France Driving Licence Photo: Meet the Exact Permis de Conduire Standard

Getting a compliant photo for your French driving licence (permis de conduire) means meeting one precise national standard — and we prepare your picture to match it automatically, so it is accepted the first time. France does not publish a separate photo rule for the driving licence: it relies on the single national identity-photo norm defined by the Arrete du 5 fevrier 2009 and the international ISO/IEC 19794-5 biometric standard.

The crucial peculiarity catches almost everyone out: a pure white background is forbidden in France. Unlike the US or UK, the French norm requires a light grey or light blue backdrop so the contour of your head stays clearly defined. The other distinctive French rule is the head measurement — your face from chin to crown must measure 32-36 mm within a 35 x 45 mm print. There is no religious exception for headwear; the head must be fully bare.

• Size: 35 mm wide x 45 mm high (413 x 531 px)
• Background: light grey (around #D3D3D3) or light blue — never pure white
• Head height: chin to crown 32-36 mm; face fills roughly 70-80% of the frame
• Expression: neutral, mouth closed, eyes open and looking straight at the camera
• Glasses: allowed only if eyes are fully visible with no glare or tinted lenses
• Headwear: forbidden, with no exceptions
• Recency: taken within the last 6 months and a true likeness

• Common reasons photos are rejected in France:
• White background: using a plain white wall — the most frequent rejection, as French norms demand light grey or light blue.
• Head too large or too small: the chin-to-crown height falls outside the strict 32-36 mm window.
• Glasses glare or tint: reflections on the lenses or coloured glass hiding the eyes.
• Shadows on the face or background: uneven lighting that breaks the uniform backdrop the ANTS biometric check expects.

You do not need a photo booth or a studio. Upload a normal, well-lit picture of yourself and it is automatically cropped, measured and colour-matched to the exact official standard — correct dimensions, the right light-grey background and a compliant head size. You see a free watermarked preview before paying anything, so you can confirm it looks right. We back every photo with an acceptance guarantee: if it is refused, we redo it free or refund you. You pay only for the final file — once you are sure it fits.