Accompanied driving: which formula to choose?
Verified 18 October 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
You want to have a driving experience before you get the license, but you don't know which driving formula to choose? This page compares the 3 formulas to help you determine which best suits your situation.
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Accompanied driving formulas: early, supervised and supervised

Early Learning to Drive (AAFC) is possible from the age of 15 years.
Learning shall include:
- one 1era initial training phase provided by the driving school (driving code + minimum 20 hours of driving)
- and a 2nde driving phase of at least 1 year with an accompanying person.
At the end of this period, you can present yourself at the age of 17 years the practical test of the driving license.
If you choose AAFC, you cannot apply for the permit as a free applicant. AAFC requires enrollment in a driving school.
The duration of the probationary permit is 2 years in case of early learning to drive, instead of 3 years.
Please note
if you are under 21 years of age, the ASSR 2 is required to obtain a 1er driving license. If you can't get the ASSR2, you must get the Road Safety Certificate (RSC). For example, if you did not attend school in France.
Guarded driving for young people 16 to 18 years who are preparing a vocational diploma leading to the road trades.
The diploma must be validated by the Ministry of National Education or Labor.
For example, BEP or Road Driver CAP.
After passing the driving license tests as part of your professional diploma, supervised driving allows you to drive with an accompanying person until the license is issued at 18 years old.
Please note
if you are under 21 years of age, the ASSR 2 is required to obtain a 1er driving license. If you can't get the ASSR2, you must get the Road Safety Certificate (RSC). For example, if you did not attend school in France.
Supervised Driving Learning is possible from the age of 18 years.
Learning shall include:
- one 1re initial training phase provided by the driving school (driving code + minimum 20 hours of driving)
- and a 2nde supervised driving phase with an attendant.
You can choose the supervised driving phase after initial training or after failing the practical test of the license examination.
If you choose supervised driving, you cannot apply for a free license. Supervised driving requires enrollment in a driving school.
Please note
if you are under 21 years of age, the ASSR 2 is required to obtain a 1er driving license. If you can't get the ASSR2, you must get the Road Safety Certificate (RSC). For example, if you did not attend school in France.
- Highway Code: Articles R211-3 to R211-7Driving training
- Order of 20 April 2012 laying down the conditions for the issue, issue and validity of driving licenses
- Order of 5 January 2023 relating to supervised driving
- Order of 22 December 2009 on the teaching of the driving of category B motor vehicles in an approved educational establishment
FAQ
- What is a probationary driving license?
- Which vehicles can be driven with the B license?
- Accompanied driving: what insurance for the accompanying person?
- How to pay for a driving license: one euro license, apprentice, unemployed...?
- What is the period of validity of a driving license?
- Online application for a driving license: how to be helped in the process?
- Driving licenses: early learning (AAC) from 15 years of ageService-Public.fr
- Driving license: supervised driving (road trades)Service-Public.fr
- Driving license: supervised driving from 18 years of ageService-Public.fr
- B license: car or vanService-Public.fr
- Road Safety Certificate (ASR)Service-Public.fr
- School Road Safety Certificate (ASSR)Service-Public.fr
- Road safety certificate (BSR), category AM of driving licenseService-Public.fr