Opening and managing a driving school

Verified 01 January 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You want to open a driving school? You must be older than 23 years minimum and have B license for 3 years minimum. You need to get a prefectural approval, have certain diplomas, own or rent a premises and vehicles professionals dedicated to the activity. If you use monitors, they must have a teaching authorization. We provide you with all the necessary information.

Step-by-step approach

Prerequisites

You must complete all prerequisite following:

  • Be aged 23 years minimum
  • Have the B license for 3 years minimum
  • Have one of the 2 diplomas following:
    • Bachelor's degree + 2 years (DEUG: titleContent, BTS: titleContent, DUT: titleContent, etc.), i.e. a level 5 diploma (minimum) (general or technological)

    • Training in the management and operation of driving schools (e.g. certification RUESCR: titleContent)
  • To have passed a medical examination which has given rise to a positive medical opinion approving that you can practice this occupation (cerfa no. 14880). Only a licensed medical practitioner may carry out this check. He's not your primary care doctor. You can find the list of accredited doctors on the website of your prefecture.
  • Have a blank criminal record on bulletin 2 (no criminal conviction)
  • Not having had an prohibition on engaging in commercial activity
Significant personal commitment

Embark on this trade ask for a personal and financial investment important: purchase or lease of the vehicles, maintenance, purchase or rental of a local, technical skills in transport, in management, in management, etc.

Diversity of transport arrangements

There are many types of transport: heavy or light transport, passenger or goods transport, transport with trailers, etc.

Find out about the profession and the different driving licenses that exist.

Verify that you have the right to become a merchant

If you hire one or more trainers, your company will be considered a business activity.

Check then that you can become a merchant.

Anticipating Difficulties

These courses are optional, but recommended for your success.

  • Plan for difficulties
    • Make a financial reserve to deal with the unexpected.
    • Get ready for steady rate of work, at wide and staggered times
Make a business plan

It is advisable to make a business plan of your future company.

It's a essential file for convince the banks to support you.

He's also a management tool over the first 3 years.

We'll explainhow to develop your business plan.

Who can help you?

FYI  

Before you get started, we offer tips and tools to prepare for entrepreneurship.

You can also request different accompanying solutions.

Get closer to the CCI: titleContent from your region.

Each KIC offers a training (3-5 days) to succeed your company creation project.

The KICs also each offer a personalized follow-up on your project.

Who shall I contact

Define the nature of your business: liberal or commercial?

If you are the manager and the only instructor of the driving school, your activity is considered liberal.

If you have at least one in-house instructor, your activity is commercial.

In any case, you must register your company on the website of the Company Formalities Window.

Company Formalities Window

Choose the legal form of your company

You have to choose your company's status.

You have the choice between 2 statuses:

  • Individual business VID (EI). Inside the AR status, you can choose the one of the micro-company.
  • Business: EURL or SASU (single partner), SARL (if you have one or more partners), etc.)

Advantages and disadvantages of the micro-company

Turnover not to be exceeded

As a micro-entrepreneur, you have a turnover not to exceed.

It rises to €77,700 for the provision of services and the liberal professions and to €188,700 for trade and accommodation activities.

If you exceed it for 2 consecutive years, you are out of the micro-company status.

This status is therefore appropriate for the beginner.

It's a good idea to get out of it as soon as your business develops.

Strengths

The status of the micro-company allows you to pay very little or no social security contributions.

Your administrative procedures are shorter, faster.

Weaknesses

In micro-company, you cannot deduct business expenses from your taxes, nor can you recover VAT.

You have little social protection (sickness, retirement, unemployment, etc.).

You cannot combine multiple different activities (i.e. with 2 different Siren unique ID numbers).

You can do 2 different activities but in the same micro-company, so these 2 activities must be linked (e.g. a bicycle salesman and repairman).

Advantages and disadvantages of the business

Strengths

With the business status, you can deduct your business expenses from your taxes.

You have maximum social protection.

You can partner.

You can hire one or more employees.

Weaknesses

Administrative procedures in the form of business are longer.

You must write and save your business statuses.

If you have a partner, you have to make the decisions together.

Declare your activity, register your company

Warning  

Since 1er january 2023, it is no longer possible to carry out your procedures in a company Formalities Center (CFE). You must make them on the website of the company formalities office.

Company Formalities Window

You must create personal account. Then you need to click on the column “ Company ” and then click on “File a company”. One interactive online form 8 pages is offered; you must fill it out step by step. A user manual is available on this Single Window website.

You must scan and then upload to the site the supporting documents following:

The companies Formalities Window will send you a acknowledgement of your file. If a document is missing, you will be informed and you will have a 15-day period renewable once to transmit the missing voucher.

The company Formalities Window keeps your data for a maximum of 3 years (the information in your return and the supporting documents provided).

Local dedicated to your company

You must be the owner or tenant of a space dedicated to your activity.

FYI  

The room shall measure 25m2 minimum.

The room must have 2 rooms distinct, one of which must be phonetically isolated for teaching.

