From today, 9 March 2026, French residents planning to drive abroad must use a 100 % digital process to obtain an International Driving Permit (PCI) and pay a new fee of €7.25. The change follows an arrêté dated 20 February 2026 (published in the Journal officiel on 25 February) that outsources printing and mailing of the pink booklet to a private provider.
Applicants now log into the ANTS portal with FranceConnect credentials, upload a scan of their French licence, a passport photo and proof of address, and pay the €7.25 charge online. The document is then posted within two to four weeks—down from the three-month wait that plagued the former paper-based, prefecture-managed system. Permits issued before 26 February 2026 remain valid until their stated expiry date, or 31 December 2029 at the latest.
If navigating the new process or coordinating additional travel paperwork feels daunting, VisaHQ’s French portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can simplify the task with guided applications, deadline reminders and optional courier services for PCIs and a wide array of visas, helping both individual motorists and corporate mobility teams keep trips on track.
![Applying for an International Driving Permit in France now fully online – and no longer free]()
For frequent business travellers, the move is a double-edged sword. The faster turnaround is welcome for last-minute overseas assignments, but the new fee—and the need to plan around postal delivery—introduces extra cost and complexity compared with the previous free service that could be obtained in person. Mobility managers should update pre-trip checklists, budget the fee and ensure travellers apply at least three weeks before departure.
The digitalisation aligns with France’s broader push to modernise identity and travel documents ahead of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) roll-out later this year. It also mirrors reforms to passport and carte grise services, signalling that administrative fees are likely to proliferate as processes move online.
Companies with large assignee populations should consider bulk briefings and perhaps centralised assistance via travel-management companies or relocation providers to avoid last-minute scrambles. Failure to carry a PCI when required can lead to on-the-spot fines in countries such as Japan, Saudi Arabia or some US states, potentially invalidating rental-car insurance.
Applicants now log into the ANTS portal with FranceConnect credentials, upload a scan of their French licence, a passport photo and proof of address, and pay the €7.25 charge online. The document is then posted within two to four weeks—down from the three-month wait that plagued the former paper-based, prefecture-managed system. Permits issued before 26 February 2026 remain valid until their stated expiry date, or 31 December 2029 at the latest.
If navigating the new process or coordinating additional travel paperwork feels daunting, VisaHQ’s French portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) can simplify the task with guided applications, deadline reminders and optional courier services for PCIs and a wide array of visas, helping both individual motorists and corporate mobility teams keep trips on track.
For frequent business travellers, the move is a double-edged sword. The faster turnaround is welcome for last-minute overseas assignments, but the new fee—and the need to plan around postal delivery—introduces extra cost and complexity compared with the previous free service that could be obtained in person. Mobility managers should update pre-trip checklists, budget the fee and ensure travellers apply at least three weeks before departure.
The digitalisation aligns with France’s broader push to modernise identity and travel documents ahead of the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) roll-out later this year. It also mirrors reforms to passport and carte grise services, signalling that administrative fees are likely to proliferate as processes move online.
Companies with large assignee populations should consider bulk briefings and perhaps centralised assistance via travel-management companies or relocation providers to avoid last-minute scrambles. Failure to carry a PCI when required can lead to on-the-spot fines in countries such as Japan, Saudi Arabia or some US states, potentially invalidating rental-car insurance.
