Taking the French Highway Code exam (Code de la route) when French isn't your first language is both a driving challenge and a language hurdle. The good news? With the right approach, it's entirely within your reach. And contrary to popular belief, there is an official solution if you don't read French.

What the Code Exam (ETG) Actually Is

The General Theoretical Exam (ETG), commonly known as the "Code," consists of 40 questions. To pass, you need at least 35 correct answers out of 40, meaning no more than 5 mistakes.

Key points to know:

• You have about 20 seconds per question.
• Some questions have multiple correct answers: you must select all of them.
• Results are sent by email, usually within 48 hours.
• The exam costs €30 in registration fees.
• It takes place at an approved testing center: La Poste, SGS, Dekra, or Bureau Veritas.

The minimum age to take the Code exam is 17 years old.

How to Register

You have two options:

• Through a driving school: They handle everything, including obtaining your NEPH (prefectural registration number) and booking your slot.
• As an independent candidate: You create your file on ANTS (the official government portal for administrative procedures), get your NEPH, and then directly book a session with an approved testing center.

Being an independent candidate is cheaper but requires some administrative autonomy. If written French intimidates you, a driving school can provide support.

A Realistic 6–10 Week Study Plan

Consistency beats intensity. There's no point in cramming 4 hours on Sunday; aim for 30 to 45 minutes per day.

A rhythm that works well:

• Weeks 1–2: Discover the main topics (right-of-way rules, signage, speed limits).
• Weeks 3–6: Daily practice questions, noting down recurring errors.
• Weeks 7–10: Mock exams under real conditions, timed.

Only book your actual exam once you consistently score 38/40 on practice tests. This buffer protects you from day-of stress.

"Tool Words" That Trip Up Non-Native Speakers

It's often vocabulary, not the traffic rules themselves, that causes failure. Learn to spot words that completely change the meaning of a question:

• sauf (except), uniquement (only), hormis / excepté (apart from): These invert or restrict the rule.
• en agglomération (in built-up areas) vs hors agglomération (outside built-up areas): Speed limits and rules differ.
• je dois (I must – obligation) vs je peux (I can – simple possibility).
• ralentir (slow down) / s'arrêter (stop) / céder le passage (yield): Three distinct actions.
• Double negatives ("il n'est pas interdit de…" – it is not forbidden to...).
• Questions with multiple answers, where forgetting just one box means losing the point.

Tip: Keep a small notebook of these words with their translations. Review it before each practice session.

Taking the Exam in a Foreign Language: The Adapted Non-Francophone Test

Here's a correction to a very common misconception. People often say "there's no translation for the Code" and that an interpreter is only allowed for the practical driving test. This is false.

By default, the exam is taken in French. The ready-made foreign versions and generic audio translations available before 2016 were indeed removed. However, France maintains an official adapted exam: the specific non-francophone ETG.

In practice, if you don't read or understand French, you can take the Code exam assisted by a sworn translator-interpreter accredited by a Court of Appeal, in the language of your choice. Here's how it works:

• The examiner reads the questions aloud and manages the timing; they can read a question once more upon request.
• Up to 3 different languages can be accommodated during the same session.
• The interpreter is chosen and paid by the candidate: You select them from the list of experts at the Court of Appeal, and the service is at your expense.

To benefit from this, make the request during registration: Check the "non-francophone" option on ANTS, and/or use the simplified procedures on your prefecture's website, indicating your nationality and desired language. Plan ahead: finding an available sworn interpreter takes time.

On Exam Day

• A valid ID is mandatory: passport, residence permit, or national ID card.
• Bring your confirmation letter with your NEPH.
• Phone off and put away.
• If you fail, you can retake it immediately without waiting: Just book a new session and pay the €30 fee again.

Failing isn't a disaster: Many candidates pass on their second try simply by correcting two or three vocabulary pitfalls.

Key Takeaways

• The ETG has 40 questions, requires at least 35 correct answers (max 5 mistakes), costs €30, and is taken at an approved center.
• Register via a driving school or as an independent candidate (ANTS file + NEPH). Minimum age: 17 years old.
• Study 30–45 mins/day for 6–10 weeks and only book when you consistently score 38/40 in practice.
• Focus on tool words (except, only, apart from, in/outside built-up areas...): This is often where success or failure is decided.
• Don't read French? Request the adapted non-francophone exam: A sworn interpreter accredited by the Court of Appeal, in your language, requested during registration ("non-francophone" option on ANTS) — at your own cost.
• On D-Day: Valid ID mandatory, confirmation letter, phone off; if you fail, you can retake immediately without delay.