Light-vehicle licence group
Categories A1, A2, A, B1, B and BE. Certain conditions require a medical assessment even if you drive only for personal use.
Sleep and safety
Alertness, driving
and hazardous work
Do you drive, work at height or operate machinery? Sleepiness, unintentionally falling asleep or a sleep disorder can affect your safety and that of others.
If you are sleepy, do not drive or perform dangerous tasks. Seek medical advice.
Driving licences: what does the French Order of 28 March 2022 provide for?
The Order sets out medical conditions that may be incompatible with driving or compatible subject to conditions, restrictions or limited licence validity. It applies to private and professional drivers alike.
Heavy-vehicle licence group
Categories C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E, D and DE. Medical requirements are tailored to these categories.
Certain professional activities
Taxis, private-hire vehicles (VTC), ambulances, school transport, public passenger transport, paid passenger transport on motorised two- or three-wheelers, and driving instruction: for these activities, categories A and B are subject to the medical assessment requirements of the heavy-vehicle group. The rules depend on the activity; not every professional use of a car automatically falls into this group.
Who should you consult?
If you have a condition listed in the annex corresponding to your licence, you must seek the opinion of a doctor approved by the French prefect as soon as you become aware of it. Applicants declare the condition when registering for a driving licence. The approved doctor must not be your designated primary care doctor (médecin traitant).
The sleep physician assesses the disorder, treatment, its effectiveness and its impact on alertness. Their report provides information to the approved doctor or medical commission. The required regulatory opinion is issued by that doctor or commission. The administrative decision rests with the prefect.
Sleep or alertness tests may be requested according to your situation. A sleepiness score or a figure displayed by your CPAP machine does not, on its own, authorise you to drive.
Preparing for the medical assessment
- Read your prefecture’s instructions and book an appointment with an approved doctor.
- Prepare the Cerfa form “Permis de conduire — Avis médical” and the health questionnaire in Annex III to the Order.
- Bring your driving licence, an identity document, a list of your current medicines and other treatments and relevant reports, particularly sleep tests and CPAP follow-up records.
- Report unintentional sleep episodes, accidents or near misses, and any treatment difficulties.
Var prefecture: approved doctors and procedures (in French) · Service Public: medical assessment and form (in French)
Working at height and other hazardous jobs
Working on a roof or scaffolding, operating vehicles or machinery, hazardous machines, night work: describe your role and working hours to your sleep physician and occupational health doctor.
The French Order of 28 March 2022 governs driving licences. Occupational health monitoring, workplace adjustments and occupational risk assessments come under a separate framework involving the occupational health and prevention service. You can request an appointment with the occupational health doctor.
Sleep disorders are not the only conditions concerned
The Order also covers other conditions, including epilepsy, certain cardiovascular diseases, visual disorders and some situations relating to diabetes. Requirements vary by condition and licence group.
Diabetes: having diabetes does not automatically mean you are prohibited from driving or that the same obligation applies to everyone. Treatment and the risk of hypoglycaemia, any episodes of sudden illness or faintness, with or without loss of consciousness, and complications must all be taken into account, among other factors. The text provides for periodic assessments for drivers taking treatment that carries a risk of hypoglycaemia.
Epilepsy and seizures: report your situation to the approved doctor as part of the required assessment. Fitness to drive depends in particular on seizure history, treatment and licence category.
For a condition listed in the annexes, consult the approved doctor and answer the health questionnaire honestly. Your regular doctor can help you prepare the relevant information.
Car insurance and payment of costs
Check your insurance
Failing to undergo a required medical assessment may jeopardise your insurance cover if you are responsible for an accident related to a condition incompatible with driving. Cover and the consequences of an omission depend on the circumstances, policy and applicable rules.
Check your policy and ask your insurer for a written response about the steps required. New circumstances that increase the insured risk or create a new risk may need to be declared; Service Public specifies a 15-day deadline from when you become aware of these circumstances, using registered post or electronic registered delivery.
Insurance: changes in risk and policy (in French)Driving licence assessments and medical care
The administrative medical assessment for a driving licence and additional tests performed within that framework are not covered by Assurance Maladie. The assessment is free for people with a recognised disability rating of at least 50%.
Care and tests prescribed to diagnose or treat a condition have their own reimbursement rules. Before a test requested to assess fitness to drive, ask whether it falls under an administrative driving assessment or medical care, and what it will cost.
Service Public: medical assessment costs and procedures (in French)Read the official texts and information
These links allow you to consult the rules that apply to your situation and any updates.
- Order of 28 March 2022 — Légifrance, consolidated version and annexes (in French)
- Medical assessment for health reasons — Service Public (in French)
- Driving licences and approved doctors — Var prefecture (in French)
- Working at height and health monitoring — INRS (in French)
- Changes to a car insurance policy — Service Public (in French)
Information checked on 6 October 2026.
