France has authorized the storage of digital vehicle registration documents, known as the carte grise, in its France Identité smartphone application starting June 30, 2025. The move extends the app’s growing portfolio of official digital documents, following earlier integrations of digital identity cards and health insurance cards into the same platform.
The digital carte grise is available to primary vehicle owners, co-owners, and private lessees, but with some restrictions. Only vehicles registered since 2009 under France’s current AA-123-AA license plate format are eligible for digitization. The service aims to simplify administrative procedures and could help motorists avoid fines for failing to present registration papers during roadside checks, though no official data yet confirms a reduction in enforcement actions.
How the Digital Carte Grise Works
Adding a vehicle registration document to the France Identité app requires users to have the latest app version, a personal PIN code, and an NFC-enabled smartphone capable of reading the French national ID card. The onboarding process involves entering the vehicle’s registration number and unique document identifier, then scanning the electronic national identity card (CNIe) via NFC. This procedure mirrors the system France introduced for incorporating health insurance cards into the digital ecosystem earlier in 2025.
The digital carte grise serves as a complement rather than a replacement for the physical document. French authorities emphasize that motorists should continue carrying their paper registration certificate, especially when traveling outside France, since the digital version is currently recognized only by French law enforcement and administrative agencies. Cross-border use remains unsupported, and the physical document may still be required during inspections abroad.
Limitations and Broader Digital Trends
The digital service is currently limited in scope. It excludes vehicles registered before 2009 and is aimed primarily at private owners and lessees. Official resources do not explicitly confirm whether company-owned vehicles are eligible, suggesting that corporate fleets are not yet fully integrated into the digital system. Additionally, foreign residents cannot use the digital carte grise feature because it requires the newer-format French national identity card, which is available exclusively to French citizens.
France’s adoption of digital vehicle documents aligns with broader European initiatives. In Germany, a small-scale pilot for a digital vehicle registration certificate launched on April 28, 2025, while plans for a full digital driver’s license remain in development. Meanwhile, European Union regulations require member states to support vehicle documents in the upcoming EU Digital Identity Wallet by 2030, framing France’s move as part of a continent-wide trend toward digital government services.
Sources: The Connexion France, L’Argus, Atelier Crabe
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By Cass Kennedy
