When you ask about driving a scooter or a licence-free car, some articles talk about the Road Safety Certificate and others about the AM licence... But what is the difference?
In reality... it's the same thing! The Road Safety Certificate has become the AM licence, with more safety!
Difference between the Road Safety Certificate and the AM licence: towards more safety
Today, the certificate, created with the aim of reducing the number of accidents involving young people on two wheels, no longer exists. The AM licence has replaced it since 2013, but with some new features.
The AM licence imposes stricter rules for driving quadricycles (quads, cars without a licence, etc.) and mopeds (scooters, etc.).
In short, to obtain it, in addition to the theoretical training you will have to do 8 hours of practical driving training.
The AM licence is more formative and provides a better awareness of road risks. Young drivers are better trained and more aware.
To find out more about the AM licence, how to apply, the conditions for obtaining it, its cost, and much more, please consult our dedicated article.
Table of differences between the Road Certificate Licence and the AM licence
Finally, apart from the safer aspect and the number of hours of practical training, there are other minor differences between the Brevet de Sécurité Routière and the AM category of licence. We have listed them for you in this table:
| Road Safety Certificate (outdated) | AM Licence | |
| Date of creation | 1996 | 2013 |
| Objective | Road safety awareness and training to reduce adolescent casualties | Same objective with more advanced and updated training, meets a strict legal framework |
| Theoretical training | ASSR 1 and 2 (School certificates for road safety, taken at secondary school in fifth and third year), or ASR (for approved centres) | |
| Driving and practical training hours | 5 | 8 |
| Temporal validity | Unlimited | 15 years |
| Geographical validity | France | European Union (note that the minimum legal age may vary between countries) |
| Issued by | The instructor | The prefecture |
| Format | Certificate | Pink card (driving licence model, credit card size) |
| Points system | No - On the other hand, criminal sanctions are provided for in case of non-respect of traffic rules (alcohol, priorities...) | |
