More identity checks and less police trust outlined in report: when can you be stopped in France?

An increase in the number of police checks in France has coincided with growing mistrust of officials, a new report from France’s rights watchdog shows. 

Over a quarter of people questioned reported being stopped by police at least once in the last five years (up from 16% in 2016) and of these nearly one-in-five said the stop was not conducted in a professional manner. 

This increase has affected everyone, with notable growth in stops on business professionals (+81%), 55-64 year olds (+148%) and ‘people perceived as exclusively white’ (+79%)

The Défenseur des droits said certain social groups…benefit from relationships that comply with the code of ethics, while others (non-white individuals and those with disabilities etc) are more likely to be confronted with inappropriate or even discriminatory behaviour,” said the watchdog in its report.

50% of people said they do not feel confident or reassured about police presence in the streets. 

The report also highlighted increased discrimination against minorities (black, North African, and non-heterosexual people in particular), who were statistically more likely to experience inappropriate behaviour during a check.

When can the police stop you in France? 

French police have the right to stop people to confirm their identity only if they have a justifiable reason (within 20km of a border crossing, as part of a criminal investigation, etc). 

However, the ability to undertake ‘administrative identity checks’ to ensure order is maintained essentially allows police to ask people at any time for their ID.

This can be proven through any valid means – French ID card, carte Vitale, driving licence, passport, etc – although non-citizens may also have to prove they are in the country legally. 

This can be via a residency card, which should be carried at all times, or, for tourists/short-term visa holders, via their passport showing their entry date to the Schengen Area. 

In all cases, documents must be in their physical format, and not photos or photocopies. 

Official digital versions of documents on the France Identité app are also accepted.

If you do not have the documents on you at the time, police may ask you to report to a nearby police station to prove your identity. 

It is unlikely, but you could be held for up to four hours at a local station to allow police to run checks.

More details about what you must show as a resident in France in our article here, or if you are a visitor to France here. 

Roadside checks 

Police can also stop drivers to check identification and that the vehicle is correctly registered, insured, etc. 

This can be done at random, or as part of a series of checks in certain areas where accidents are more likely, or where more people are found to be driving without insurance, etc.

Drivers can also be stopped if the police believe they are committing an offence (driving over the drink limit, etc). 

If stopped, you will need to show a valid driving licence, registration for the vehicle, and may be asked to prove the vehicle complies with rules laid out in the Code de la route (lights working correctly, etc).

This article details an increase in roadside police checks in France since the start of 2025.

Complaints procedure criticised 

The Défenseur des droits report showed an increasing lack of confidence in the police regarding complaints filed. 

A third of people questioned said they attempted to file a police report in the last five years, with a further 20% refused. 

A tenth of people who filed a report (or tried to) said the police did not act professionally in the matter. 

Several factors increased the chance of a complaint being rejected, including: being disabled, openly religious, living in a certain commune or area of a city, or being black, North African or Arabic. 

Young people aged 18-24 were far more likely (+80%) to be treated with a lack of professionalism than those aged 45 - 54.