Car documents you must carry in France in 2026 (and what to keep at home)
Updated · Autofy
Car documents you must carry in France in 2026 (and what to keep at home)
In France you must be able to show a valid driving licence (paper, or digital through the France Identité app) and the vehicle registration certificate (carte grise) at a roadside check. Since 1 April 2024 you no longer have to carry the insurance certificate: officers check the national register of insured vehicles. Not showing your documents on the spot can cost up to €38, and up to €750 if you then fail to produce them within 5 days.
What you must be able to show
At a roadside check in France, two documents are on the official list:
- A valid driving licence, in paper form or as the digital licence in the France Identité app.
- The vehicle registration certificate (the carte grise), even if the car isn't yours. For a short-term rental, a copy is accepted.
Some specific situations add further documents, for instance certain training certificates for light motorcycles, but for an ordinary car owner these two are the core.
The insurance certificate: what changed
Until spring 2024, the insurance certificate (the green card) was part of the routine. Since 1 April 2024 it is no longer compulsory to show it: officers query the national register of insured vehicles from your plate number.
Two practical consequences:
- You are still legally required to be insured — only the paper proof at the roadside changed.
- You still need your insurer's details at hand after an accident, for the accident report and the 5-working-day declaration.
Fines and the 5-day rule
If you can't show the documents immediately, you risk a fine of up to €38. You are then invited to prove within 5 days that you hold them. Failing that, the fine can rise to €750.
The rule that follows: the point isn't to carry a binder in the glove box, it's to be able to produce the right paper quickly.
What to keep, and where
| Document | Why keep it | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Driving licence | Required at a check | On you |
| Registration certificate | Required at a check | In the car or on you |
| Insurance details | After an accident | Phone or paper |
| Technical inspection report | Resale, next inspection | At home / digitally |
| Service invoices | Proof of history at resale | At home / digitally |
| Purchase invoice | Ownership, dispute | At home |
A theft or a break-in is the classic way to lose everything at once: papers left in the car go with it. If your registration certificate is lost, stolen or damaged, there is an official duplicate procedure on service-public.gouv.fr.
A safe copy without carrying the originals
A photo of a document is a backup, not a substitute for the original at a check: for anything you must show, follow the rules on the official page.
What a digital copy is genuinely good for: getting a duplicate faster, giving your insurer the details after a claim, and building the file when you sell — a buyer trusts a car whose service history is complete.
Autofy has a glove box for exactly this: registration certificate, licence, inspection report and ID, kept behind Face ID rather than in your camera roll, for free. It's a protected backup; it doesn't replace what the law asks you to be able to show.
Sources: service-public.gouv.fr — documents required at a roadside check (page verified 2 February 2026); duplicate of the registration certificate.
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need to carry my insurance certificate in France? Not to show at a roadside check. Since 1 April 2024, officers consult the register of insured vehicles using your plate. It is still worth knowing your insurer and policy number, especially after an accident.
Can I show my driving licence on my phone? Yes: the official service-public.gouv.fr page accepts the digital licence through the France Identité app as an alternative to the paper one.
What is the fine for not having my documents? Not showing them immediately is punishable by a fine of up to €38. If you then don't produce them within 5 days, the fine can go up to €750.
What if my registration certificate is lost or stolen? You request a duplicate through the official procedure on service-public.gouv.fr. Having a copy of the certificate details makes the request and any insurer contact much easier.