What is the ANTS? France's agency for secure official documents
The Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés (ANTS) — the National Agency for Secure Documents — is a French public body operating under the Ministry of the Interior. It was created by decree on 22 February 2007.
The ANTS handles applications for France's regulated official documents: the vehicle registration certificate (carte grise), the driving licence, the national identity card and the passport. It issues these documents through a secure production and verification process.
The vehicle registration certificate
The certificat d'immatriculation officially replaced the old "carte grise" on 15 April 2009, although everyone in France still uses the old name.
The registration certificate allows a vehicle to be driven and identified throughout its entire life. It is mandatory before any vehicle can be put on the road.
The ANTS manages, operates and maintains the software behind the French vehicle registration system, known as the SIV (Système d'Immatriculation des Véhicules).
Private individuals apply for their registration certificate through the ANTS "immatriculation" portal.
Professionals accredited by the French state have direct access to the SIV portal and can submit change-of-ownership applications on behalf of their clients. The ANTS is responsible for keeping this system running smoothly.
The ANTS also organises and oversees the entire production chain — the document-scanning centre, the Ministry of the Interior, the Imprimerie Nationale (the state printing works) and La Poste (the postal service).
In short, vehicle registration in France is centralised and managed end-to-end by the Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés.
The driving licence
Since January 2013, the old pink three-panel French licence has been replaced by a credit-card-sized licence, as part of the harmonisation of formats across the European Union. The new licence must be renewed every 15 years, whereas the old one was valid for life.
For licences that require a medical check — lorries and coaches, for example — the renewal period is every 5 years.
There is currently no obligation to exchange an old-style licence: holders can keep using it until 2033. From that date onward, however, the new format becomes mandatory.
Applications for a first licence or a renewal are submitted to the ANTS through the "permis" (licence) portal on its website.
The file must be completed on the secure ANTS site with the holder's details, along with supporting documents: proof of identity, proof of address, medical certificate where required.
This straightforward online procedure means holders no longer need to visit the prefecture or the town hall — the services are fully digital and save everyone time.
The national identity card
Like the driving licence, the French national identity card is now smaller — credit-card format — again as part of the European harmonisation of documents.
As a reminder, existing identity cards were extended by 5 years: a card whose printed expiry date has passed is in fact still valid for 5 more years. Be careful, though — this extension only applies within France. If you travel abroad, the card may be refused at border checks.
The ANTS lets citizens start a pre-application online through the "carte d'identité/passeport" portal; the application is then completed in person at the town hall.
The new identity cards carry an electronic chip containing fingerprints, plus a QR code, to strengthen protection against forgery and identity theft.
This new, more secure European-format card is accepted both within Europe and, like a passport, in certain countries outside Europe (check the requirements of your destination before travelling).
To sum up, the ANTS is the French state's secure portal for identity and vehicle documents. It allows citizens to complete these procedures free of charge, from home.
Official website: https://ants.gouv.fr/