The driving license in bank card format, rolled out in France since 2013, contains a wealth of information on just a few square centimeters of plastic. Reading this information goes beyond spotting your name and photo: each field, each coded number refers to a specific right, a restriction, or a deadline.
Understanding what this document says (and does not say) helps avoid surprises during a roadside check, vehicle rental, or administrative renewal.
Restriction codes on the driving license: what the numbers in column 12 hide
Most guides detail the front and back of the license section by section. The least understood information remains that inscribed in column 12 on the back: the harmonized European codes.
These codes translate restrictions or adaptations related to the driver, the vehicle, or administrative conditions. A driver who wears corrective lenses will find code 01.01. A person authorized to drive only an automatic vehicle will see code 78. Code 64 indicates a specific adaptation of the vehicle.
These mentions are not decorative. Driving without adhering to the restriction associated with a code constitutes an offense. If your license bears code 01.01 and you take the wheel without your glasses, you are in an irregular situation, even if your license is otherwise valid.
In case of a change in situation (eye surgery, for example), you must request a modification of the license from the prefecture or via the ANTS website. Knowing the exact location of these codes on your driving license issued by Car Only allows you to anticipate this type of procedure without waiting for a check.
NEPH number and license number: two distinct references on the same document
The driving license contains two numbers that many drivers confuse. The first, visible on the front in field 5, is the physical title number. It identifies the card itself and changes with each renewal or replacement of the document.
The second is the NEPH number (Harmonized Prefectural Registration Number). It appears on the back, at the top left. This number is assigned to you upon your first registration for the license and never changes, regardless of how many times your card is renewed.
The distinction has a direct practical consequence. When a vehicle rental company, an employer, or an administration asks for your “license number,” you need to know which one to provide. For procedures related to the file (checking point balance, requesting a new title), it is the NEPH that serves as the access key. For a physical document identity check, it is the number from field 5.
Validity dates of the license: fields 4a, 4b, and 4c decoded
The front of the license presents three date fields grouped under number 4, and their meaning is far from obvious.
- Field 4a: date of issue of the license. It corresponds to the date of issuance of the physical title you hold, not necessarily to the date you obtained your right to drive.
- Field 4b: date of end of administrative validity of the title. For a standard B license, this deadline generally falls fifteen years after issuance. After this date, the document is no longer valid, even if your right to drive persists.
- Field 4c: this field appears on the back, opposite each category obtained. It indicates the initial date of obtaining the relevant category. A driver who obtained the B license in 2005 and then the A2 license in 2020 will see two different 4c dates.
The date 4b only concerns the validity of the physical document. An expired B license does not mean you have lost the right to drive: it means you must request a renewal of the title. Confusion between the validity of the document and the validity of the right to drive is common, and it generates unjustified refusals from some rental companies or during checks abroad.
What the physical license does not say about your real rights
The mentions printed on the card reflect the state of your rights at the time of issuance of the title. Any administrative or judicial decision that occurred after this date (point withdrawal, suspension, invalidation) does not appear on the plastic document.
A driver whose license has been invalidated for having a zero point balance may very well hold a physically valid-looking card. Similarly, a category withdrawal pronounced by a court does not modify the document until a new title is issued.
Check your point balance online
The online service My Points License, accessible with personal authentication, is the only reliable way to know your actual balance. The number of points does not appear anywhere on the physical license. This verification is recommended before any situation where the validity of your rights could be contested: hiring as a driver, long-term rental, driving abroad.
Digital license via France Identité: a complement, not a replacement
The France Identité application allows you to present a digital version of the license during certain checks. However, the physical title remains necessary in several situations where the interlocutor cannot verify the digital proof, especially abroad or with certain rental professionals.
The available data do not yet allow for a comprehensive list of cases where the digital license is sufficient. The rollout remains gradual and depends on the equipment of the control agents.
Reading your driving license, therefore, involves cross-referencing two sources: the information engraved on the card and the dynamic information accessible online. The plastic document sets the framework (categories obtained, reference dates, coded restrictions), but only the official online service reflects the legal reality of your rights at a given moment. Keeping this distinction in mind helps avoid most administrative surprises.
