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Permis de conduire en France | |
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Type | Driving licence |
Issued by | France (in Departments and Regions, including Saint Pierre and Miquelon) |
Purpose | Identification |
In France, the driving licence (French : permis de conduire) is a governmental right given to those who request a licence for any of the categories they desire. It is required for every type of motorized vehicle. The minimum age to obtain a driving licence is: sixteen years for a motorcycle, fifteen years for a car, and twenty-one years for buses and cargo vehicles.
Since 2013, the French driving licence format was changed from that of a pink booklet to a credit card-sized card. Some slight modifications appear on driving licences issued by some overseas collectivities such as French Polynesia, Saint Martin, and Wallis and Futuna. Licences from these collectivities are identical to the normal mainland format with the addition of the name of the collectivity next to “RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE” and, in the case of French Polynesia, the display of the regional flag on the bottom right part of the card. [1] [2] Since 2015, licences issued in Saint Barthélemy are similar to those of Metropolitan France but with the "SAINT BARTHÉLEMY" in place of “RÉPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE”, without the yellow stars around the F, and the Saint Barthélémy coat of arms in the background of the licence. [3]
Since July 2023, New Caledonia joined other Overseas Collectivities, as well as the current French national driving licence by adopting a credit sized licence. [4] This new document features the French, Kanak and the EU flags, leading to some disapproval from certain political sectors on the territory. As of 2024, Wallis and Futuna remains the last French territory to issued non-credit sized driving licences.
A French driving licence is a European driving licence adhering to Directive 2006/126/EC and valid throughout the European Economic Area.
The French driving licence can be obtained after finishing driving school and passing a two-stage test: the theory test (examen du code de la route) and road test (examen pratique du permis). The code de la route exam consists of 40 questions of which one needs to get at least 35 right to pass. After passing the exam, one can start taking driving lessons with their driving school. Before passing the road test, a minimum of 20 hours of driving lessons is required.
In France, there exists a graduated driver licensing (GDL) system for people between the ages of 15 and 17 and a half, for those holding a B category driving licence. Some restrictions exist, with one of the main conditions being that a driver with at least 5 years of uninterrupted licence holding must accompany the learner.
This GDL is valid only within France, so it is not legal for a youth with a GDL to cross international borders in their car.
At the age of 18, one holding a learner's permit can apply for a normal driving licence. The pros to this are that the learner can pass more easily due to having had prior experience driving, and the probationary period for their new licence is reduced from three to two years.
For people over 18 applying for a licence for the first time, a system similar to the GDL exists, but rules are slightly different. For instance, it does not provide the reduction from three to two years for the probation licence. [5]
Furthermore, any person who initially gets a driving licence for the first time has to mind following restrictions for two or three years [6] known as permis probatoire. The permis probatoire include:
When | général case | apprentissage anticipé case |
---|---|---|
Driving licence passed | 6 | 6 |
After one year | +2 → 8 (if no point loss) | +3 → 9 (if no point loss) |
After two years | +2 → 10 (if no point loss) | +3 → 12 (if no point loss) |
After three years | +2 → 12 (if no point loss) |
If points are docked, they can be recovered by attending traffic safety classes.
This page is an overview of the economy of Wallis and Futuna.
The administrative divisions of France are concerned with the institutional and territorial organization of French territory. These territories are located in many parts of the world. There are many administrative divisions, which may have political, electoral (districts), or administrative objectives. All the inhabited territories are represented in the National Assembly, Senate and Economic and Social Council and their citizens have French citizenship and elect the President of France.
The French overseas collectivities are first-order administrative divisions of France, like the French regions, but have a semi-autonomous status. The COMs include some former French overseas colonies and other French overseas entities with a particular status, all of which became COMs by constitutional reform on 28 March 2003. The COMs differ from overseas regions and overseas departments, which have the same status as metropolitan France but are located outside Europe. As integral parts of France, overseas collectivities are represented in the National Assembly, Senate and Economic and Social Council. Though some are outside the European Union, all can vote to elect members of the European Parliament (MEPs). The Pacific COMs use the CFP franc, a currency pegged to the euro, whereas the Atlantic COMs use the euro itself. As of 31 March 2011, there were six COMs:
Graduated driver licensing systems (GDLS) are designed to provide new drivers of motor vehicles with driving experience and skills gradually over time in low-risk environments. There are typically three steps or stages through which new drivers pass. They begin by acquiring a learner's permit, progress to a restricted, probationary or provisional license, followed by receipt of a full driver's license. Graduated drivers' licensing generally restricts nighttime, expressway, and unsupervised driving during initial stages, but lifts these restrictions with time and further testing of the individual, eventually concluding with the individual attaining a full driver's license.
