Change to digital French driving licences - and who can have one
A new way to digitise your licence has been rolled out but not yet for everyone
French drivers with credit card-style identity cards and a smartphone can now digitise their driving licence
aurelie le moigne / Shutterstock
It is now easier to digitise your physical driving licence in France, with those who qualify for a digital licence now able to import their physical document into the relevant app more simply.
Since April 30, 2025, eligible people in France have been able to import their physical driving licence (pink tri-fold or credit card format) into the France Identité app, in a simpler way than before, confirmed the Interior Ministry.
It is no longer necessary to download a secure driving licence certificate (une attestation de droits à conduire sécurisée, ADCS) from the Mes points permis website and to scan a QR code on it to import the licence (the previous process).
Instead, now eligible drivers need only open the app and click Importer votre permis then Saisir le numéro de dossier figurant sur votre permis.
You can then follow further steps to enter your numéro de dossier (also known as the code NEPH), which is usually on the top-left of the back of the card.
The app will import the licence directly from the national driving licence database.
This process allows more information to be displayed in a more structured way. It now includes:
The design has also changed to be clearer on smartphones.
The government says this is an early step towards eventual plans for certain key digital documents to be available in a format recognised EU-wide.
Digitisation process
The new process comes more than a year after the launch of the digital driving licence (in February 2024), which means that drivers have been able to access their licence directly on their smartphone via the France Identité app.
Read also: Drivers can now get proof of driving licence online in France
To be eligible for the app and for the new simplified process, you must:
Be over 18
Be a French citizen (see below)
Hold a new national identity card in credit card format
Must have a smartphone with NFC functionality (most newer smartphones have this as default).
The France Identité app enables people to prove their identity for official procedures, and can also be used to store documents such as the carte Vitale health card. It also integrates with the FranceConnect platform, which enables authentication on various online services for a wide range of administration tasks.
However, at present it is only available for French citizens, not those with only a residency card or visa.
Read also: What is the ‘FranceConnect’ button used for on websites?
Read more: France Identité app to be extended to all residency card holders
It is hoped that by the end of this year, non-French people with a French residency card will be able to use the France Identité application. This should also enable them to benefit from the digitisation process of important documents, and also to use the FranceConnect+ service, where available.
Digital does not replace physical
The digital licence is intended to be more convenient in the digital, smartphone age. It is intended to reduce loss or theft of physical licences, and to combat fraud. A digital licence can be presented during roadside checks by the police, and will soon be accepted when renting a vehicle.
Read more: Foreign drivers in France: three ways that new licence rules could impact you
Read also: French driving licence: mobile app lets you keep original at home
However, it does not replace the physical licence, you still need to hold a physical licence even if you have a digital version loaded on your smartphone.
