Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Doubs (25)

Driving a license-free car in Besançon

Driving a license-free car in Besançon (Doubs): the rules, the 45 km/h limit, allowed roads, the AM licence and routes suited to light quadricycles.

In Besançon (Doubs), a license-free car drives freely on all local, secondary and main roads, up to 45 km/h; only motorways and expressways stay off-limits. The AM licence (the French moped licence) is required for people born after 1 January 1988.

45 km/h
top speed
AM licence
required after 1988
No LEZ
in Besançon
15
routes
119,199
residents
45 km/h
top speed
No
low emission zone
15
routes

License-free car rules in Besançon

In Besançon, license-free cars (light quadricycles) drive on secondary, local and main roads with a top speed of 45 km/h. Motorways, expressways and some ring roads are off-limits.

The AM licence (the French moped licence) is required for people born after 1 January 1988. For people born before that date, no licence is required.

License-free cars in Besançon: what to know

Besançon has 119,199 residents and is a major urban hub. The heavy traffic and complex road network make a license-free car especially handy: smaller footprint, easier parking, low running costs. Watch out for the ring roads and expressways that wrap the city, though: they are strictly off-limits to light quadricycles and must be skirted via secondary roads.

In the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, Besançon sits on a dense web of secondary roads well suited to a license-free car. For everyday trips between nearby towns, these local and main roads, away from the expressways, give a calm and comfortable setting for a 45 km/h vehicle. The motorways that cross the region stay strictly off-limits to light quadricycles.

Pollution and the future of license-free cars in Besançon

Besançon is not currently subject to a Low Emission Zone (LEZ). Both combustion and electric license-free cars can drive there with no Crit'Air restriction, across the whole town and its neighbours. That could change if the town crosses certain pollution thresholds or joins a metropolis already engaged in an LEZ scheme, so it is worth following local announcements if you plan to keep a vehicle for several years.

Practical tip

For getting around Besançon, favour local roads and secondary main roads. The main arteries into town are usually fine, but always avoid bypasses and ring roads: their limit often tops 70 km/h, which puts them off-limits to light quadricycles. A dedicated GPS like TacTac filters these roads out automatically to give you a fully legal route.

License-free car routes from Besançon

Besançon → Dole Jura (39)
43 km 1h 5min
Besançon → Vesoul Haute-Saône (70)
44 km 1h 6min
Besançon → Pontarlier Doubs (25)
45 km 1h 8min
Besançon → Montbéliard Doubs (25)
66 km 1h 39min
Besançon → Lons-le-Saunier Jura (39)
72 km 1h 48min
Besançon → Dijon Côte-d'Or (21)
75 km 1h 53min
Besançon → Belfort Territoire de Belfort (90)
77 km 1h 56min
Besançon → Chalon-sur-Saône Saône-et-Loire (71)
102 km 2h 33min
Besançon → Thonon-les-Bains Haute-Savoie (74)
102 km 2h 33min
Besançon → Épinal Vosges (88)
109 km 2h 44min
Besançon → Oyonnax Ain (01)
113 km 2h 50min
Besançon → Mulhouse Haut-Rhin (68)
114 km 2h 51min
Besançon → Chaumont Haute-Marne (52)
118 km 2h 57min
Besançon → Bourg-en-Bresse Ain (01)
130 km 3h 15min
Besançon → Saint-Dié-des-Vosges Vosges (88)
135 km 3h 23min
All routes from Besançon →

Frequently asked questions, license-free cars in Besançon

Can you drive a license-free car in Besançon?

Yes, license-free cars (light quadricycles) drive freely in Besançon on all local, secondary and main roads, up to 45 km/h. Motorways, expressways and some ring roads stay off-limits.

Is there a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in Besançon?

No, Besançon has no LEZ yet. All license-free cars, electric or combustion, can drive freely across the whole town.

What licence do you need to drive a license-free car in Besançon?

The AM licence (the French moped licence) is required for people born after 1 January 1988. People born before that date can drive a license-free car with no specific licence, in Besançon as anywhere in France.

How fast can a license-free car go in Besançon?

The legal top speed of a license-free car is 45 km/h, in Besançon as everywhere in France. This limit applies on every road, including those where the speed is normally higher.

Which roads are off-limits to license-free cars around Besançon?

All motorways, expressways and roads limited above 70 km/h are off-limits to license-free cars. Around Besançon in Doubs, this mainly covers the motorways and express roads. TacTac filters these out automatically so you only get allowed routes.

The GPS built for your license-free car in Besançon

TacTac filters out banned roads, works out realistic ETAs and guides you with tailored voice instructions.

Free early access →
GPS for license-free cars GPS for 50cc scooters Safety for light vehicles Routes from Besançon

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