Administrative suspension of driving license
Verified 03 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Do I have to go through a medical check to get my driver's license back after a administrative suspension ? We inform you about the suspension of the license decided by the prefect, following a traffic offense or for medical reasons.
FYI
Following a serious traffic offense, several procedures may lead to the withdrawal of the driving license: invalidation, administrative suspension, judicial suspension and judicial annulment of the permit.
Traffic offense
Where law enforcement finds an offense which may be punished by a administrative suspension of the driving license, they transmit a copy of the minutes to the prefect (or sub-prefect). For some of these offenses, law enforcement must first conduct a retention of driving license.
The prefect must implement the suspension procedure after retention of driver's license as a result of of infringements following:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or in a state of obvious intoxication
- Driving after use of narcotics
- Refusal to submit to blood alcohol or narcotics testing.
The prefect may implement the suspension procedure after retention of driver's license as a result of of infringements following:
- Speeding ⩾ at 40 km/h
- Driving while holding a telephone in hand when the driver commits certain traffic offenses at the same time: failure to comply with driving rules, failure to comply with safety distances between vehicles, crossing and overlapping continuous lines, failure to comply with traffic lights, failure to comply with speed rules, failure to comply with certain overtaking rules, failure to comply with the signs requiring vehicles to stop or give way, failure to comply with the priority of passage with regard to pedestrians.
- In the event of a traffic accident resulting in the death of a person or causing bodily harm, if you are suspected of having violated the rules of use of the handheld phone, speed, crossing, passing, intersection or priority of passage
- Refusal to comply.
The prefect may also take a suspension measure if he is informed by a report of an offense punishable by a additional penalty suspension of the driving license. For example, any acrobatic maneuver on a lane open to public traffic, irregular crossing of a level crossing.
The procedure varies depending on whether the permit has been pre-detained or not.
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In the event of prior retention of the driving license
The prefect shall suspend the license within the following periods:
- In the 72 hours of license retention
- Or in the 120 hours in the event of an offense involving alcohol or narcotic use and requiring verification.
The decision is yours notified directly if you report to the service indicated in the notice of retention. Otherwise, the decision is notified to you by letter with AR: titleContent.
The administration retains your license for the period fixed by the prefect.
If you do not comply with the suspension decision, you will be liable to a prison sentence of 2 years and a fine of €4,500.
Please note
If the 72-hour or 120-hour time limit could not be met, the prefect may take a suspension measure if he is informed by a report of an offense punishable by a additional penalty of suspension.
If you have retained your driver's license
Upon receipt of the report of the offense, the prefect can decide to suspend your driver's license.
The decision is yours notified by mail with AR: titleContent.
You must surrender your permit to the prefectural services.
If you refuse to surrender your license, you will be sentenced to 2 years in prison and a fine of €4,500.
FYI
In case of alcohol-related offenses, the prefect may also decide to restrict your right to drive to a vehicle equipped with a anti-ignition device (EAD).
In general, the maximum duration of the suspension is 6 months.
It may, however, be extended to 1 year in the following cases:
- Traffic accident resulting in the death of a person
- Traffic accident resulting in bodily injury
- Refusal to comply
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or in a state of obvious intoxication
- Driving after the use of narcotics
- Refusal to submit to blood alcohol checks
- Refusal to submit to drug use checks.
The suspension decision shall take effect from the date of notification of the decision. However, if your license has been surrendered, the suspension takes effect from the beginning of the license retention.
In the event of a decision to judicial suspension before the end of the period of administrative suspension, it shall automatically replace it. The 2 sanctions do not stack up.
Example :
If the judge suspends the license for 12 months and the administrative suspension is 6 months, you will get your driver's license back after 12 months and not 6 months of administrative suspension.
Warning
The administrative suspension of the license cannot be adjusted. There is no white permit.
Where the driver is a professional in charge of the transport of persons, the duration of the administrative suspension of the license shall be doubled.
In general, the maximum duration of the suspension is of 1 year.
It may, however, be extended to 2 years in the following cases:
- Traffic accident resulting in the death of a person
- Traffic accident resulting in bodily injury
- Refusal to comply
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or in a state of obvious intoxication
- Driving after the use of narcotics
- Refusal to submit to blood alcohol checks
- Refusal to submit to drug use checks.
In case of suspension longer than 1 month, you must pass a medical check so you can get your driver's license back.
In addition, if the suspension is 6 months or more, you must pass a psychotechnical examination before passing the medical examination.
You must pass the medical examination without waiting for the end of the suspension period. It is advisable to do it about 1 month before the end of the suspension period.
Medical appointment
The approach varies depending on the offense committed.
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Alcohol or Narcotics Offense
You must make an appointment with the medical commission on the website of your prefecture.
