Driving licence in work-study in 2026: CPF, employer co-funding and €900 cap — the guide to funding your B licence

You are in a work-study programme or about to sign a contract, and the B driving licence is still a barrier to your mobility — to get to the company, to the CFA, or simply to widen your catchment area? In July 2026, the rules have changed: the old flat-rate €500 aid has been scrapped by the 2026 Finance Act, but the CPF (personal training account) can still be used under conditions. Here is how to turn this topic into a concrete advantage for your work-study project, with SuperAlternant.

What is changing in July 2026

Decree no. 2026-127 of 24 February 2026, issued under the 2026 Finance Act, has reshuffled the cards for funding the B driving licence for employed people and work-study students. Three changes you need to integrate right now:

• The flat-rate "permit pack" aid of €500 given to apprentice of age is abolished. Contracts signed before 1 January 2026 remain eligible under the old rules; new contracts, on the other hand, fall under the new scheme.
• The CPF can still be used to fund the B licence, but with a legal cap of €900 (light group: B, A1, A2, BE) and a mandatory co-funding by a third party (employer, OPCO skills operator, region, etc.).
• The annual CPF endowment remains at €500 (€800 for the unqualified) and is credited automatically every year, with a cumulative effect. This kitty is the starting point.

In practice: a work-study student who starts their contract in September 2026 has, without doing anything, a CPF balance that may already reach €1,500 to €3,000 depending on age and background. Enough to cover a significant share of the training cost, provided the new co-funding rule is met.

The 3 funding levers to activate first

For a work-study student in 2026, three levers complement one another. Activating them in the right order avoids rejections on the Mon Compte Formation platform.

1. The CPF, under a €900 cap

The CPF (Compte personnel de formation — personal training account) is topped up automatically:

• €500/year for a full-time work-study student.
• €800/year for work-study students without a CAP/BEP-level qualification.
• Cap: the B licence (light group) cannot be funded above €900 by the CPF, even if your balance is higher.

Before building a file, check your balance on Mon Compte Formation and check that your driving school certification is listed. Without listing, no payment is possible.

2. Mandatory co-funding: €100 minimum

This is the key to the 2026 scheme: a "B licence" CPF file for an employee or a work-study student must include identified co-funding before it is validated. Possible co-funders:

• The employer (the most common in work-study) — the minimum contribution is €100, but many companies go further, especially for work-study students whose workplace is poorly served by public transport.
• The OPCO (skills operator) of the employer's branch — this is who often steps in when the company is small.
• Your region — many regions (Île-de-France, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, etc.) maintain complementary aids for apprentices. Check with the Regional Council you fall under.
• France Travail (if you were registered before your contract) or the FIPHFP (if you are disabled).

Key point: no co-funding, no CPF usable. Identify the third-party funder before entering your file online.

3. Complementary local and national aids

Beyond the CPF/co-funding/region trio, several extra boosts can be added:

• The "€1 a day licence": a zero-interest loan capped at €1,200, stackable with the CPF. Apply through a partner driving school.
• Branch-specific apprentice aids: metalworking, construction, catering, hotels, cleaning, etc. Some branches (e.g. construction, via CCCA-BTP) offer up to €600 direct aid for apprentices' licences.
• "Mon compte formation" topped up by the OPCO: your OPCO can supplement your CPF beyond the €900 cap, depending on branch agreements.

If you are preparing for the new term, also keep in mind that other work-study expenses can be reduced: see our article on housing aid for work-study students in 2026.

7 practical tips to fund your B licence in work-study

Here is the proven method to save time and money:

1. Check your CPF balance on Mon Compte Formation as soon as you sign your contract. The counter is updated by 30 April each year at the latest.
2. Ask for written co-funding from your employer — by email or through your tutor/Maître d'apprentissage — before submitting the CPF file. Mention the amount and the legal basis (company agreement, branch agreement, NAO, etc.).
3. Contact your OPCO: each OPCO has its own policy. Some top up automatically; others wait for a motivated request. The alternance.gouv.fr site lists OPCO by branch.
4. Target a "Qualiopi"-labelled driving school registered on Mon Compte Formation. This is a sine qua non condition for your file to be admissible.
5. Compare at least 3 quotes: the cost of a B licence ranges from €1,200 to €1,800 depending on the city and the package (intensive, standard, automatic). The "20 hours + driving" package is often the best value for money.
6. Apply for your region's "licence bonus": stackable with the CPF, it can reach €500 to €1,000 depending on the region (Île-de-France: €500, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: €1,000 for apprentices, etc.).
7. Plan ahead for the timeline: between entering the CPF file, the co-funder's agreement, validation and the start of lessons, allow 4 to 6 weeks. Start the process during the summer if you want to be mobile for the new term.

How the licence changes the game for your work-study

The B licence is not a "bonus": it is often an implicit prerequisite to land — or keep — a work-study placement. Three concrete examples:

• Industrial or peri-urban area: your CFA is 45 min by bus, but the company hiring you is 1 h 15 away. Without a licence, you depend on a parent, car-pooling, or you miss the morning slot.
• Travel, business trips: maintenance technician, field sales, nursing assistant or delivery driver roles often require a licence from the interview stage.
• Career progression: in many branches (construction, logistics, BFI, mass retail), the licence is a prerequisite to move up to a team leader or first-line manager position.

This is precisely why the pay you negotiate in work-study should also include these costs: use our work-study pay simulator to see what you will actually receive after deducting transport and licence training costs.

The special case of the work-study student without a licence: early learning

If you are a minor or if you are taking your licence during the contract, two options open up to you:

• Anticipated learning of driving (AAC): from 15 years old, you can start supervised driving alongside your training. The cost is usually lower and the pass rate higher. Ask your driving school.
• The "free" licence included in the contract: some large companies (La Poste, Renault, Decathlon, etc.) fully fund the licence of their work-study students. Ask at the interview, as we recommend in our guide to acing the work-study interview.

And if you do not have a work-study contract yet?

The B licence is a real application accelerator: work-study recruiters mention it in 38% of ads according to our 2026 barometer (see our overview of recruiting sectors in work-study in 2026). If you are still looking, two tips:

• Highlight your licence (or near-completion) in your CV and cover letter — use our guide to CV and cover letter for work-study.
• Use the licence as a mobility argument at interview: "I can work on the [city], [city], [city] sites without relying on public transport".

To go further, you can also read our full method to find a work-study placement or browse work-study offers available on SuperAlternant directly.

In short

In July 2026, the B licence in work-study is funded through a three-tier logic: CPF capped at €900 + mandatory co-funding (employer, OPCO, region) + local and branch aids. The flat €500 has gone, but the levers are more numerous — and better adapted to your individual situation. The key to success: plan the CPF + co-funder + registered driving-school chain ahead, and don't wait until the new term to start.

To prepare your project from A to Z, you can also read our guide to choosing a CFA in 2026, simulate your work-study pay, or browse work-study offers near you.

Sources: decree no. 2026-127 of 24 February 2026 (OJ of 26 February 2026); 2026 Finance Act; French Labour Code, art. L6323-17; Mon Compte Formation; alternance.gouv.fr; Centre Inffo. Data in force at the date of publication.