A driver's permit, learner's permit, learner's license or provisional license is a restricted license that is given to a person who is learning to drive, but has not yet satisfied the prerequisite to obtain a driver's license. Having a learner's permit for a certain length of time is usually one of the requirements for applying for a full driver's license. To get a learner's permit, one must typically pass a written permit test, take a basic competency test in the vehicle, or both.
An International Driving Permit (IDP), often referred to as an international driving license, is a translation of a domestic driving license that allows the holder to drive a private motor vehicle in any country or jurisdiction that recognises the document. The term International Driving Permit was first mentioned in the document prescribed in the International Convention relative to Motor Traffic that was signed at Paris in 1926, and is a translation of the French 'permis de conduire international', or 'international driving license'. The Paris treaty, and all subsequent, use the word 'permit' exclusively in relation to all kinds of driving license.
Many countries have adopted a penalty point/demerit point system under which a person's driving license is revoked or suspended based on the number of points they have accumulated over a specific period of time. Points are given for traffic offenses or infringements committed during that period. The demerit points schemes of each jurisdiction vary. These demerit schemes are usually in addition to fines or other penalties which may be imposed for a particular offence or infringement.
The European driving licence is a driving licence issued by the member states of the European Economic Area (EEA); all 27 EU member states and three EFTA member states; Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, which give shared features the various driving licence styles formerly in use. It is credit card-style with a photograph. They were introduced to replace the 110 different plastic and paper driving licences of the 300 million drivers in the EEA. The main objective of the licence is to reduce the risk of fraud.
In Canada, driver's licences are issued by the government of the province or territory in which the driver is residing. Thus, specific regulations relating to driver's licences vary province to province, though overall they are quite similar. All provinces have provisions allowing non-residents to use licences issued by other provinces and territories, out-of-country licences, and International Driving Permits. Many provinces also allow non-residents to use regular licences issued by other nations and countries. Canadian driver's licences are also valid in many other countries due to various international agreements and treaties.
In Pakistan, the driving licence is the official document which authorises its holder to operate various types of motor vehicles on publicly accessible roads. Driving licences can be obtained by submitting an application to any licensing authority in the applicant's district.The Driving License Information Management System (DLIMS) Punjab offers a fast and convenient way to verify, track, and renew driving licenses online. This service lets Punjab residents check their license status from home, saving time and reducing hassle.
The New Zealand driver licence system is a graduated system that has been in place since 1988. It consists of three phases for a car licence, each with varying levels of conditions.
In Ireland, a driving licence is an official document which authorises its holder to operate various types of motor vehicle on roads to which the public have access. Since 29 October 2013, they are issued by the National Driver Licence Service (NDLS). Based on the European driving licence standards, all the categories of licence available and the physical licence meet the 2006 EU standards.
In South Africa, the driving licence is the official document which authorises the holder to drive a motor vehicle on a public road. Driving licences are issued by authorised driving licence testing centres, which are run by the municipalities under the supervision of the provincial and national Departments of Transport. Since 1998, the driving licence has been issued in a "credit card format"; before then it was included in the holder's national identity document. The minimum age to hold a licence is 18. Apply for a driving licence | South African with the exception of Code A1 for which the minimum age is 16.
Driving licences in Hong Kong are issued by the Transport Department. A full driving licence is valid for 10 years and is compulsory in order to drive a motor vehicle. Most driving licences are issued after the applicant passed a driving test for the respective type of vehicles. They may be issued without a test if the applicant is a holder of an overseas driving licence issued on passing a driving test in an approved country.
Overseas France consists of 13 French territories outside Europe, mostly the remnants of the French colonial empire that remained a part of the French state under various statuses after decolonisation. Most, but not all are part of the European Union.
A driving licence in Poland is a document issued by the relevant government agency, regional or local government, confirming the rights of the holder to drive motor vehicles.
A driver's license, driving licence, or driving permit is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public road. Such licenses are often plastic and the size of a credit card.
Although the European portion of France is part of the Schengen Area, its overseas departments, collectivities and other territories apply their own visa policies, which have some additional exemptions or restrictions compared to the visa policy of the Schengen Area.