Recovery of driving license points
Verified 17 September 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
How to recover lost points from the driver's license and in what time frame? We tell you the information to know for a normal license to 12 points and for one probationary permit à 6 points.
What applies to you ?
Normal license
The retrieving points is automatic after a certain period of time or by participating in a road safety awareness course.
More the offense is severe, plus the time limit is long to collect driving license points.
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6 months delay
If you lose 1 single point, you get it back after 6 months.
You must not commit any new infringement to the Highway Code during this 6-month period.
The points are removed where the infringement is established.
The time limit to retrieve short points from the date on which the infringement is established.
The offense is established by:
- the payment of the last flat-rate fine,
- or the issue of enforceable title of a flat-rate fine increased,
- or the execution of a penal composition,
- or by a final conviction.
2 years delay
You get your 12 points after 2 years if the following conditions are met:
- Your folder does not contain offenses, or serious infringements (infringement of 4th class and 5th class)
- You do not commit a new offense during this 2-year period. The period of 2 years runs from final date of the last offense committed.
The points are removed where the infringement is established.
The time limit to retrieve short points from the date on which the infringement is established.
The offense is established by:
- the payment of the last flat-rate fine,
- or the issue of enforceable title of a flat-rate fine increased,
- or the execution of a penal composition,
- or by a final conviction.
3-year delay
You get your 12 points after 3 years if the following conditions are met:
- Your folder contains a offense or a serious offense (offense of 4th class and 5th class)
- You do not commit a new offense during this 3-year period. The period of 3 years shall run from final date of the last offense committed.
The points are removed where the infringement is established.
The time limit to retrieve short points from the date on which the infringement is established.
The offense is established by:
- the payment of the last flat-rate fine,
- or the issue of enforceable title of a flat-rate fine increased,
- or the execution of a penal composition,
- or by a final conviction.
10 years
You recover your lost points after 10 years if you fail to recover them because you commit a new offense within the time limit.
However, the 3 conditions The following must be completed:
- The points withdrawn must relate to contraventions of 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th class
- You must not have reached a zero balance (zero points)
- You must not have returned to 12 points (no full reconstitution since this offense).
The points are removed where the infringement is established.
The time limit to retrieve short points from the date on which the infringement is established.
The offense is established by:
- the payment of the last flat-rate fine,
- or the issue of enforceable title of a flat-rate fine increased,
- or the execution of a penal composition,
- or by a final conviction.
Infographie - Summary of automatic recovery of driving license points
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The more serious the offense, the longer it takes to recover the points, especially if you commit a new offense during the recovery period.
1/If you commit an offense and lose only 1 point, you get it back after 6 months.
Example: speeding below 20 km/h.
Condition: do not commit a new offense during this 6-month period.
The recovery period shall start from the final date of the infringement
2/If you commit a relatively serious offense (2nd or 3rd class), you get your points back after 2 years.
Example: direction change without flashing light
Conditions: do not commit a new offense during this 2-year period and do not already have points to recover as a result of a serious offense.
The recovery period shall start from the final date of the last infringement committed.
3/If you commit a serious offense (4th or 5th class or misdemeanor), you get your points back after 3 years.
Example: Red light stop not respected
Conditions: do not commit a new offense during this 3-year period.
The recovery period shall start from the final date of the last infringement committed.
*
The final date of the offense is the date on which the offense is established. The offense is established by the payment of the fine, a final judicial decision, the issuance of the fixed fine with an increase, or the execution of a criminal composition.
Watch out!
Withdrawal of all points (zero balance) results in driving prohibition.
You must pass a medical check before you can retake the license (code or code + conduct if you have the license for less than 3 years).
Did you know that?
- You can collect up to 4 points per year up to the 12 points of the permit by doing a road safety awareness course. Only condition: your license must not be invalidated (balance at zero).
- An automatic reallocation of points is planned after 10 years, subject to conditions.
Example :
You have your 12 points.
You're committing a 4th class ticket. You lose 4 points. You pay the fine on January 2, 2021.
You should collect your 12 points within 3 years, on January 2, 2024.
However, in the meantime you are committing a contravention of 2e class, you lose 3 points. You pay the fine on January 20, 2022.
You will recover your 12 points within 3 years, i.e. January 20, 2025 provided that no new offense is committed within that period.
