Judicial suspension of driving license

Verified 03 October 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice

Should the driver's license be reissued after a judicial suspension of the driver's license? We inform you about the suspension of the license decided by the judge and the steps to take to recover your license.

FYI  

Following a serious traffic offense, several procedures may lead to the withdrawal of the driving license: invalidation, the administrative suspension, judicial suspension and judicial annulment of the permit.

Step-by-step approach

You must return your driver's license.

According to the legal procedure, you must return your driving license on or after the day of judgment, with law enforcement.

If you wish to challenge the suspension of your driver's license, consult the judicial suspension decision which indicates the avenues and deadlines for appeal.

The judge may decide to suspend the driving license in the following procedures:

Tableau - Main traffic offenses that may lead to a judicial suspension of the driving license

Nature of the offense

Offenses

Alcohol or narcotics

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

Speeding

Speeding ⩾ to 30 km/h and less than 50 km/h

Speed exceeding 50 km/h

Use of a radar detector

Speeding exceeding 50 km/h in recurrence

Traffic and parking

Traffic in the prohibited direction

Refusal of priority

Dangerous overtaking

Failure to comply with stop at red light, stop sign or give way

Irregular crossing of a grade crossing

Dangerous Parking

Behavior

Driving while holding a phone in hand

Aerobatic maneuver or maneuver not in accordance with normal conditions of use of a vehicle on a lane open to traffic

Driving despite an administrative or judicial suspension of the driving license or a retention of the driving license

Unintentional interference with the life or integrity of a person

Refusal to comply

Hit-and-run

Lack of insurance

If you refuse to surrender your driver's license, you risk 2 years in prison and €4,500 of fine.

You also risk additional penalties.

You must inform your insurance in case of judicial suspension of your driving license.

You must inform him by registered letter with AR: titleContent within a period of 15 days from notification the withdrawal of a driving license.

Unless the sentence is adjusted by the judge, the suspension entails the driving ban a vehicle whose driving requires a license.

The maximum duration of the judicial suspension of the license is:

  • 5 years in the event of manslaughter or involuntary injury
  • 3 years in other cases.

These durations can be doubled, in particular in the event of hit-and-run or recurrence.

If you drive while your license is suspended, you risk 2 years in prison and €4,500 of fine.

Your vehicle may be immobilized.

6 points are removed from your driving license.

You also risk additional penalties.

FYI  

If the judge's decision does not apply to motorized light mopeds and quadricycles, you can apply for a driving license with the only category AM (road safety certificate). The request is made online on the website of theANTS: titleContent.

You risk them additional penalties following:

  • Confiscation of the vehicle
  • Suspension of the permit for a period of up to 3 years, without any possible arrangement outside the professional activity
  • Sentence of community service
  • Sentence of fine days
  • Prohibition to drive certain vehicles, including vehicles without a license, for a maximum period of 5 years
  • Obligation to perform, at your expense, a road safety awareness course
  • Cancelation of the driving license, with prohibition to apply for a new license for up to 3 years.

The judicial suspension of your driver's license is recorded in your criminal record.

It appears, in any case, in bulletin n°1 which brings together all your convictions.

In the event of a decision to suspend proceedings before the end of the administrative suspension, it automatically replaces it. The 2 sanctions do not stack up.

Example :

If the administrative suspension is 6 months and the judge suspends the license for 12 months, the driver's license can be recovered after 12 months.

In case of suspension of 6 months or more, you must pass a psychotechnical examination so you can get your driver's license back.

You must pass the psychotechnical examination without waiting for the end of the driving ban period.

You must make an appointment with a psychologist registered with the prefect.

The exam lasts minimum 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
Who shall I contact
In Paris
Who shall I contact

Please note

Check in the letter of notification the suspension of the license if you need to do other medical examinations.

In case of suspension longer than 1 month, you must pass a medical check to be able to collect your driving license at the end of the driving ban period.

You must pass the medical examination without waiting for the end of the driving ban period.

1. Make an 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
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.

2. Prepare documents provide 

On the day of the inspection, prepare the following documents:

  • Cerfa form n°14880 pre-filled
  • Proof of identity
  • Decision to Suspend License and Letter of notification of the decision
  • Results of medical examinations if requested in the notification letter
  • Result of the psychotechnical examination in case of suspension of 6 months or more.

3. Pass the medical check

The medical check is about your physical fitness, cognitive and sensory to drive.

You must present yourself with the results of medical examinations requested in the letter of notification the suspension of the license.

Some additional examinations and the advice of qualified health professionals may be requested.

The licensed physician may also request that you be examined by the departmental medical commission. You must then make an appointment on the website of your prefecture.

Who shall I contact

4. Pay for medical check-up

The price of the medical check is:

  • Before a licensed physician: €36
  • Before the medical committee: €50.

The health insurance does not cover the costs of the check-up or any additional examinations.

5. Maintain the result of the 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.

You need this document to get your driver's license back.

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

Who shall I contact

In Paris

Who shall I contact

The rules vary depending on the length of the license suspension and the offense committed.

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Suspension of 1 month or less

At the end of the suspension, you can get your license back with your prefecture.

Who shall I contact

Suspension longer than 1 month or alcohol or drug related suspension

You can only get your license back if you have been found fit to drive following the medical check-up.

The request is made online on the website of theANTS: titleContent.

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 so, you will have to go back for a medical check-up at the end of this period.

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