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Everyday procedures such as the driving licence (1/2)
This sheet presents essential procedures for settling and residing within the law. It explains how to obtain or exchange a driving licence and how to insure a car.
Key points of the sheet
- If you have a personal car, you must have a valid driving licence, an up-to-date vehicle registration certificate (carte grise) and car insurance.
- Car maintenance is compulsory every 2 years. This applies to vehicles more than 4 years old.
- To take the driving test, you go to a driving school (auto-école). You can also register as an independent candidate (candidat libre).
- To take the test, you must be at least 17 years old. You must also be resident in France.
- You take theory training, the highway code (code de la route). You also take practical training of at least 20 hours.
- The licence has 2 tests. There is the highway code, a multiple-choice test (QCM), and a practical test of about 30 minutes of driving.
- After you get the licence, you must take out insurance. Then you can drive your car.
Words to know
- driving licence (permis de conduire)
- You must have it to drive your personal car. It must be valid.
- vehicle registration certificate (carte grise)
- If you have a personal car, an up-to-date carte grise for the vehicle is compulsory.
- car insurance (assurance automobile)
- It is compulsory if you have a personal car. You must take it out before driving.
- independent candidate (candidat libre)
- The sheet presents it as an alternative to a driving school for taking the licence.
- highway code (Code de la route)
- It is the theory test of the licence, a multiple-choice test on topics such as traffic rules, safety or priorities.
- multiple-choice test (QCM)
- QCM means multiple-choice questionnaire. It is the form of the highway code test.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Which document is compulsory for your personal car?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel document est obligatoire pour sa voiture personnelle ?
With a personal car, an up-to-date vehicle carte grise is compulsory.
For a car more than 4 years old, maintenance is compulsory:
In French, the language of the exam: Pour une voiture de plus de 4 ans, l'entretien est obligatoire :
Car maintenance is compulsory every 2 years for vehicles more than 4 years old.
What is the minimum number of hours of practical training?
In French, the language of the exam: Combien d'heures de formation pratique faut-il au minimum ?
The practical training lasts at least 20 hours.
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- Everyday procedures such as the driving licence (2/2)
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Source
Sheet “Les démarches du quotidien comme le permis de conduire (1/2)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.