head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceService-Public.fr and France Titres (ANTS), France
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended France driver's license photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain light background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain light background. |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be visible without reflections or tinting. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows, overexposure, and reflections not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
For a French driving licence the photograph is supplied «digitally» — as a «photo-signature numérique»: «1 passport-size photo or 1 digital photo-signature» to register for the driving test, and «1 digital photo-signature» for a first licence or the addition of category B, applied for online on the France Titres (ANTS) site. «If you do not have access to a digital photo and signature service, you are offered to fill in and send by post a photo-signature form (FPS) during the online procedure»; «any envelope containing the photo-signature form without sufficient postage will not be processed and will be destroyed». The ANTS site lists «a passport-size photo less than six months old (in paper or digital format)»; an e-photo code «is only valid once»; and a French national with a digital identity can use «the single-use photo ID generated during the process from the France Identité application». The pages give no measurements, head size or background colour.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons France driver's license photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Service-Public.fr and France Titres (ANTS), France publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| An e-photo code that has already been used (it is valid only once) | A new e-photo code for each application. |
| A photograph older than six months | A passport-size photograph taken within the last six months. |
| A paper form posted in an under-stamped envelope | An envelope with sufficient postage. |
How to take it
Background: plain light
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 70–80 % of the photo height
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A French driving licence is applied for online on the France Titres (ANTS) driving-licence site; the photograph is added as a digital photo-signature (e-photo code) or sent on the paper form FPS.
permisdeconduire.ants.gouv.fr
An e-photo code (valid once) or the paper form FPS; a photo less than six months old.
Authority page| Authority | Service-Public.fr and France Titres (ANTS), France |
|---|---|
| Source | French driving licence application with e-photo |
| Verified |
Questions
A digital photo-signature (an e-photo code) or, without access to it, a paper photo with the photo-signature form FPS; a passport-size photo less than six months old.
No: the ANTS says the e-photo code is only valid once.
French nationals with a digital identity can use the single-use photo ID generated during the process from the France Identité application.
The recommended size for the France driver's license photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. The photo is printed on the card and stays there for years, so use one that looks like you every day.
Plain light background. Light should fall evenly on your face from the front, without shadows: face a window and turn off the flash.
Eyes must be visible without reflections or tinting. Many offices allow the glasses you need for driving, as long as your eyes are clearly visible and there are no reflections on the lenses. Tinted or darkened lenses are not accepted.
Most offices ask for a photo taken within the last six months. Use an everyday photo rather than a styled portrait — the licence stays valid for years.
No. The rules are the same as for a passport: neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, looking straight into the camera.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the France licensing office.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 pixels.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: asylum application, EU blue card, EU long-term residence permit, provisional residence authorisation (APS), refugee travel document, residence card for family member of an EU citizen.