Example :
You have your 12 points. You have a ticket that results in the removal of 1 point. You pay the fine on January 2, 2022.
You should recover this point after 6 months, that is July 2, 2022.
However, in the meantime you are committing a contravention of 4e class. You lose 2 additional points by paying the fine on March 10, 2022.
Your points balance is 9 points out of 12.
You will therefore no longer get the refund of 1 point scheduled for July 2, 2022.
You will recover your 12 points within 3 years, i.e. March 10, 2025 provided that no new offense is committed within that period.
Please note
Points recovery is not possible if your license is invalidated by an administrative decision or annulled by a judicial decision.
Yes, you can choose to participate in a road safety awareness course to collect points on your driving license.
The online service My Permitted Points allows you to check for free the number of points you have on your driver's license:
You also receive a letter (letter 48).
This letter indicates the number of points removed and the number of points remaining on your license (balance).
Please note
The address on the vehicle registration certificate (ex--) must be up to date. In case of change of address, the update must be made within one month. If you have moved without changing the address on the certificate of registration, you cannot dispute the withdrawal of points on the basis of a lack of information.
One simulator lets you know how many points are removed according to the offense road traffic committed
An online service makes it possible make an appeal online and how make a claim depending on your situation:
Making an online appeal concerning the driving license
FYI
The letter informing you of the points withdrawal also indicates how to appeal. You can make a administrative appeal to the prefect and/or the ministry of the interior and a litigation before the administrative judge.
Probation permit
The probationary permit concerns you if you have obtained the driver's license for the 1re once or as a result of invalidation or judicial annulment.
The rules vary according to the number of points lost:
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You lost 1 point
If you lose 1 single point during the probationary period, you get it back after 6 months.
You must not commit any new infringement to the Highway Code during this 6-month period.
Otherwise, you lose this point.
The points are removed where the infringement is established.
The time limit to retrieve short points from the date on which the infringement is established.
The offense is established by:
- the payment of the last flat-rate fine,
- or the issue of enforceable title of a flat-rate fine increased,
- or the execution of a penal composition,
- or by a final conviction.
You lost 2 points
You can choose to participate in a road safety awareness course to collect your points.
You lost 3 points
You must mandatory participate in a road safety awareness course to collect your points.
You lost 6 points
If you lose 6 points during the 1re year of probationary license, you cannot not get them back.
Your license loses its validity.
You can't drive anymore for 6 months, or follow from road safety awareness course.
You must ironing the permit tests : general theoretical test (code) and practical test (driving).
You can take part in the tests without waiting for the end of the driving ban period.
Reminder
If you commit a infringement road traffic during the probationary period, the annual increase in points shall be interrupted.
The rules vary according to the number of points lost:
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Withdrawal of 1 or 2 points
The online service My points allowed allows you to check for free the number of points you have on your driver's license:
You are informed by single letter (letter 48).
This letter indicates the number of points removed and the number of points remaining on your license (balance).
Withdrawal of 3 or more points
The online service My Permitted Points allows you to check for free the number of points you have on your driver's license:
You are informed by registered letter with AR: titleContent (letter 48N).
The letter informs you of the withdrawal of points and the obligation to follow a road safety awareness course.
You must Wait until you receive the 48N letter to register for the internship.
This training makes it possible to obtain, if necessary, reimbursement of the fine.
You must follow this internship in the 4 months following receipt of the letter.
In case of refusal, you risk a fine of €135 and a 3-year license suspension.
Please note
The address on the vehicle registration certificate (ex--) must be up to date. In case of change of address, the update must be made within one month. If you have moved without changing the address on the certificate of registration, you cannot dispute the withdrawal of points on the basis of a lack of information.
One simulator lets you know how many points are removed according to the offense road traffic committed
One online service allows to make an appeal online and how make a claim depending on your situation:
Making an online appeal concerning the driving license
FYI
The letter informing you of the points withdrawal also indicates how to appeal. You can make a administrative appeal to the prefect and/or the ministry of the interior and a litigation before the administrative judge.
On the same subject
Who can help me?
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09 70 83 07 07 from overseas and foreigner
From Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.
For more information on this subject, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot provide information on their progress.
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The informants who answer you belong to the Ministry of the Interior.
Rules on points permits
Points Removal Procedure
Administrative detention and suspension after finding an infringement
FAQ
Ministry of the Interior
Ministry of Transport
Ministry of the Interior