation matters, so the préfecture, through the ANTS, is the only reliable answer.
Do this before booking anything. Paying for a code test you did not need is the most common avoidable expense for new arrivals.
Taking the code test
The code test is taken at an approved operator - La Poste, SGS, Dekra, Objectif Code and others - never at a driving school and never at home. It is offered in French; there is no official English version, though audio playback of each question is available and, for the practical, an interpreter can be arranged under conditions.
If your French is limited, the honest advice is to prepare the vocabulary of the Highway Code deliberately: the terms for priority, giving way, stopping and parking recur constantly, and knowing them removes most of the language difficulty. The questions and the marking scheme are national and identical for everyone.
What the code test covers
Forty questions on the French Highway Code: road signs, priority rules, speed limits, stopping and parking, motorways, vulnerable road users, documents, the environment and first aid. Around twenty seconds per question.
You need at least 35 correct answers out of 40 to pass. Unlike some countries, there is no compulsory training imposed after repeated failures - a failed attempt simply means paying the €30 fee again and rebooking.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 40 |
| Pass mark | 35/40 correct |
| Time per question | about 20 seconds |
| Language | French (audio playback available) |
| Fee | €30 per attempt, fixed nationally |
| Where | Approved operators (La Poste, SGS, Dekra…) |
| Validity of a pass | 5 years, up to 5 practical attempts |
| Minimum age | 15 with accompanied driving, otherwise 17 |
Learning: driving school or accompanied driving
France lets you learn with an approved supervisor - typically a relative or friend who has held a category B licence for at least five years - alongside or after initial driving school training. This is accompanied driving (conduite accompagnée / AAC), and it is the single biggest cost lever in the whole process.
The trade-off is time rather than money. A driving school gives structure and availability at an hourly rate; accompanied driving gives cheap mileage but depends entirely on how available your supervisor really is. Many people combine both: a few paid hours to build the basics, then mileage with a supervisor.
One national system, not a patchwork
Unlike some neighbouring countries, France runs a single national system. The Highway Code, the code test format and marking, the age thresholds and the probationary rules are the same in Paris, Lyon or Marseille. What varies in practice is only the waiting time for a practical test slot, which depends on your department and the season.
That has a useful consequence for anyone moving within France: the revision you do and the code pass you obtain are valid nationwide, and moving town does not restart any part of the process.
Key figures
- 15 — code age, accompanied driving
- 40 — questions
- 35/40 — to pass
- 5 years — code pass validity
The five steps
- Pass the code test Forty questions at an approved operator, 35 correct to pass. Taken in French, at a nationally fixed fee of €30.
- Choose your learning route A driving school, accompanied driving (AAC) from 15, or as a free candidate. Each has its own cost and pace.
- Learn to drive At a driving school, with a supervisor, or both. The minimum learning period before the practical test depends on the route.
- Take the practical test On public roads with an examiner, from age 17. It lasts around thirty minutes.
- Collect the full licence Apply online through the ANTS after passing. The category B licence opens a three-year probationary period (two after accompanied driving).
Frequently asked questions
Can I exchange my foreign driving licence in France?
A licence issued in an EU or EEA country stays valid and can be exchanged with no exam. For a licence issued outside the EU, it depends on a reciprocity agreement with the country: direct exchange within a time limit, or both exams. The préfecture, through the ANTS, decides your case.
Can I take the French code test in English?
No. The code test is offered in French, with audio playback of each question. There is no official English version, so prepare the Highway Code vocabulary in advance. For the practical test, an interpreter can be arranged under conditions.
How old do I have to be?
You can sit the code test from 15 through accompanied driving, otherwise 17, and take the practical test from 17. The AM moped licence starts at 14.
How much does it cost?
The code test is €30 per attempt, fixed nationally. The practical test itself is a free state exam, and the licence is now issued free of charge through the ANTS. Driving lessons remain the variable that dominates the total.
Do I need a French address?
You generally need to be resident in France. Requirements depend on your residence status, so confirm with the préfecture or on Service-Public.fr before booking anything.
How long is a code pass valid?
Five years, covering up to five practical attempts. If you have not obtained your licence within that window, you must sit the code again.