Digital driving license in France: launch date, operation, you know everything

The digital driving license will be accessible through the France Identity Application, which already provides proof of identity, although it is currently available in early access. The system will be tested by the end of the year, in three pilot departments: Eure-et-Loir, Rhône and Hauts-de-Seine.

Digital driving license in France is confirmed for 2024

Via the France Identity application, it will be possible to present a digital driving license in 2024, confirmed the Minister of the Interior.

Matthieu Eugène / published on July 18, 2023 at 10:55 am

The dematerialized driving license available in 2024

The government, through the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin, has confirmed that the driving license “Totally” dematerialized will be available in 2024. In the spring, a test phase planned for the start of the 2023 school year had been announced in three departments for this digital driving license. It will have exactly the same uses and the same value as a physical driver’s license, which will of course remain in force, especially in the context of a road control. The balance of points may also be consulted.

At the same time [to the] physical permit, there will be a dematerialized permit, which one can have on your smartphone, whatever your smartphone, to be able to present it to the police and to note the number of points that it rest, said Gérald Darmanin.

“It is not a question of replacing a physical permit in a dematerialized manner”, wanted to specify the Minister of the Interior, who also announced the end of the green insurance sticker, which will be completely dematerialized from April 1, 2024.

The France Identity Application in phase beta

This digital driving license will be accessible through the France Identity application, still in experimentation. This platform will ultimately allow French to prove their identity in specific cases, with the possibility of adding a biometric identity card. But it will also give access to various public service sites and FranceConnect.

A beta test phase is currently underway, with the opening in early July of limited public downloads via the Play Store. Places will be open throughout the summer: 100,000 people are expected on Android and 10,000 on the Apple side, provided you have a NFC compatible smartphone. “Regarding the beta on iOS, work is currently underway to optimize the application. New places will be open during the summer “, Do we read on the official Twitter account of France Identity. The deployment of the application is expected by the end of the year.

Digital driving license in France: launch date, operation, you know everything

Tested in 3 departments at the end of 2023, the digital driving license will be generalized within the France Identity Application in early 2024.

Matthieu Eugène / published on May 17, 2023 at 3:50 p.m

The Ministry of the Interior announces the arrival of the dematerialized driving license

The digital driving license soon arrives in your smartphones. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said it in the Parisian columns. “This dematerialized permit will never replace the physical version but will come in addition to simplify the lives of citizens who are fond of digital administrative procedures”, wanted to explain the minister.

This digital version may be presented during a police check or to attest to its ability to drive. She will “Useful in the fight against the scourge of identity usurpations but also to facilitate the obtaining, for example, of a proxy”, added Gérald Darmanin. The ministry’s press release specifies that this device will have two advantages for the French: peace of mind and the fight against theft or loss.

Where and when the digital driving license is available in France ?

The digital driving license will be accessible through the France Identity Application, which already provides proof of identity, although it is currently available in early access. The system will be tested by the end of the year, in three pilot departments: Eure-et-Loir, Rhône and Hauts-de-Seine.

We want to test in three representative territories of the country with an urban and rural mix, and measure the level of membership of the population, explains Anne-Gaëlle Baudouin-Clerc, director of the National Agency for Secure Titles (ANTS).

Its generalization should take place in early 2024, once the France Identity app is available for all. Note that it will be possible to access your license without connection to the Internet.

Towards the digitization of administrative services

This initiative is part of the strategy for digitizing the administrative services of the State, like the arrival of the digital vital card or the videos. In parallel, during March, the European Commission also proposed the implementation of a European digital driving license.