It can also be, by decision of the prefect, the medical commission of the department where you committed the offense.
General case
In Paris
Who shall I contact
Other offense
You must contact a city doctor approved by the prefect of your department.
This doctor should not be your primary care physician.
You can consult the list of approved doctors on the websites of the prefectures. The list of approved doctors is also available in the prefectures, sub-prefectures and town halls of some municipalities.
FYI
You can pass the medical examination with a licensed doctor in a different department than that of your residence. In this case, it is prudent to attach to your file an explanation of the use of a doctor other than that of your department of residence.
Psychotechnical examination
In case of suspension of 6 months or moreHowever, you must pass a psychotechnical examination with a psychologist registered with the prefect.
The exam lasts at least 40 minutes. It includes a individual interview, and one or more psychotechnical tests.
The average cost of the psychotechnical examination is €100 about.
The list of registered psychologists is available on the prefectural websites.
General case
In Paris
Documents to be provided during the medical examination
On the day of the medical check, prepare the following documents:
- Cerfa form n°14880 pre-filled
- Proof of identity
- Suspension decision and letter of notification of the suspension
- Results of biological examinations if requested in the notification letter
- Result of psychotechnical examination if necessary.
Conduct of medical check-ups
The medical check is about your physical fitness, cognitive and sensory to drive.
Some additional examinations and the advice of qualified health professionals may be requested.
The licensed physician may also request that you be summoned to the departmental medical commission. You must then make an appointment on the website of your prefecture.
Price of medical examination
The price of the medical check is:
- Before a licensed physician: €36
- Before the medical committee: €50
The average cost of the psychotechnical examination is €100 about.
The health insurance does not cover the costs of the check-up or any additional examinations.
Result of medical check-up
The approach varies depending on whether the opinion is favorable or unfavorable.
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If the opinion is favorable
The medical opinion is given to you.
The medical opinion has a validity of 2 years.
If the opinion is unfavorable
A decision of unfit to drive is yours notified.
The letter specifies the remedies and time limits for appeal.
The letter you notifier the prefect's decision following the medical check-up indicates how to appeal.
You can make a litigation before the administrative judge.
You can also refer the matter to the Medical Appeals Board.
Your appeal does not prevent the prefect's decision from applying.
The commission examines you, consults if necessary the approved doctor and sends its opinion to the prefect.
If the prefect again makes an unfavorable decision, you can request a new medical examination within 6 months of this decision or make a appeal to the administrative judge.
General case
In Paris
The approach varies depending on the offense committed.
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Suspension for Alcohol or Narcotic Driving Offense
You can only get your license back if you have been recognized fit to drive as a result of the medical examination.
The application for a permit is made online on the website of theANTS: titleContent.
You must attach the following documents in digital format:
- Digital photo-signature. If you do not have access to a photo and digital signature service, you are offered to fill out and send by mail a photo-signature form (FPS) during the teleprocedure.
- Identity document
- Proof of address
- Form "Medical advice" delivered at the end of the medical check.
- Decision to suspend the driving license.
Driving license: application for manufacture following a suspension of the driving license
Warning
Check if the driver's license issued to you has a validity period limited to 6 months or 1 year. If this is the case, you will have to go back for a medical check-up at the end of this period.
Suspension for another offense
The approach varies depending on the duration of the suspension.
Suspension of 1 month or less
You pick up your license at your prefecture.
Suspension longer than 1 month
You can only get your license back if you have been recognized fit to driving following the medical examination.
The application for a permit is made online on the website of theANTS: titleContent.
You must attach the following documents in digital format:
- Digital photo-signature. If you do not have access to a photo and digital signature service, you are offered to fill out and send by mail a photo-signature form (FPS) during the teleprocedure.
- Identity document
- Proof of address
- Form "Medical advice" delivered at the end of the medical check
- Decision to suspend the driving license.
Driving license: application for manufacture following a suspension of the driving license
Warning
Check if the driver's license issued to you has a validity period limited to 6 months or 1 year. If this is the case, you will have to go back for a medical check-up at the end of this period.
Remedies are indicated on the decision to suspend the driving license.
You can make a administrative appeal to the prefect and a litigation before the administrative judge.
Medical reasons
The prefect may decide to suspend the driving license if the departmental medical commission or the approved doctor considers, after a medical check, that you are unfit to drive.
In addition, the prefect may decide to submit you to a medical check-up if he has information to estimate that your state of health may be incompatible with the maintenance of the license. In view of the medical advice, the prefect can then decide to suspend your driving license.
If you refuse to submit to the medical examination, the prefect may also decide to suspend your driving license.
The prefect will notified his decision by letter.
The letter specifies the remedies and time limits for appeal.
Undetermined
You have to pass a new one medical check before you can get the driver's license back.
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Administrative detention and suspension after finding an infringement
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