What are valid forms of ID in France and must I always carry one?

Reader Question: Is it correct that I need to be able to prove my identity with an official ID document when out and about in France? If so, what is accepted?

It is mostly true that you should carry some form of official ID on you at all times while out and about in France - and this applies to residents and visitors.

If stopped, you must be able to produce a valid form of ID, or otherwise it is theoretically possible for police to detain you for up to four hours to run checks.

Identity checks are rare but can be carried out by police officers for a variety of reasons, for example if they think it is necessary to prevent harm of some kind or if they suspect that you might be involved in illegal activity or have information about a crime.

Foreigners can also be checked to ensure they are legal residents.

To avoid the potential distress of having to be questioned at a police station, it is therefore advisable to have a valid form of ID on you when out and about.

If you do not want to carry around the physical or original form of ID, photocopies (of good quality and ideally in colour), will be accepted by the police.

Note that foreigners should also be able to prove their right to be in the country, eg. with a passport or a carte de séjour (in the latter case, if you are carrying a photocopy it should show both sides).

What forms of ID count as valid?

If you are asked to prove your identity, you can present a passport, valid French ID card if appropriate, or a driving licence.

Non-citizen residents in France can also show a French carte de séjour.

A carte Vitale, electoral card, or French birth certificate (acte de naissance) are also considered acceptable. If you are with another person who is carrying a valid ID, police may also accept their confirmation of your identity.

Note that during ID checks in other contexts (not by the police) not all of these documents may be accepted.

For example, one traveller was fined for failing to provide valid ID on a French train, despite showing their carte Vitale.

The train company defended the fine by stating that institutions can choose what they class as valid forms of ID outside of the always-accepted valid passports and ID cards.

Another example of this is at banks, where a driving licence may not be accepted as valid ID, and in many cases to open a bank account in France non-EU citizens will need to produce a residency card.