Driving licence waiting times at the préfecture vary more than almost any other administrative process depending on your situation: getting your licence back after a suspension, exchanging a foreign licence, a duplicate after loss or theft, or a simple address change. This guide covers the processing times observed as of 1 September 2026, the documents you need, and the options available when your file gets stuck.
Getting your licence back after a suspension: the full process
A driving licence suspension is an administrative measure taken by the préfet, usually following an offence (speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, drug use) or a court decision. For the whole duration of the suspension, the licence is held by the processing service and the driver no longer has the right to drive. Recovery is never automatic: once the period is over, you must apply to have the licence returned by the préfecture that issued the measure.
The total recovery time therefore combines several steps: the end of the suspension period, a possible medical check-up, a decision by the driving licence medical board in the most serious cases, and finally the physical return of the document. It is this combination that explains the gap between a recovery settled in a few days and a file that drags on for several months.
Getting your licence returned after the suspension ends
Once the suspension period is over, you must go to the préfecture or sous-préfecture holding your licence, with the suspension notice, an ID document and, where applicable, the medical certificate confirming your fitness to drive. Some préfectures require an appointment for the return; others handle it without an appointment or by post with proof of receipt. The observed time to get the licence back ranges from a few days to three weeks depending on the department and the workload of the processing service.
Note the special case of suspensions combined with cancellation or invalidation: the licence is then not returned, and you must retake the exam or complete a course to get a new licence. In that case the process is an application for a new document, not a simple return.
The medical check-up and the driving licence medical board
Most suspensions for alcohol, drugs or serious offences require a medical check-up with a doctor approved by the préfecture. The check is your responsibility: you book it yourself, often several weeks in advance depending on local demand. The doctor issues an opinion of fitness, fitness with restrictions (wearing glasses, an adapted vehicle) or temporary or permanent unfitness.
In the most serious cases (repeat drink-driving, drug use, a combination of offences), the file is reviewed by the driving licence medical board, which decides on fitness to drive. Appointment and decision times vary widely between préfectures: allow two to three months in general between sending the file and the final opinion. Our guide to driving licence medical board waiting times covers these steps, and our article on how the medical board works explains how the file is processed.
Appeal options if you are refused
If the medical board rules you unfit or the préfecture refuses to return your licence, you can challenge the decision. The first step is a gracieux appeal to the préfet; if it is rejected, a court appeal must be lodged with the administrative tribunal within two months of the notification. A new medical check-up can also be requested if your health situation has changed. To understand how quickly the préfecture answers such requests, check our overview of préfecture response times.
Processing times as of 1 September 2026
The times below match the orders of magnitude observed as of 1 September 2026 at préfectures and on ANTS. They remain indicative: every file is different, and the local workload of the processing service can speed everything up or slow everything down.
| Situation | Observed waiting time | Reference / legal timeframe |
|---|---|---|
| Licence return after a straightforward suspension | A few days to 3 weeks | No legal deadline; the process varies by préfecture |
| Medical check-up with an approved doctor | 1 to 4 weeks depending on availability | Required for most suspensions (alcohol, drugs) |
| Driving licence medical board opinion | 2 to 3 months depending on the préfecture | Indicative timeline, varies by department |
| Exchange of a foreign licence (complete file) | 2 to 3 months on ANTS | Indicative timeline; the file must be complete and compliant |
| Duplicate after loss or theft | 1 to 3 weeks after the file is validated | Free process on the ANTS online service |
| Invalidation of a probationary licence | Immediate once the points are exhausted | The point balance can be checked online on ANTS |
| Address change | A few days to 2 weeks | Free online update on ANTS |
| Receiving the manufactured licence | 1 to 2 weeks after manufacturing | Sent by recorded delivery from the production centre |
Exchanging a foreign driving licence
The exchange of a foreign driving licence concerns people settling in France with a document issued outside the European Union. The process is done entirely online, on the ANTS service, and the French licence is then manufactured and sent by recorded delivery. Like other fully digital documents, everything depends on the quality of the file you submit: an incomplete file goes back to the end of the queue after every exchange of documents.
