Drivers can now get proof of driving licence online in France
The new service could be useful in certain situations such as if you are stopped by police
The certificate can provide digital or hard copy proof of your French driving licence
Bartosz Zakrzewski/Shutterstock
Drivers in France can now generate proof of their French driving licence online which they can show to police in case of a check, in a new service designed to digitise and simplify the licence system.
The digital service, called Mes Points Permis, enables drivers to prove that they have passed their driving test and have a valid French licence via a few taps on their smartphone.
The new service has been available since December 4. It is free and available online.
It could be especially useful if stopped by police and:
The driver has left their driving licence at home
The driver has lost their licence or had it stolen, and is awaiting a new one
The driver has very recently passed their driving test and does not yet have a physical licence
If unable to show proof of a valid driving licence when asked by police or gendarmerie, drivers face a fine of €38.
This can rise to €750 if the driver does not meet the deadline to present their physical licence afterwards, usually at a police or gendarmerie station within five days of being stopped.
Digital and downloadable certificate
The service offers users digital proof of their licence in the form of a certificate showing the “right to drive”, which can be downloaded to a computer or smartphone, or printed as a hard copy. The document is called Attestation de droits à conduire sécurisée (ADCS).
It comes after a decree that appeared in the Journal Officiel on November 27. It provides for the Articles L. 223-3 and L. 223-5 of the Code de la route (road safety laws), which outline the “secure certificate of entitlement to drive, which can be used to prove entitlement to drive in the event of an inspection”.
As well as showing proof of your licence and its validity, the document also shows the type and category/ies of your licence.
The certificate could also be useful in other situations, such as:
Insurance companies in the event of a dispute or accident
Car hire companies to validate the hire of a vehicle
Employers, in a professional context, for example by ride-sharing platforms such as Uber or Lyft, taxi companies, or if you drive a company vehicle.
The certificate is valid for four months from the moment it is downloaded but it can be renewed and re-downloaded at any point (providing your licence is still valid).
How to use the Mes points permis service
The Mes points permis website also allows you to check how many licence points you have left and your points history (when you lost or regained points), including how long it would take you - without any offences - to regain your full 12.
It has in this respect replaced a previous online 'Télépoints' service that was used to check points status.
One Connexion staff member, who has a French licence that was originally swapped for a UK one, tried it and found it to be informative (it also listed the first issue date of the licence in the UK).
To use the service you can use your FranceConnect login to securely access your personal Mes points permis account.
Read also: What is the ‘FranceConnect’ button used for on websites?
Read more: How FranceConnect simplifies online admin tasks for residents in France
Alternatively, you can create an account on the site, using the two lines of numbers on the top-left of the back of your licence.
Young drivers who have already used the RdvPermis platform can use those login details to access the site too.
