Roadside Check

A roadside check is an inspection carried out at the side of the road by authorized officers. For any vehicle, it covers the driver's license and the registration certificate. For a heavy goods vehicle, it also covers the tachograph, driving and rest times, and the condition of the vehicle.

Roadside checks are the main way to enforce social regulation and the French highway code (Code de la route). For a fleet manager, every check also involves the company, not just the driver.

Which documents must a driver show, whatever the vehicle?

In France, the driver shows a valid driver's license, either the physical card or the digital version in the France Identité app. They also show the registration certificate (carte grise), even if they do not own the vehicle (Service Public, in French). That is the case for every company vehicle.

Since April 1, 2024, a paper insurance certificate is no longer required. Officers check the register of insured vehicles (fichier des véhicules assurés) using the license plate (Service Public). Proof of a valid roadworthiness test (contrôle technique) is the sticker on the registration certificate.

A missing document can lead to a fine of up to €38. The driver then has 5 days to present it. After that deadline, the fine can reach €750 (Service Public).

What do officers check on a heavy goods vehicle?

The table lists the main items checked and the legal text behind each one. It applies to vehicles covered by EC Regulation 561/2006.

Item checked	What the officer verifies	Source
Driver card and records	Data for the current day and the previous 56 days, since December 31, 2024	Regulation (EU) 2020/1054
Driving and rest times	9 hours a day, 56 hours a week, 90 hours over two weeks; a 45-minute break after 4.5 hours of driving	Regulation (EC) No 561/2006
Tachograph	Periodic inspection at least every two years, intact seals, no manipulation device	Regulation (EU) No 165/2014, Art. 23 and 32
Manual entries	Activities away from the vehicle, and the symbol of the country entered after crossing a border	Regulation (EU) No 165/2014, Art. 34, as amended by Regulation 2020/1054
Roadworthiness test	Once a year for a goods vehicle over 3.5 t	Service Public Entreprendre (in French)
Vehicle condition	Technical roadside inspection: brakes, steering, lights, wheels and tires, load securing	Directive 2014/47/EU, Art. 10, Art. 13 and Annex II

Before December 31, 2024, the period to present was 28 days (Article 36 of Regulation 165/2014). Our tachograph and driver card entries describe the device and the card in detail.

What are the penalties for violations?

Driving without a valid roadworthiness test costs up to €750 for a sole proprietor and up to €3,750 for a company. The officer keeps the registration certificate and issues a temporary permit to drive, valid for 7 days (Service Public Entreprendre). Depending on the vehicle's condition, the officer can immobilize it or have it impounded.

Tampering with the tachograph is prohibited, as is any device that can falsify its data. If there is reasonable suspicion of fraud, the officer can send the vehicle to an approved workshop. If a manipulation device is found, the equipment and the driver card can be removed from the vehicle and used as evidence (Articles 32 and 38 of Regulation 165/2014).

The company is held liable for its drivers' breaches of the driving time rules (Article 10 of Regulation 561/2006). The amount of the penalties is set by each member state (Article 41 of Regulation 165/2014).

How do you prepare your fleet for a check?

You prepare for a check ahead of time, vehicle by vehicle and driver by driver. Make sure licenses and driver cards are valid. Keep track of the due dates for roadworthiness tests and tachograph inspections.

In France, employers in for-hire road transport can check that licenses are valid through the Vérif Permis portal (Service Public Entreprendre). Train your drivers in manual entries and in how to deal with officers. An automated check, on the other hand, triggers a driver designation (désignation du conducteur).

How Dadycar helps

The documents module keeps registration certificates, contracts, insurance and licenses in one place. Due-date alerts warn you before a roadworthiness test is due or a document expires.

Inspections and condition reports record the condition of each vehicle before an officer does. The ANTAI violations and FPS parking charges module tracks each ticket until it has been dealt with.

The compliance dashboard shows the state of your fleet at a glance. Donna, the AI agent, audits your account across six domains, including compliance, and claims and fines. Your data stays hosted in France, by OVHcloud.

Frequently asked questions

Do you need to keep an insurance certificate in the vehicle?

No. Since April 1, 2024, the paper certificate is no longer mandatory in France. Officers check insurance in the register of insured vehicles, using the registration number (Service Public).

How many days of records must a driver present?

The current day and the previous 56 days, since December 31, 2024 (Regulation 2020/1054). Before that, the rule was 28 days. Older materials that still quote that figure are therefore out of date.

What does a company risk if its vehicle has no valid roadworthiness test?

A fine of up to €3,750. The registration certificate is withheld and a temporary 7-day permit to drive is issued. Depending on its condition, the vehicle can be immobilized (Service Public Entreprendre).