Guide to Driving in France

1. Driving Offences and Penalties
2. Importing and Registering a Vehicle
3. Vehicle Registration Process & Transfer of Ownership
4. Vehicle Registration Taxes
5. MOT Vehicle Tests
6. Obtaining a French Driving Licence
7. Use of Vehicle Accident Forms in France
8. Crit'Air Emissions Sticker
9. Grants for Electric Cars
10. Scrapping a Vehicle

1. Driving Offences and Penalties in France

Below is a summary of the penalties you may incur if you break the Code de la Route in France.

Although the penalties sometimes look severe, the licence suspensions and prison sentences shown are the maximum that a judge can decide.

By contrast, all minor offence fines are automatic.

Holders of EU licences who are resident in France who commit an offence that would otherwise result in:

• Restriction, cancellation or suspension of a French driving licence or,
• Loss of points on the licence,

are also required to exchange their foreign licence for a French one. In practice, they may not require you to do this for a minor offence, but do not bank on it!

If you have a French licence, and you need to check the number of any points for offences you have on the licence, you can do so at Mes Points Permis. You will need to sign in using France Connect.

Drivers in France on UK plates who are flashed for speeding escape fines and penalties, as there is no longer a reciprocal agreement between the two countries. The DVLA in the UK simply does not supply addresses to the French authority. The same applies to all other countries outside the EU where France does not have a reciprocal agreement in place, including the US. That said, reports are widespread of the French authorities sending thousands of speeding fine notices to the UK, despite the lack of a data sharing agreement.

Nevertheless, immediate fines and later imprisonment can also be applied against those driving in France on a foreign driving licence if stopped by police for an offence. In addition, if you commit an offence which incurs a licence suspension, even though you drive on a foreign licence, you will have no right to drive in France.

We considered cross-border offences in our Newsletter article Cross-Border Fines on Driving Offences, written prior to Brexit, but much of it still relevant.

In relation to some of the offences listed below, as well as the penalties listed you may also be liable to immediate roadside licence disqualification and/or confiscation of the vehicle.

The following is the list of offences and the maximum penalties that apply. Note that in relation to the fines, the amounts are generally less if you settle within a stipulated time-scale.

You might also wish to read an article we published in France Insider in April 2023 concerning the relaxation of a points loss on minor speeding offences.

We published an article on the operation of speed cameras in France and the margin of error that is used, which depends on the type of camera and your speed. You can read the piece at Speed Cameras and Offences.

We also published an article on how to recover point deducted on your French licence at French Driving Licence - Recovery of Points.

Major Offences

Minor Offences - 5th Class

Minor Offences - 4th Class

Minor Offences - 3rd Class

Minor Offences - 2nd Class

Minor Offences - 1st Class

Since 1 January 2018, each local council can freely set parking fines.

(1) (€90 if paying within 3 or 15 days, depending on offence, or €375 if paying after more than 45 days)
(2) (€375 if paying after more than 45 days)
(3) (€45 if paying within 3 or 15 days, depending on offence)
(4) (€22 if paying within 3 or 15 days, depending on offence, or €75 if paying after more than 45 days)
(5) (€75 if paying after more than 45 days)
(6) (€33 if paying after more than 45 days)
(7) Speeding of 50 km/h or more above the limit became a criminal offence from the first offence on 29 December 2025. Since 1 January 2024, no points are removed where the excess speed, after the technical margin of error, is under 5 km/h.
(8) Holding a phone while driving is a €135 fine and 3 points. A licence suspension of up to 6 months is possible if another offence is committed at the same time. Press reports in October 2026 say the government has instructed prefects to suspend the licence for phone use alone; reported suspensions are short (about 15 days on average).
(9) For a first offence of driving without insurance, a fixed penalty of €500 may be offered (€400 if paid quickly, €1,000 if paid late). No points are removed. Repeat offenders go to court.