B license: car or van

Verified 15 January 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You want to drive a car and you wonder how to pass the B license? We tell you what information to know and the steps of the process.

Step-by-step approach

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Car or van

License B permits a vehicle to be driven which has the following 3 characteristics:

  • It is used for the transport of persons or goods
  • Sound PTAC is less than or equal to 3,5 tons
  • It has a maximum of 9 seats (driver included)

This vehicle may be coupled to:

  • a trailer with a PTAC of 750 kg or less
  • or a trailer with a PTAC greater than 750 kg if the sum of the PTACs (car+trailer) does not exceed 3 500 kg.

License B also allows you to drive agricultural or forestry vehicle or apparatus with a speed not exceeding 40 km/h, whatever the weight of its trailer.

The additional entry 96 permit B is required in the following situation:

  • PTAC: titleContent Trailer exceeding 750 kg
  • And sum of PTAC (vehicle + trailer): more than 3 500 kg not exceeding 4 250 kg.

2 or 3 wheels (motorbike, scooter...)

Category B of the driving license authorizes the driving of 2 motor wheels or a 3-wheel scooter subject to completion several conditions (training, duration of license B, age).

Motorhome

Motorhome up to 3,5 tons

License B permits the driving of a camper vans whose PTAC is 3,5 tons maximum.

License B permits a vehicle to be driven which has the following 3 characteristics:

  • It is used for the transport of persons or goods
  • Sound PTAC is less than or equal to 3,5 tons
  • It has a maximum of 9 seats (driver included)

This vehicle may be coupled to:

  • a trailer with a PTAC of 750 kg or less
  • or a trailer with a PTAC greater than 750 kg if the sum of the PTACs (car+trailer) does not exceed 3 500 kg.
Motorhome of more than 3.5 tons
Tableau - Rules for driving a motorhome of more than 3.5 tons

Characteristics of permit B

Driving with a B license?

B license issued on or after January 20, 1975

No, no, no.

You have to pass the C1 permit.

B permit issued before January 20, 1975, invalidated or canceled after that date

No, no, no.

You have to pass the C1 permit.

B permit issued before 20 January 1975 obtained by exchange of a permit issued by another State (European (or not) where the exchange took place after January 20, 1975

No, no, no.

You have to pass the C1 permit.

B license issued before January 20, 1975 obtained following the validation of a professional diploma when this validation took place after January 20, 1975

No, no, no.

You have to pass the C1 permit.

B license issued before January 20, 1975 obtained following the conversion of a military driving license where the conversion took place after January 20, 1975

No, no, no.

You have to pass the C1 permit.

B license issued before January 20, 1975

Yes

Age

You must have 17 years or older to obtain the B license.

However, you can register for the exam from the age of 16 (or 15 if you are preparing the license as part of early learning of driving).

Have ASR or ASR

If you are under 21 and it is 1re category of license you pass, you must hold the 2nd level road safety school certificate (ASSR2) or the Road Safety Certificate (RSC).

In case of loss or theft of these certificates, you can make a declaration of honor.

Citizenship - Nationality

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You're French

If you are under 25 years of age, you must be in compliance with the obligations of the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC).

You're European

If you are a Swiss, Andorran, Monegasque or national of the European Economic Area (EEA), you must have had your personal and/or professional ties for at least 6 months in France.

You're a foreigner

You must have lived in France for at least 6 months and have a valid residence permit.

Health status

If you have a health problem, you need to take a medical examination before applying for a driving license.

If you take courses in a driving school to prepare for the license examination, the fees vary depending on the institution and the preparation chosen.

Registration for the code cost €30.

If the code fails, you must repay this amount.

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Through a driving school

At your request, the driving school will take care of your registration for the examination of the license. However, you must activate yourself the account created in your name on the websiteANTS: titleContent. You receive an email to activate your account.

To register, the driving school needs the following documents, in photographic or digitized version:

  • If you are French, aged from 17 years to 25 years, individual certificate of participation in the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC), or individual exemption certificate, or national service status certificate, or provisional national service status certificate.
  • If you are a foreigner, proof of regularity of the stay or, if you are exempt from a residence permit, proof of your presence in France for at least 6 months (payroll, rent receipt...).

Once you have registered for the exam, you will receive a Driver’s License Registration Certificate (PID)) containing your harmonized prefectural registration number (NEPH).

By yourself

Registration for the driving license examination is made online on the website of theANTS: titleContent.

Prepare the following documents, in a photographic or scanned version:

  • If you are French, aged from 17 years to 25 years, individual certificate of participation in the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC), or individual exemption certificate, or national service status certificate, or provisional national service status certificate.
  • If you are a foreigner, proof of regularity of the stay or, if you are exempt from a residence permit, proof of your presence in France for at least 6 months (payroll, rent receipt...).

Driver's license: register online for the exam (NEPH number assignment)

Once you have registered for the exam, you will receive a Driver’s License Registration Certificate (PID)) containing your harmonized prefectural registration number (NEPH).

You can pass the code (ETG) via a driving school or as a free candidate.

