To prepare and register for the exam, you must (in addition to the age requirements):

• hold the ASSR 2 or the ASR (see below) if this is the first license you have taken and you were born after 1988;
• be a citizen of the European Economic Area with personal and/or professional ties for at least 6 months in France OR, if you are not European, you must have lived in France for at least 6 months and have a valid residence permit;
• have a "fit to drive" medical certificate if you have a disability or disabling illness.

2 main options exist, depending on your preferences and your age:

1) the classic option (driving school lessons only) from 16 years old

2) accompanied driving (driving school course then driving with a relative) to train, with three possibilities:

• early driving instruction (AAC) from the age of 15
• supervised driving from 16 to 18 years old (in the specific context of training for transport trades)
• supervised driving (18 years and over)

You need these documents in digital version (scan or photo):

1. Identity document: valid passport or residence permit

2. Proof of address less than 6 months old: electricity or gas bill, mobile phone bill, etc.
> Read the Réfugiés.info file Scan a document

3. E-photo (or digital signature photo)
> Read the Réfugiés.info fact sheet: Taking and using an e-photo

4. If necessary, a medical opinion (cerfa form no. 14880)

Please note that other documents may be required depending on your situation:

• the workbook if you have already been registered in a driving school
• a copy of your driving licence if you have a licence of another category or if you are not taking the highway code test
• the decision to cancel, invalidate or suspend the driving license...

You can choose your driving school.

To choose well, it is important to take into account:

• the price of the license: there are often significant differences between driving schools
• the distance from your home or work, and opening hours
• the support, the instructors, the place
• the average waiting time to take the exam
• the exam success rate of people registered with this driving school,
• recommendations from a friend or relative about a particular driving school…

You can use this map to find a driving school near you.

The highway code test (also called the "general theory test" or "ETG") is a questionnaire with 40 questions on 11 topics: parking rules, signs, visibility, etc.

You must have at least 35 correct answers to pass the exam.

The driving school offers a tailored training program with:

• a small book with explanations of the rules and signs of the road
• on-site courses
• the possibility of doing exercises on a website or an application.

The driving school takes care of all the procedures for the highway code test:

• request for NEPH (harmonized prefectural registration number) on the France Titres website (formerly ANTS, national agency for secure titles)
• registration at an examination center, at the address, date and time that suits you.

You will then receive an invitation by email to print with all the information: date and location, supporting documents to take with you (identity document, NEPH) on the day of the exam.

It is possible to take the code:

• from 15 years old with early learning to drive
• from 16 years old with traditional apprenticeship.

The exam costs 30 euros. If you fail, you must pay another 30 euros to retake the exam. The driving school may charge you additional training fees.

There are 5 options for learning to drive:

1. the classic formula (with driving school only) from 16 years old

An instructor teaches you how to drive with regular one- or two-hour lessons. The training lasts a minimum of 20 hours, with 15 hours on public roads (or at least 10 hours if you use a driving simulator at the driving school).

If you need more driving hours, you have to pay overtime.

2. the accelerated formula (with driving school only) from 16 years old

An instructor teaches you to drive with lessons over a short period of time, several hours a day, to take the test quickly.
The pace of the training is intense and the prices are very high (on average €2,000).

3. accompanied driving (with driving school then with an accompanying adult) from 15 years old

Accompanied driving is also called "advanced driving instruction" (AAC) and lasts at least 1 year. An instructor teaches you to drive with regular lessons, then you must drive at least 3,000 km in France (driving abroad is prohibited) with an accompanying driver.

Everything is explained here .

4. supervised driving (with an accompanying driver or a professional) from 16 years old

Supervised driving is for:

• Young people aged at least 16 in vocational training, who are preparing for a diploma such as the BEP (vocational studies certificate) or the CAP (professional aptitude certificate) for road drivers
• Adults aged 18 and over in vocational training, who are preparing a diploma from the Ministry of Labor: road public transport driver, road freight transport driver, etc.

Everything is explained here.

5. supervised driving (with the driving school then with one or more supervisors) from 18 years old

An instructor teaches you to drive with regular lessons, then you have to drive with a friend.
It's like accompanied driving, but you don't have to respect any minimum distance or duration.

Everything is explained here.

When you are ready and with the agreement of an instructor, you can take the driving test.

You can "authorize" your driving school to register you for the driving test on Permisdeconduire.gouv.fr (this means that you authorize the driving school to register on your behalf).

You and your instructor can choose the test center, date, and time. The driving school will then provide you with your login details (email and password) to log in to your personal space and complete the process.

You will receive by email all the information regarding your exam registration: location, date, time, and invitation to print.

The results are available online at Permisdeconduire.gouv.fr the day after the exam .

• If the result is "insufficient " (below 20 points and/or with an eliminatory fault), you must retake the exam and choose a new date with your driving school.
• If the result is "favorable" (20 points minimum and without any disqualifying faults), you have passed, congratulations! You can download your driving license examination certificate (CEPC) here.

It is also possible to request a paper version of the CEPC if you cannot download it after passing the code without taking the driving test.

As soon as you have your driving licence examination certificate (CEPC), go to the France Titres website (formerly ANTS) to request the production of your driving licence .

You can track the production and delivery of your permit online.

> Read the Réfugiés.info sheet Request the production of a driving license