Since 2016, any candidate for a motorcycle license in France must first validate the A2 license before applying for the A license. Age, driving experience, or professional background do not matter: there are no exceptions that allow direct access to the A license. This requirement applies equally to a 25-year-old driver and a seasoned 50-year-old motorist.
Decree of May 31, 2016: the elimination of the direct A license
Before this date, candidates over 24 years old could go directly to the A license exam at a motorcycle school. They could ride a motorcycle without power restrictions from day one.
The decree of May 31, 2016, effective June 1, ended this possibility. Now, progression must go through the A2 license, limited to motorcycles of 35 kW (or 47.5 horsepower). Only after two years of practice under this regime can a motorcyclist access the A license.
Have you held a B license for years? That changes nothing. The seniority of the car license does not provide any direct access to the A license. The only pathway remains through the A2 category, then the transition to A. To better understand the necessary conditions to obtain a motorcycle license without A2, one must start from this strict regulatory framework.
Transition from A2 to A license: the actual content of the 7-hour training
The additional 7-hour training is the only mechanism to transition from the A2 license to the A license. It takes place at an accredited motorcycle school and consists of three distinct blocks.
- A 2-hour theoretical module in a classroom, focused on road safety, risk analysis, and the specifics of riding powerful motorcycles.
- A 2-hour practical module off-road, dedicated to mastering the motorcycle at low speed and safety maneuvers on a closed course.
- A 3-hour practical module on the road, where the instructor assesses the candidate’s ability to handle an unrestricted motorcycle in real traffic.
This training does not include any exam or grading. The instructor validates the training based on participation and observed aptitude. At the end of the 7 hours, the driving school sends the certificate to the prefecture for the license update.
A point often overlooked: this training can be taken in the three months preceding the two-year anniversary of the A2 license. If your A2 was issued on September 15, 2024, the training is available starting June 15, 2026.
Anticipating the A2 pathway: the ETM before 18
Many candidates think that the A2 pathway can only start at 18. In practice, the motorcycle theory test (ETM) can be taken as early as 17 and a half. This specific motorcycle code, distinct from the car code, consists of 40 questions related to safety, signage, and regulations specific to motorized two-wheelers.
Passing the ETM in advance allows one to focus exclusively on the practical tests (closed course then road) once they reach adulthood. The time savings are real: several weeks, sometimes a month or two depending on the availability of exam slots in your department.
ETM and car code: two distinct exams
Even if you hold a valid road code obtained for the B license, passing the ETM is still mandatory for the A2 license. The two tests are not interchangeable. The ETM includes topics absent from the car code: protective equipment, dynamics of riding a two-wheeler, specific blind spots for motorcycles.
The passing threshold is set at 35 correct answers out of 40. Preparation can be done online or at a driving school, depending on your preference.
Riding a 125 cm3 without an A2 license: the 7-hour training for B license holders
If your goal is not to ride a large motorcycle but simply to ride a 125 cm3, another option exists. Holders of a B license for at least two years can take a 7-hour training course at a motorcycle school. This training grants access to the A1 category by equivalence.
No exam is required, either theoretical or practical. The training covers theory, closed course, and road riding, in the same format as the transition from A2 to A. It allows riding a two-wheeler with a maximum of 125 cm3 or a three-wheeler with less than 15 kW.
This option does not replace the A2 license. It does not grant access to motorcycles over 125 cm3. To ride a motorcycle of 35 kW or more, passing the complete A2 license exam (ETM, closed course, road) remains the only possibility.
AM license for those under 18
Adolescents from 14 years old can access the AM license, which allows riding 50 cm3 mopeds. The training lasts 8 hours and takes place at a driving school. This license does not serve as a step towards the A2 license, but it allows starting to ride on two wheels well before reaching adulthood.
What the regulations still do not provide
No adjustments exist for experienced profiles. A motorcyclist who has ridden for years abroad with a local license will have to, unless there is a reciprocity agreement between countries, go through the complete A2 pathway in France. Former holders of an A license obtained before 2016 retain their acquired rights, but there is no procedure to reactivate an old system for new candidates.
French regulations also do not provide for the validation of professional experience. A motorcycle courier, a driving school instructor, or a law enforcement officer in transition is subject to the same pathway as any other civilian candidate.
The framework has been fixed for nearly ten years, and no ongoing reform proposes to change it. Whether the goal is a touring bike, a trail, or a roadster over 35 kW, the road to the A license systematically goes through the A2, then the 7-hour transition. It is better to integrate this delay into your schedule from the start rather than looking for a shortcut that does not exist.
