For seven years, adult apprentices could count on €500 from the State to fund their category B licence. That boost disappeared in February 2026: here is what really remains to get behind the wheel during your work-study contract, and in what order to go about it.
In short: the flat-rate €500 aid for adult apprentices' category B licence was scrapped by the 2026 Finance Act (Law no. 2026-103 of 19 February 2026): since 21 February 2026, no applications can be made. To fund your licence on a work-study contract, you still have the €1-a-day licence (interest-free loan, aged 15-25), aid from regions, departments and municipalities, the social action of some industry sectors, the CPF (only if you are a jobseeker or with at least €100 of co-funding, capped at €900) and any contribution from your employer.
Why does the driving licence weigh so heavily in a work-study job search?
In construction, maintenance, logistics, personal care, agriculture and the automotive trades, "category B licence preferred" often appears in job ads. Not as a matter of principle, but because building sites, warehouses and service rounds are rarely located next to a train station.
The problem quickly turns into a scissor effect: you need the licence to land the contract, and the contract's salary to pay for the licence. Hence the value of treating the licence as a project in its own right, tackled alongside the search for an employer. On a CV, "category B licence in progress, test scheduled for November" is far more reassuring than saying nothing on the subject.
Until you have your licence, remember that your employer must cover 50% of your public transport season ticket: all the details are in our guide to transport costs in work-study.
Does the €500 driving licence aid still exist in 2026?
No. Since 1 January 2019, any apprentice aged at least 18 preparing for the category B licence could apply for flat-rate aid of €500, with no means testing. The CFA paid it out and was then reimbursed by the Agence de services et de paiement (ASP), under the framework set by Decree no. 2019-1 of 3 January 2019.
The 2026 Finance Act (Law no. 2026-103 of 19 February 2026, published in the Journal officiel on 20 February 2026, Article 202) put an end to the scheme. The removal has been effective since 21 February 2026.
Since 21 February 2026, no new driving licence aid application can be submitted, whether you are in the first or the final year of your apprenticeship. If you had started an application before that date, only your CFA can tell you whether it could be processed under the old rules.
Why was it scrapped? According to the French Senate's report on the 2026 budget, the measure is expected to save €36 million in 2026. The aid benefited around 62,800 apprentices a year, but it was not means-tested and did not exist for other students.
Another change worth knowing: France Travail's category B licence aid for jobseekers also ended on 1 April 2026.
What about professionalisation contracts?
The €500 aid was reserved for apprentices: work-study students on a professionalisation contract were never entitled to it. Today, the situation is the same for all work-study students: no dedicated national aid, but the same alternatives below. To compare the two contracts on other points, read our article apprenticeship or professionalisation.
Which schemes remain to fund your licence in 2026?
| Scheme | Who for? | Amount or form | Where to apply? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Former €500 apprentice aid | Adult apprentices | Scrapped since 21/02/2026 | — |
| €1-a-day licence | Aged 15-25, certified driving school | Interest-free loan of €600 to €1,200 (+ €300 after a failed test) | Partner bank, via the driving school |
| Regional, departmental and municipal aid | Varies by area | Variable | Local authority, 1jeune1permis service |
| Fonds d'aide aux jeunes (FAJ) | 18-25s facing integration difficulties | Variable | Mission locale |
| Industry social action (e.g. PRO BTP) | Second-year construction apprentices, subject to conditions | €600, paid to the driving school | Sector body |
| CPF | Jobseekers, or work-study students with co-funding of €100 or more | Up to €900 | Mon Compte Formation |
| Employer | Case by case | Variable | Your company |
How does the €1-a-day licence work?
It is not a subsidy but an interest-free loan on which the State covers the interest. According to the Sécurité routière, it is open to all young people aged 15 to 25 when they sign a training contract with a driving school certified for training quality, for the B, A1 or A2 licence:
- amount of €600, €800, €1,000 or €1,200, not exceeding the school's quote;
- repaid at €30 a month (hence "€1 a day"), starting the month after the funds are released;
- additional €300 loan possible after failing the practical test;
- only one "initial training" loan per person, combinable with public aid.
The advantage for a work-study student: cash flow. You spread the cost over the length of your contract instead of paying everything at once. The bank is free to accept or refuse the application and may ask for a guarantor: a signed contract and payslips strengthen your request.
What aid do regions, departments and municipalities offer?
