Motorcycle license: A license

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

You want to drive a large engine of more than 35 kilowatts (47.5 horsepower) and you wonder how to pass the motorcycle A license? We present you the information to know and the steps of the process.

Step-by-step approach

The A license allows the following vehicles to be driven:

  • Motorcycle, with or without side-car, no matter how powerful
  • 3 Wheels of a power greater than 15 kW: titleContent.

Age

To get the A permit, you must have at least :

  • 20 years for driving a motorcycle with a power exceeding 35 kW: titleContent (47.5 ch: titleContent)
  • 21 years for driving a 3-wheel vehicle with a power exceeding 15 kW: titleContent.

Motorcycle license

You must have the A2 motorcycle license for 2 years or more.

Deadline

You can take the training within 3 months before the anniversary date of the 2 years of obtaining the motorcycle license A2.

For example, if you had the A2 license on the 1er august 2024, you can take the training from 1er May 2026.

Registration

You can take the training in a driving school (motorcycle school) or a approved associative school.

Driving license: find a certified school near you

The driving school must offer you a standard driving education contract. 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.

When you register for the training, a digital training booklet is open to you.

Price

Training rates are free.

Duration

Training lasts 7 hours and is done over a day.

Content

Training includes 1 theoretical sequence and 2 practical sequences :

  • 2 hours of theory : accident, speed, detectability, driving and psychoactive products (alcohol, drugs, medicines...)
  • 2 hours maneuverability out of circulation, on tray
  • 3 hours driving in circulation

End of training

At the end of the training, your instructor will give you a follow-up certificate. There's no exam to take.

Warning  

The follow-up certificate can't drive a motorcycle or a three-wheel vehicle in category A of the license. You must wait to receive the email or SMS from theANTS: titleContent informing you that your permit application has been validated. Then you can download a Secure Certificate of Driving Rights (SDA).

The school takes care of the demand of your A license (driving license).

You must provide the following documents:

  • 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...).

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

Track the progress of a driving license application

Upon receipt of the email or SMS informing that your application for a motorcycle A license has been validated, you can download a Secure Certificate of Driving Rights (SDA).

The ADCS allows you to drive a motorcycle under category A of the license while waiting to receive the license A (driving license).

ADCS is valid for 4 months from the date of issue and may be reissued if necessary. It is valid only in France.

Consult and download the information of the driving license: balance of points, full statement, certificate of right to drive secure...

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.

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