Control of the prefecture

The prefecture is conducting a control to verify that your premises are compliant.

Depending on your status, you must provide the prefecture during the inspection with one of the following documents:

  • Title of Ownership
  • Commercial lease
  • Professional Lease Agreement
Owner (Liberal or Merchant)

You must provide the deed of ownership of the room dedicated to your driving school.

Liberal tenant

You must provide the professional lease from your premises.

Commercial tenant

You must provide the commercial lease from your premises.

Vehicles for teaching

You must be the owner or tenant of the vehicle(s) dedicated to driving training.

You must provide the carte grise certificate of registration (certificate of registration) of each vehicle or the lease.

Vehicles must be insured.

You must provide proof of insurance covering damage that may result from accidents caused to other people. This is a professional insurance to subscribe to your regular insurer.

Please note

Provided they belong to candidates enrolled in the driving school, you are not obliged to provide proof of ownership or rental for motorcycles or motorcycles. 3-wheel scooters less than 15 kw. This also applies to light and heavy motor quadricycles and vehicles used by people with disabilities.

Apply

To be entitled to teach driving, each instructor must have a teaching authorization.

This is a card issued by the prefecture department.

It's free. It must be renewed every 5 years.

Download the application form on the website of your prefecture.

You need to fill out the form and gather the documents to be provided.

You address all of it by post to your prefecture.

In some departments, the process can also be done entirely on the site "approaches-simplified.fr".

Who shall I contact

Simplified online approaches for driving schools (driving license, prefectural approval, teaching authorization, etc.)

Conditions for obtaining it

You must complete all conditions following:

  • Be aged 20 years minimum
  • Have the B license for 3 years minimum and hold the other permits for which you are training in your driving school (permit A, permit B1 and BE, permit C, etc.)
  • To have obtained the BEPECASER: titleContent or a diploma or certificate recognized as equivalent
  • To have passed a medical examination which has given rise to a positive medical opinion approving that you can practice this occupation (cerfa no. 14880). Only a licensed medical practitioner may carry out this check. He's not your primary care doctor. You can find the list of accredited doctors on the website of your prefecture.
  • Have a blank criminal record on bulletin 2 (no conviction criminal law)
Documents to be provided
  • 2 identical identity photos with your first and last name on the back
  • Photocopy of a valid identity document (national identity card on both sides or passport)
  • Photocopy of proof of residence of less than 3 months
  • Duplex photocopy of the driving license
  • Photocopy of the medical certificate under 2 years of age attesting that you are fit to teach the conduct established by one of the doctors accredited by the prefecture
  • Photocopy of BEPECASER: titleContent

Please note

Depending on the department where you live, you must also provide 1 postage-paid envelope at the current registered rate with acknowledgement of receipt, with your name and address written on it.

Make the request to the prefecture

You must apply to the prefecture from your department.

Accreditation is proof that you meet all the necessary conditions to manage a driving school.

You must apply for a license for each establishment if you are managing several.

The approval is valid 5 years, renewable.

The request is free. It's done very often online only on the website of the prefecture of your department, either on the website "simplified procedures.fr".

Who shall I contact

Simplified online approaches for driving schools (driving license, prefectural approval, teaching authorization, etc.)

Documents to be provided
Individual business

For your file to be complete, you must provide the following:

  • Copy of your valid two-sided ID card or passport
  • Proof of residence of less than 3 months in your name (copy of a water, electricity, gas, or telephone bill)
  • Recent photo ID
  • Copy of diploma (minimum level 5) or qualifying training (e.g. certification) RUESCR: titleContent)
  • Justification for the declaration of the territorial economic contribution (TEC) or, failing this, a declaration of registration with the Urssaf
  • Name and quality of the establishment: corporate name, Unique Identification Number (SIREN) or SIRET, contact details (address, telephone, etc.)
  • Photocopy of title or commercial lease (or professional) of the premises
  • Plan and description of the room (size and layout of rooms). Photographs can be requested.
  • Carte grise (registration certificate) (or lease) and insurance certificate for each teaching vehicle
  • Double-sided copy of the teaching authorization card for you and for each employee instructor
Business

For your file to be complete, you must provide the following:

FYI  

You must view approval order visibly on your premises. The approval number must appear on your marketing or advertising documents.

Recruit, hire

Hiring a coach is a prospect of developing your business.

If you are new to the business, you must learn human resources practices, including recruitment and hiring of an employee.

Each instructor in your driving school must have the teacher authorization card valid.

