It’s official: since February 14, the driving license has been available in a digital version, stored on a smartphone within the France Identity application, to simplify procedures and fight against fraud. And this for everyone! Here is all you need to know.
The Government is determined to continue its strategy of digitalization of the administrative services of the French State, in particular with the deployment of the e-carte Vitale planned for the end of 2025. It is now tackling the driving license, which will also have a digital double stored on smartphone. Moreover, in an article published on February 13Le Parisien announces that the digital driving license is available to everyone from this Wednesday, February 14.
The digital driving license takes the form of a secure file, stored in the mobile application France Identity – which already accommodates the identity card in digital format for people with the new version of the CNI, currently available in beta version on Android and iOS (see our article). Obviously, this dematerialized driving license contains the same information as the physical document, which remains valid: identity of the holder, categories obtained, validity date, etc. Optional and free, it is accessible without an Internet connection, so it can be consulted in all circumstances. Note that Gérald Darmanin took the opportunity to announce the end of the green insurance sticker, which is usually found on the front windows of vehicles, which will also be dematerialized from April 1, 2024. HAS Instead, the police will have immediate access to a vehicle’s insurance contract by scanning its license plate. That should make things simpler!
Digital driving license: what are the advantages?
During a roadside check, the digital driving license has the same value as its physical version, except that it is complicated to say that you have forgotten it at home – more people leave without their wallet than without their smartphone . It can be presented to law enforcement during a traffic stop, who then use their NEO smartphones equipped with an NFC chip reader to verify that the driver is traveling legally. It can also be presented to vehicle rental companies, to their employer or to insurers, via the rapid generation of proof of their ability to drive, which can be sent in a few clicks by Gmail or WhatsApp. Note, however, that for the digital driving license to be valid in the event of a police check, it is necessary to present a biometric identity card – the one in blue card format, available for two years – which should also soon be available. dematerialized and stored in France Identity (see our article).
The digital driving license is very practical on several other points. Indeed, the driver will be able to consult his points balance online, but also for online procedures, such as power of attorney requests (see our article). In addition, the Minister of the Interior considers that this is a development that reduces the risks of fraud, forgery and identity theft. Indeed, the file is encrypted and protected by a code or fingerprint – no one other than their authors and recipients will be able to consult them. However, the e-driving license will never completely replace the physical version, and will instead be used to facilitate digital administrative procedures. In addition, it is practical in the event of loss, theft or damage to your driving license. In fact, all you have to do is download the digital file again on your smartphone, without having to go to the prefecture or pay a tax stamp. However, it will certainly still be necessary to have the physical version of the driving license, at least to carry out certain procedures, such as renting a vehicle abroad.
The first experiments with the digital driving license were tested at the end of 2023 in three French departments, namely Rhône, Hauts-de-Seine and Eure-et-Loir. Following the results, which proved conclusive, the digital driving license is now available on our smartphone. To import your license into the application, there are two options. The first is to retrieve your Restricted Information Statement (RIR) from the MesPointsPermis teleservice site, using its license number. To put it simply, just scan a QR Code. The second method, which must be implemented during the coming year, consists of “import my driving rights” by remotely querying the Road Safety Delegation database. The permit is then downloaded and is available offline. Note, however, that France is not the only one to turn to this alternative, since a European version of the dematerialized driving license is already being considered.
Digital driving license: a common document across the EU
Last year, more than 20,000 people lost their lives on the roads of the European Union, particularly pedestrians, cyclists and riders of scooters and motorbikes. Faced with this observation, the European Commission announced last March in a press release want to set up a digital license common to the 27 countries of the European Union. “The European Union would be the first region in the world to have digital permits recognized across borders., she explained. If it is already possible to drive in France with a license obtained in another European country and vice versa, the aim is to go further in cooperation between States. Thus, every European motorist would have the same digitized version of their license on their smartphone, making it easier to replace, renew or exchange using online procedures on a dedicated portal. This project would be accompanied by new provisions aimed at cooperating to apply sanctions in the event of cross-border traffic offenses.
This is why the European Commission proposed introducing a digital driving license, which you store on your smartphone instead of the physical card slipped into your wallet. This should make it possible to facilitate administrative procedures in the event of replacement, renewal or exchange,”given that all procedures will be done online” – this is already the case in France, but it is not systematic in all the countries of the Union. This dematerialized license must make “easier for citizens of third countries with comparable road safety standards to exchange their driving license for an EU license”. Once it is well established, the European Commission wants to make it the default document for all drivers, even if it will still be possible to request the European driving license in paper version.
We propose the creation of a digital driving license, valid & recognized in all EU member states
The European Union would be the first region in the world to have digital permits recognized across borders #RoadSafety
— European Commission (@UEFrance) March 4, 2023
HAS On the occasion of this new license, the European Commission is also revising the regulations in order to adapt to driving practices. Thus, it provides for a probationary period of at least two years after passing the driving test for novice drivers as well as a zero tolerance rule with regard to drunk driving because, even if young drivers represent only 8% of all car drivers, two out of five fatal collisions involve a driver under the age of 30. At the same time, it wishes to improve training to better take into account the safety of pedestrians and cyclists, as well as users of electric bicycles and scooters. It also wants to allow young people to take their driving test and start driving cars and trucks from the age of 17, provided they are accompanied, in order to gain driving experience. and thus alleviate the shortage of truck drivers. Finally, due to the climate crisis, it intends to make a transition towards “zero emission vehicles”.
Digital driving license: strengthening cross-border sanctions
But if Europe is seeking to simplify the procedures for obtaining the permit, it is also to facilitate the transmission of data between Member States and, therefore, to better apply sanctions to offenders. Indeed, although cooperation between border countries has already been improved in recent years thanks to dematerialized files, it still suffers from some shortcomings. According to the European Commission, around 40% of cross-border crimes were committed with impunity in 2019, either because the offender was not identified or payment was not made. An online European license would make things easier. Motorists could access an online portal bringing together the different traffic rules of member countries and allowing them to directly pay any fines that may have been imposed on them. A system that should allow “equal treatment of resident and non-resident offenders”.
The European Commission’s proposals also aim to fill certain gaps. Currently, European legislation only takes into account the most frequent and flagrant offenses such as speeding or drunk driving. It could therefore extend the scope of application of covered road offenses to driving in the wrong direction, dangerous parking and overtaking, crossing a white line, using an overloaded vehicle, non-compliance rules relating to the use of emergency escape routes and failure to maintain a sufficient distance from the vehicle in front. “All of the proposals aim to (…) ensure that there is no impunity for those who break road safety rules across borders, through better cross-border exchange of information on offenses and disqualification from driving for the most serious Driving safety is crucial in our efforts to halve the number of road deaths and serious injuries by 2030“explained Adina Vălean, the European Commissioner for Transport in March.
All these proposals are currently under study and will have to be examined by the European Parliament and the Council before possible application. Once this is done, it will be necessary to establish detailed rules on the characteristics of this European digital driving license on the issues of interoperability, security, testing, verification and the interface of the title, but also on the side administrations. Not to mention that traffic rules will have to be standardized, each country having its own.