Conditions for the exchange
The exchange is only possible if the original licence is still valid and was issued by a country that signed a reciprocity agreement with France. For holders of a licence issued outside the European Union, the application must in principle be filed within one year of gaining regular residence in France; beyond that, the right to exchange may be lost, and you would have to retake the theory and practical tests. Holders of a European licence do not need to exchange their document as long as it remains valid.
Processing times on ANTS
Once the file is submitted, the observed processing time on ANTS is between two and three months for a complete file. Requests for extra documents, checks with the issuing country and peak periods regularly extend this timeline. While it is being processed, you can drive with your foreign licence together with the receipt of your application, as long as your document remains valid.
Documents to provide
- Your foreign driving licence, still valid, with a translation by an approved translator if the document is not written in French or English.
- Proof of regular residence in France (residence permit, long-stay visa or residence certificate).
- Proof of address less than six months old.
- A recent ID photo meeting ANTS standards and proof of presence in France.
An incomplete file is the leading cause of rejection or suspension of an exchange application. Check every document before submitting, and keep the receipt issued by the online service: it proves the progress of your application.
Lost or stolen licence: getting a new document
Losing your driving licence or having it stolen means applying for a duplicate. The declaration and the application are done online on the ANTS service; in case of theft, filing a police report is strongly recommended to protect yourself against fraudulent use of your document by someone else.
The ANTS online service and delivery time
After the file is validated, the new licence is manufactured and sent by recorded delivery: allow one to three weeks depending on the period. During this time, the receipt of your application, together with the loss or theft declaration, usually allows you to drive, but it does not replace the licence itself during police checks. The duplicate application is free on the online service, including in case of loss.
Unlike the vehicle registration document, the driving licence does not need to be reissued when you move to another department: it is a national document, and every process related to it is now handled online, without visiting a counter.
Probationary licence and invalidation
The probationary licence, issued after passing the driving test, starts with six points. It reaches twelve points after three years without an offence, or two years for drivers who completed accompanied driving. Every recorded offence reduces the point balance, with deductions ranging from one to six points depending on severity.
The point balance during the probationary period
During this period the margin for error is small: a single serious offence can push the balance below the critical threshold. You can check your point balance online on the ANTS service using your licence number. Voluntary road safety awareness courses allow you to recover up to four points, within the cap that applies to a probationary licence, which is six points.
Invalidation and getting your licence back
When the balance reaches zero points, the licence is invalidated: you no longer have the right to drive and must return your document. Getting it back requires retaking the theory and practical exams after a minimum wait of six months, or completing a course depending on the case. An invalidated licence is not recovered from the préfecture: you must pass the tests again, and the medical board can be involved in certain situations.
Changing your address: a fully online process
Changing the address on your driving licence is done entirely online, on the ANTS service. The update is free and quick: the service issues a sticker to place on the back of the licence, and your point balance is not affected by the process.
Updating your address on ANTS
Once the new address is declared, allow a few days to two weeks to receive the sticker by post. The address on ANTS is also the reference for préfecture mail, including point-deduction notifications and appointment letters: an up-to-date address ensures you don't miss an important letter. Foreign residents must also update their address, while making sure their residence permit is up to date too.
When slots are missing or your file is stuck
Driving licence processes are mostly digital, but some steps still require going to the préfecture, starting with the return of the licence after a suspension and appointments before the driving licence medical board. When slots show as fully booked, our guide to finding no préfecture slot available covers the concrete levers to land one anyway, and our page on monitoring appointment slots explains how to spot last-minute openings.
For medical board appointments, Perfecture tracks availability in real time in several departments: check the availability in Aisne, in Bas-Rhin or in Alpes-Maritimes to find a slot without waiting for weeks.
The right move
Every driving licence situation follows different waiting times: it is the nature of the process (recovery after a suspension, exchange, duplicate or update) that determines how long you will wait. By preparing a complete file and monitoring available slots, you avoid most of the blocks that turn a simple process into a wait of several months.