The French theory test in English
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The French theory test is sat in French. But if your French is not up to reading trick questions at speed, there is an official route: an approved translator-interpreter, and English is one of the languages covered. Here is how it works, how to arrange it, what the test contains, and how to prepare for it in English.
What you need to know first
French is the official language
The test itself is in French. English is available through an approved translator-interpreter, not as a separate official version.
Request the interpreter in advance
The interpreter is arranged before the test, on request and at extra cost. It cannot be set up on the day.
The test itself is identical
Forty questions, 35 to pass, the same marking scheme and the same syllabus. Only the language of delivery changes.
How the language works
France has one official test language: French. There is no German, Italian or English version of the exam itself.
If your French is not strong enough, the regulations allow sitting the test with an approved translator-interpreter, and the list of covered languages is wide - English, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish and more. This is not automatic: it must be requested in advance, it is subject to conditions, and it carries an extra cost. Start that process well before the date you have in mind.
| Option | Availability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| French | The standard test | The only official test language |
| English (with interpreter) | On request, under conditions | Approved translator-interpreter, extra cost |
| Other languages (with interpreter) | On request | Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish and more |
| French sign language | On request | Adjustments for deaf and hard-of-hearing candidates |
Does sitting it with an interpreter make it harder?
No. The number of questions, the time per question, the marking scheme and the syllabus are identical however you sit it. What changes is the language of delivery - and that is precisely why the language you understand fastest is the right one.
The one genuine difficulty is vocabulary. French traffic law has terms with no neat English equivalent: priorité à droite, the legal split between stopping (arrêt) and parking (stationnement), the zone de rencontre. Learn those terms as terms rather than translating them each time.
Practising in English is not a shortcut - it removes a variable that has nothing to do with driving. Failing because you misread a question costs exactly the same as failing on the Highway Code.
What the test covers
Forty questions on the French Highway Code, drawn from the same chapters regardless of language: road signs, priority rules, speed limits, stopping and parking, motorway driving, vulnerable road users, documents, mechanics and first aid.
The marking is simple: every question is worth one point, and you need 35 out of 40 - five mistakes at most. There is no minor or serious mistake; each wrong answer counts the same.
Rules that surprise experienced foreign drivers
Holding a licence elsewhere does not carry you through this test. A few French specifics account for most of the losses among people who already drive well.
- Priority to the right (priorité à droite) applies widely in France. Unless a sign says otherwise, the vehicle coming from your right goes first.
- Default speed limits changed in 2018 to 80 km/h outside built-up areas, though some departments have restored 90 on selected roads.
- Stopping and parking are legally distinct, with different rules and different signs, and the test wording plays on the difference.
- Trams, bus lanes and cycle infrastructure follow rules with no equivalent in many licence systems.
Before you revise at all: can you just exchange your licence?
If you already hold a licence issued in an EU or EEA country, you can normally use it and exchange it with no exam at all. For a licence issued outside the EU, it depends on the country and on a reciprocity agreement: direct exchange within a time limit, or both exams.
Check this first. Preparing for and paying for a test you did not need is the most common avoidable expense among new arrivals in France.
The exam in numbers
- 40 — questions
- 35/40 — to pass
- ~20 s — per question
- €30 — per attempt
Booking and sitting the test with English support
- Check the interpreter route English is covered by the approved translator-interpreter scheme. Confirm the process and the languages before you commit.
- Request the interpreter in advance The interpreter is arranged ahead of the test date and carries an additional cost on top of the €30 fee.
- Bring valid ID Without a valid identity document you will not be admitted, and the fee stays paid.
- Prepare in English beforehand Learn the Highway Code vocabulary in the language you will be tested in. Translating in your head costs seconds you do not have.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the French driving theory test in English?
Not as a separate official version - the test is in French. But you can sit it with an approved translator-interpreter, and English is one of the covered languages. The interpreter is requested in advance and costs extra.
Which languages are covered by the interpreter scheme?
A wide list, including English, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and Turkish, among others. Confirm the current list and process when you arrange the booking.
Is the test easier or harder with an interpreter?
Neither. The number of questions, the time per question, the marking scheme and the syllabus are identical. Only the language of delivery changes.
How much does the theory test cost?
€30 per attempt, a national rate identical across approved operators. The interpreter, if you use one, is an extra cost.
Do I need to take the test at all if I already have a licence?
Not if it was issued in an EU or EEA country - that is normally exchanged with no exam. For a non-EU licence it depends on the issuing country and any reciprocity agreement. Check before revising anything.