French Code Route B exam-day guide
French Code Route B · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Convocation and proof of registration
Bring the printed or digital convocation (summons) sent by your driving school or the exam booking service. It shows the time, the test centre address and your candidate reference. If you booked through an auto-école, confirm with them how and when you receive it, as procedures vary by provider.
Valid photo ID
Bring your national identity card or passport in original form. A photocopy is normally not accepted. Check that the document has not expired; if you hold a residence permit or other document, confirm with the exam centre which ID types are accepted before the day.
Proof of address, if required
Some centres ask for a recent proof of address (justificatif de domicile). This requirement is not universal, so confirm with the provider or your driving school whether you need one and how recent it must be.
Assurance and vehicle documents (if you take the test in your own car)
For a practical driving test in a private vehicle, the car must be insured, roadworthy and have valid registration. Bring the carte grise (registration certificate), insurance certificate (attestation d'assurance) and, where applicable, the vehicle's technical inspection certificate. Confirm with the provider whether your own vehicle is allowed and which documents are checked.
Corrective lenses or hearing aids you need for driving
If your licence will carry a corrective-lens or hearing-aid condition, bring and wear the equipment during the test. Arriving without a required correction can prevent you from taking the test or lead to a restriction on the licence.
Arrive early and know the route to the centre
Plan to arrive at the test centre well before your slot. The exact arrival margin is set by the provider, so confirm it with your driving school. Check transport options and parking in advance, and allow extra time for traffic or public transport delays.
Dress for driving and for the weather
Wear comfortable clothing and flat shoes suitable for operating pedals. You may be asked to perform a security check outside the vehicle (for example checking tyres or lights), so bring a jacket or rain layer if the forecast is poor.
Review the vehicle safety checks
Be ready to answer questions on basic safety checks inside and outside the car: tyre condition and pressure, lights and indicators, fluid levels, warning lights on the dashboard, and how to use the hazard lights. The exact list of questions is set by the exam framework; ask your driving school for the current list.
Prepare for the autonomous driving phase
During the test you may be asked to follow a route using a navigation system or road signs without step-by-step directions. Practise reading signs, anticipating junctions and managing speed independently in the final lessons.
Know the scoring basics
The practical test is marked on driving behaviour and on the checks and manoeuvres requested. A single serious fault or repeated minor faults can lead to failure. The exact scoring grid and fault categories are defined by the national exam framework; ask your driving school to explain them.
Phone switched off and stored
Turn your phone off and keep it out of reach during the test. Using or handling a phone while driving is a fault and may be treated as a serious error.
Confirm the exact document list with your provider
Requirements can differ between test centres and booking routes. In the days before the test, ask your driving school or the booking provider to confirm the final list of documents and any centre-specific rules.
Plan the day
Re-read the convocation and confirm the time, address and document list with your driving school. Check that your ID is valid and that any vehicle documents are current if you are using your own car. Book one or two final lessons focused on the manoeuvres and safety checks you find hardest, and ask your instructor to run a mock test under exam conditions, including the safety-check questions and the autonomous driving phase.
Get normal sleep and avoid cramming late at night. Review the dashboard warning lights, the location of controls (hazard lights, fog lights, bonnet release) and the safety-check question list. Prepare the physical items you will bring: ID, convocation, proof of address if required, glasses or hearing aids, and vehicle documents. Check the weather forecast and plan your journey to the centre, including parking or public transport.
Pack your documents in one folder and place it by the door. Charge your phone but plan to switch it off before the test. Confirm your transport plan and set an alarm. Avoid a heavy late meal or alcohol. If you are using your own vehicle, check tyre pressure, lights, fluid levels and fuel so that the car is ready and you are not distracted by mechanical issues on the day.
Eat a normal meal and leave home with enough margin to arrive early. Take the folder with all documents. Wear flat shoes and bring your glasses or hearing aids if required. Do a final walk-around of the car if you are using your own vehicle. Keep calm and avoid last-minute discussion of mistakes; focus on the driving plan instead.
Check in with the examiner or the centre staff, present your ID and convocation, and follow their instructions. Switch off your phone and store it. Listen carefully to the examiner's instructions and ask for clarification only if a direction is genuinely unclear. Adjust the seat, mirrors and head restraint before starting, and fasten your seatbelt.
Drive smoothly and predictably: observe, signal, manoeuvre. Respect speed limits and priorities, use mirrors and blind-spot checks, and keep both hands on the wheel except when operating controls. Perform the requested manoeuvres and safety checks calmly, explaining what you are checking if asked. If you make a mistake, keep driving safely rather than trying to correct it in a risky way. At the end, stop as instructed, switch off the engine and wait for the examiner's debrief.
Rules to check
Bring original identity documents and your convocation. Photocopies and expired documents are normally refused, and without valid ID you may not be allowed to take the test. Confirm the accepted ID types with the provider if you are unsure.
Follow the examiner's instructions throughout the test. The examiner directs the route and the manoeuvres; driving against a lawful instruction or refusing to perform a requested check is a fault.
Do not use a mobile phone during the test. Switch it off and keep it out of reach. Handling a phone while driving is treated as a serious error.
Wear any corrective lenses or hearing aids required for your licence and keep them on for the whole test. If you cannot drive safely without them, tell the examiner before the test starts.
Breaks and timing are set by the provider. If you need to stop for a medical or comfort reason, tell the examiner immediately; do not leave the vehicle or the test route without permission. Confirm the expected test duration with your driving school, as it is not something to assume.
The test is scored on your driving behaviour and on the checks and manoeuvres requested. Serious faults, or repeated minor faults, can lead to failure. The official scoring grid and fault categories are defined by the national framework; ask your driving school for the current version rather than relying on second-hand descriptions.
If you take the test in your own vehicle, the car must be insured, roadworthy and have valid registration documents. The examiner may refuse to start the test if the vehicle is not compliant. Confirm with the provider whether a private vehicle is allowed and what it must contain.
After the test, listen to the examiner's debrief and follow the provider's procedure for receiving your result. Do not argue with the examiner at the roadside; if you believe there was a procedural problem, raise it afterwards through your driving school or the booking provider.