To be exempt from passing the code, you must meet at least one of the following conditions:

  • Have obtained a favorable result for the theoretical test (code) for 5 years or less
  • Have had a license category for 5 years or less, except AM category
  • Have a French driving license obtained by exchange (code 70) for 5 years or less.
    The following letters shall follow code 70: DE (Germany), AT (Austria), BE (Belgium), BG (Bulgaria), CY (Cyprus, Greek), HR (Croatia), DK (Denmark), ES (Spain), EE (Estonia), FI (Finland), GR (Greece), HU (Hungary), IE (Ireland), IT (Italy), LV (Latvia), LT (Lithuania), LU (Luxembourg), MT (Malta), NL (Netherlands), PL (Poland), PT (Portugal), CZ (Czech Republic), RO (Romania), SK (Slovakia), SI (Slovenia) SE (Sweden), IS (Iceland), LI (Liechtenstein), NO (Norway).

The code waiver may be granted if you submit one of the following documents:

  • Valid driving license obtained for 5 years or less 
  • Certificate of temporary examination of the driving license, paper or dematerialized, valid (maximum 4 months)

Warning  

Since 2021, categories A1 or A2 no longer allow for a code exemption (general theoretical test or ETG).

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Driving school

The driving school must offer you a standard driving education contract for license B.

That contract shall specify in particular the program and the course of training, on price training and administrative services, obligations of each, the means of payment.

If you wish, you can choose a accompanied driving training formula :

The driving school gives you access to a digital learning booklet (training objectives and monitoring your progress).

As a free candidate

You can prepare for the exam with a relative in free candidate.

The driving school reserves a place for you to take the practical test of the driving license on the RdvPermit platform.

In agreement with your instructor and according to your training schedule, you choose the examination center, date and time slot.

Once connected with the identifiers provided by your driving school, you can follow online the steps made by the school (appointment booking...).

Driving license: book a place online to take the practical test of the license

If you have followed the early learning of driving formula, your certificate of completion of initial training shall be verified.

One sight test can be realized. In the event of an inconclusive test, the examiner shall inform the local department responsible for driving license examinations of: DDT: titleContent, DDTM: titleContent (road education office) or prefecture. You then have to make an appointment to make a medical examination by an approved doctor.

The practical test shall evaluate the following points: :

  • Compliance with the provisions of the highway code
  • Vehicle knowledge and ability to detect major technical defects
  • Control and vehicle handling
  • Ability to ensure its own safety and that of other road users on any type of road
  • Ability to perceive and anticipate traffic hazards and act appropriately
  • Knowledge of basic first aid
  • Degree of autonomy in carrying out a journey
  • Ability to drive while respecting the environment and adopting a courteous and considerate behavior towards other users.

The practical test lasts 32 minutes.

The practical test shall consist of the following: :

  • Driving phase of at least 25 minutes
  • Performing 2 different maneuvers (braking to stop with precision and one maneuver in reverse)
  • Verification of a technical component inside or outside the vehicle
  • Road safety issue
  • Question on basic first aid.

To be received, you must obtain 20 or more points and do not make a eliminatory error.

For example, crossing a continuous line, left-hand traffic, failure to comply with a stop signal.

After the practical test, the inspector does not give you the result of the examination orally. You can view the result online the day after the exam.

If the result is favorable, you can download your Driver's License Examination Certificate (CRC).

The EPC, accompanied by an identity document, serves as a driver's license for 4 months from the day of the examination. The CEPC is valid only in France. In the case of law enforcement, you can present the CEPC in paper or dematerialized format.

Check the results of your driving license examination online

FYI  

If you fail a driving test, you cannot take the next test before a period of 2 days (date to date).

To obtain your B license, the approach is different depending on whether it is your 1era obtaining a driving license or adding a category.

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1st permit

Ask your driving school if it is taking care of asking for your driving license or if it is up to you to ask for it.

If you apply yourself, the application is made online on the website of theANTS: titleContent.

You need the following documents in photographic or digitized version:

  • Documents relating to the Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC) if you are french, aged from 17 to 25 years old (unless you have already provided them at the time of registration for the license examination). These shall be the individual certificate of participation in the JDC, or the individual exemption certificate, or the national service status certificate, or the provisional national service status certificate
  • If you are a foreigner, proof of regularity of the stay or, if you are exempt from a residence permit, proof of your presence in France for at least 6 months (payroll, rent receipt...).

Apply online for a driving license following the passing of an exam

Please note

If it's your 1er driver's license, this is a probationary permit. You must put the sign "A" on the back of your vehicle.

Adding category B to your license

If you already have a driving license (motorcycle license) A, A1, A2 or AM), you must have category B added on your license.

One on-line service allows you to track your driver's license application.

Track the progress of a driving license application

The period of validity of a driving license (driving license) in format credit card is 15 years.

At the end of this period, the renewal is a simple administrative procedure : there is no driving test or medical examination to be taken.

So, even if your driving license is valid 15 years, your license category remains valid for life (unless individually restricted).

However, the period of validity of the title may be small for health reasons.

Driver's license: register online for the exam (NEPH number assignment)

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