Driving & traveling

 Getting your French Driving License or an equivalent

In France, there are different types of driving licenses depending on the type of vehicle.

The B Driving License (« Permis B”) offers the possibility to drive cars and small trucks. Two exams are required in order to get this license: the highway code and the driving exam.

Registering and preparing for the highway code exam can be done at 16 (or 15 as part of an early learning) with a driving school or as an independent candidate. Driving schools will automatically register you at an exam center. If you are an external candidate, you will need to register with a licensed center yourself.

After passing your highway code exam, your training will continue with driving lessons. Accompanied driving is also an option from 15 years old as part of an early learning or from 16 years old as part of a supervised driving.

If you are an external candidate, a relative can assist you during your training.

The practical driving exam is the last official step before obtaining your driving license.

Learn more about the different driving licenses and related exams in France :

Renting, buying or importing a car

Do you own a car abroad and wish to import it in France? Whether it is a new car or second-hand one, different formalities need to be fulfilled in the event of a car importation by an individual.

These formalities will be different depending to the origin of the car. If the car is imported from a member country of the European Union, the owner will be exempt from customs duties.

If the car is imported from a non-EU member country, from a department or territorial collectivity of French overseas, the owner will need to pay customs duties.

Do you want to rent or buy a car on the Côte d’Azur? The region offers many automotive dealerships which allow the purchase of a car, as well as many rental companies which are mainly located in the SNCF train stations or at the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport.

French Highway Code

Transports on the Côte d’Azur