How long is a driver's licence valid?
Verified 10 September 2021 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)
Wonder how long your driver's licence is valid? This page shows how long a credit card permits and permitted in cardboard format (3-pane pink).
Driving licence in "credit card" format
General case
A driving licence in "credit card" format issued since 2013 is valid 15 years.
1ers renewals 2028.
Renewal shall consist of simple administrative : there will be no driving test or medical check.
This renewal will update your address and photo.
Heavy Vehicle Permit
The validity period of the "heavy goods" driving licence depends on your age.
A "heavy goods vehicle" licence corresponds to the categories C, EC, C1, C1E, D, OF, D1, D1E.
In case of medical condition
The validity period of a driving licence may be reduced for health reasons.
Warning
the validity of driving licence should not be confused with validity of licence categories. So even if your licence is valid for only 5 or 15 years, your B licence allowing you to drive a car remains valid for life (except individual restrictions).
The date of expiry of driving licence indicated on the front, line 4b.
The dates on which classes of licences are granted and terminated are on the back of the permit, columns 10 and 11.
In image
Decrypt driver's licence

Driver's licence pink (3 flaps)
General case
Your pink cardboard driver's licence remains valid until 19 January 2033.
You can request a replacement only if deterioration, loss or flight.
Heavy Vehicle Permit
The validity period of a "heavy goods" driving licence depends on your age.
A "heavy goods vehicle" licence corresponds to the categories C, EC, C1, C1E, D, OF, D1, D1E.
In case of medical condition
The validity period of a driving licence may be reduced for health reasons.
Warning
the validity of driving licence should not be confused with validity of licence categories. Thus, even if your licence is valid only until 19 January 2033, your B licence allowing you to drive a car remains valid for life (except individual restrictions).
- Route Code: items R221-4 to R221-8Licence Categories
- Route Code: items R221-9 to R221-13Renewal of Permits C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE after medical advice (Section R221-10)
- Order of 20 April 2012 fixing the conditions of establishment, issue and validity of the driving licence
- Order of 21 December 2005 establishing a list of medical conditions which are incompatible with obtaining or maintaining a driving licence or which may give rise to a limited validity
FAQ
- Driving licences and medical examinations for health reasonsService-Public.fr