General obligations for each vehicle
  • Pass a technical inspection mandatory (on 1er should occur 4 years after the first entry into service, the following every 2 years)
  • Get a authorization for putting into circulation delivered in the form of a mention Training vehicle carte grise on the registration certificate (), except for scooters, 2 wheels less than 50 cm3, the light and heavy motor quadricycles, the maxi scooters less than 15 kilowatts
    The authorization for putting into circulation shall be valid:
    • 6 years for motorcycles and vehicles of less than 3,5 tons
    • 10 years for vehicles used for the training of disabled persons
    • 15 years for passenger and goods vehicles

    There is no age limit for trailers and semi-trailers.
  • Have at least 4 seated places for training in B-permit
  • Have professional insurance for accidents caused by students during training or exams
Obligations of equipment per vehicle

Each vehicle shall have equipment following:

  • Steering wheel located at the driver's seat, to the left front of the vehicle
  • Dual braking and declutching control (except for automatic shift vehicles)
  • Dual acceleration control, (decommissioning during the driving license examination)
  • 2 interior rear-view mirrors adjusted for the student and the monitor (except for goods or passenger vehicles)
  • 4 exterior side mirrors, left and right, adjusted for use by the student and the monitor (for vehicles less than 3.5 tons, the exterior left mirror is not intended for the monitor)
  • Dual control of horn, lights (position, crossing, road) and direction change indicator within immediate range of the monitor
  • For 2 or 3-wheels: approved device allowing a permanent (radio) link between the monitor and each student, when the monitor is not on board the vehicle
  • Signs or inscriptions visible from the front and the rear, with one of the following indications: driving school, driving school, motorcycle, motor school or motorcycle school (without other indication, including advertising), placed either at the front and rear or on the roof (minimum dimensions: 40 x 12 cm, maximum 50 x 15 cm for a private car, dimensions: 100 x 30 cm for heavy goods vehicles, where they must be placed at the front and rear of vehicles)
  • For 2 or 3-wheels, mention motorcycle school or cycling school shall be clearly visible from the front and rear, either on 2 signs or markings placed on the vehicle or on a fluorescent vest worn by the student driver and the monitor when seated at the rear of the vehicle.

As a professional training organization, you must make a declaration of your activity.

To do this, you must fill out the form below and send it to the DDETS: titleContent, to the Vocational Training Control Service (SRC).

Training Provider Activity Report (TA) Bulletin

FYI  

In return, the prefecture provides you with a registration number. It must appear on all your administrative and accounting documents (invoices, purchase orders, etc.).

What's this about?

You can request this label to assure your customers that your teaching adapts in a qualitative manner to all audiences, including public in difficulty.

The quality label is necessary for the financial support of training driving under the personal training account (PTA).

He is free.

It must be renewed every 3 years.

How do I get it?

Your driving school can get it if it respects the 7 criteria following:

  • Accurate identification of training objectives and adaptation to the trained public
  • Adaptation of reception, pedagogical follow-up and evaluation arrangements to different types of pupils
  • Adequacy of pedagogical, technical and managerial resources to offer training
  • Professional qualification and continuing training of instructors
  • Conditions for informing pupils about the training offer, its access times and the results obtained
  • Taking into account the assessments made by pupils
  • Registration and investment of the driving school in its professional environment

The application for the label is made by form to the prefecture from your department.

Who shall I contact

Warning  

this label obliges you to respect these criteria. Control audits are carried out to check whether your driving school complies with them.

Continuing training of instructors

The profession of monitor demands that you train continuously, you and your employees.

This is one of the 7 criteria necessary to obtain the quality label.

To receive training, you must be up to date of your contribution for vocational training (MFF).

Who can help you find and fund training?

To find a course you can use the following search tool:

Find a course with France Travail (formerly Pôle emploi)

You must inquire on the self-employed training support.

To find a financing tailored to a training, you can contact the Agency.

It provides training for heads of company, self-employed managers and their collaborating or associate spouses.

To find funding in the area of training for liberal professionals, you can contact the FIFPL: titleContent :

Who shall I contact

Renewing your 2 cards: accreditation and authorization to teach

Each of these cards is valid 5 years.

It's at you and every teacher to carry out the process of renewing them every 5 years.

Please note

there is no implied renewal or someone to warn you that your card is approaching its expiry date.

By postal mail

You have to download form renewal request on the website of your prefecture.

You need to address by post the renewal form at the prefecture from your department, Minimum 2 months before the end of validity of each of your cards.

Who shall I contact

Please note

you must return the original of your previous map permission to teach.

Choose an authorization extension

This means that you are broadening the number of types of permits to drive to which you train in your driving school.

You must fill out the form request for extension of approval.

It has to be downloaded from the website of your department prefecture. You can also apply online on the "simplified procedures.fr" website.

Who shall I contact

Simplified online approaches for driving schools (driving license, prefectural approval, teaching authorization, etc.)

Declare your income

We'll explain the simplified reporting route.

You have to make your income tax return on the tax site, first on your business account and then on your personal account.

Online tax account for professionals (EFI mode)

Taxes: access your Special Space

Your contact person for the payment of your contributions remains theUrssaf: titleContent.

Please note

This declaration allows you to be up to date with your social contributions to benefit from your rights (pension, illness, training, etc.).

If your spouse works with you

If you have a spouse and that spouse work with you, you must define its status.

He may be either a collaborating spouse, an associate spouse or an employed spouse.

We'll explain the conditions specific to each status and the steps to be taken.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region