This is often the biggest source of help, but also the most uneven: depending on where you live, you may be entitled to aid from your region, department or municipality, sometimes in exchange for hours of civic volunteering. Amounts, age limits and income conditions vary from one area to another.
The right reflex: the public service 1jeune1permis, on 1jeune1solution.gouv.fr, which lists driving licence aid based on your postcode. Complete your search with your regional council's website, your mission locale (which manages the Fonds d'aide aux jeunes for 18- to 25-year-olds facing difficulties) and your CFA's mobility officer, who handles this kind of application all year round.
Can your industry sector help?
Sometimes. In construction, for example, PRO BTP (the construction industry's social protection group) offers €600 towards the licence for apprentices in their second year, under 30 and subject to income conditions, paid directly to the driving school. Check the up-to-date conditions on its website. In other sectors, ask your CFA, your employer or your OPCO about industry schemes.
Can you still use your CPF for the driving licence?
Yes, but the rules have tightened considerably since 21 February 2026. For light-vehicle licences (B, A1, A2, BE), the Personal Training Account can only be used in two cases:
- you are a jobseeker registered with France Travail;
- a third party co-funds at least €100 of the training (employer, OPCO, region, State, France Travail…).
In all cases, CPF funding is capped at €900 (Decree no. 2026-127 of 24 February 2026). Heavy goods vehicle and public transport licences (C, D…) are not affected by this restriction.
In practice, a salaried work-study student can no longer use their CPF alone, and a first-year apprentice rarely has many entitlements (the account is credited for the previous year's activity). Check your balance on Mon Compte Formation before building your funding plan.
Can the employer, the OPCO or the industry sector pay for the licence?
Nothing obliges a company to fund its work-study student's licence. But in sectors where the licence is directly useful for the job, the practice exists: a cash advance, partial coverage or full funding. The employer can also provide the €100 of co-funding that unlocks your CPF, and the OPCO is among the possible co-funders.
A few points to watch:
- get the agreement in writing (amount, payment to you or to the driving school, timetable);
- be wary of any repayment commitment if you leave: have the document reviewed by your CFA's legal adviser;
- depending on its form, employer funding may have social security and tax implications: the payroll department will be able to advise you.
To see what the cost of the licence represents relative to your monthly pay, the pay calculator gives an immediate order of magnitude.
In what order should you file the applications?
The classic mistake: enrolling at the driving school, then discovering that a local scheme required an application before enrolment. Here is a sequence that works:
- Before enrolling, list the aid offered by your region, department and municipality (1jeune1permis service, mission locale, CFA).
- Choose a certified driving school if you are aiming for the €1-a-day licence.
- Talk to your employer: a direct contribution or co-funding of at least €100 to use your CPF.
- Sign the training contract and keep quotes and invoices: they are the key documents for every application.
- Put together the €1-a-day loan application for the remaining balance.
- Declare every grant obtained to the other funding bodies, which often ask for a sworn statement.
How do you fit the licence around the work-study rhythm?
Once the funding is secured, the real challenge is time. An apprentice on a 3-weeks-in-company / 1-week-at-the-CFA rhythm has neither the Wednesday afternoons nor the school holidays of a secondary school pupil.
- Book fixed slots rather than lessons taken ad hoc: regularity limits the number of hours needed.
- Work on the theory test during CFA weeks, when evenings are freer. A highway code revision book combined with online practice tests remains an effective combination.
- Tell your apprenticeship supervisor: many employers agree to free up half a day for the practical test, especially if the licence is useful for the job. It is not a right, it is a negotiation.
- Anticipate test waiting times: in some departments, getting a slot for the practical test takes several weeks.
If you are moving closer to your company, also consider the Mobili-Jeune aid to ease your rent.
Which mistakes should you avoid?
- Counting on the €500 aid: many websites are out of date, but it has indeed been scrapped since 21 February 2026.
- Enrolling before checking local aid, some of which requires a prior application.
- Thinking the CPF is enough: without jobseeker status or co-funding, it no longer funds the category B licence.
- Borrowing without doing the maths: €30 a month for 20 to 40 months is added to your budget, even after you pass.
Key takeaways
The end of the €500 aid makes funding your licence harder but not impossible. The right trio: check local aid before enrolling, negotiate with your employer (direct contribution or CPF co-funding) and spread the rest with the €1-a-day licence.
Also review the other forms of support on our financial aid page, and if mobility limits your search, target the work-study offers you can reach from home.