Version française : formation permis d’exploitation à Lyon ou en visio.
Opening, buying or taking over a bar, café or licensed restaurant in France? Before you can sell a single glass, the law requires you to hold the permis d’exploitation, the mandatory alcohol licence training for operators. At OAFormation, you take it with a lawyer and a hospitality professional with 25+ years behind the bar, live online or in Lyon, and you leave with answers on your project, not just a certificate.
What is the permis d’exploitation?
The permis d’exploitation is a mandatory training certificate set out in article L.3332-1-1 of the French Public Health Code. It was created in 2006 for bars and extended in 2009 to licensed restaurants. It proves that you, as the operator, know the rules on alcohol sales, minors, drunkenness, opening hours and liability.
You need it if you declare the opening, change of ownership, relocation or transfer of:
- a bar, café, pub or brasserie serving alcohol for on-site consumption (Licence III or Licence IV);
- a restaurant holding a petite licence restaurant or a licence restaurant;
- a bed & breakfast (chambres d’hôtes) serving alcohol — a shorter dedicated course applies: permis for chambres d’hôtes.
Permit ≠ licence: you need both
This is the number one mistake we see from international buyers. The permit is personal: it certifies that you are trained. The licence belongs to the premises and defines which drinks you may sell. A Licence IV bought with a business does not replace your permit, and your permit does not create a licence.
| Licence | What you can serve | Typical business |
|---|---|---|
| Licence III | Drinks up to group 3 (wine, beer, cider, liqueurs up to 18°) | Wine bar, café |
| Licence IV | All authorised drinks, including spirits, at any time | Bar, pub, cocktail bar |
| Petite licence restaurant | Group 3 drinks, only with a meal | Restaurant, pizzeria |
| Licence restaurant | All authorised drinks, only with a meal | Restaurant, brasserie |
Want to serve drinks at the counter without food? Then a restaurant licence is not enough: you need a Licence III or IV. More detail (in French): choosing your drinks licence.
How to get your alcohol licence in France: the 4 steps
- Take the permis d’exploitation training (20 h) and get your certificate the day you pass.
- Secure the right licence for the premises: already attached to the business you buy, purchased separately, or transferred.
- File the prior declaration at the town hall (mairie) on form Cerfa no. 11542, at least 15 days before opening or taking over. We walk you through it line by line during the course.
- Receive the receipt (récépissé). No permit, no receipt. No receipt, no right to sell alcohol.
Which course for your situation?
| Your situation | Course | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| First opening, takeover or transfer | Initial permis d’exploitation | 20 h | €600 |
| 10 years’ proven experience as an operator | Reduced format | 6 h | Ask us |
| Your permit reaches 10 years | Refresher (mise à jour) | 1 day (6 h) | €349 |
| Take-away alcohol sales between 10 pm and 8 am (grocery, wine shop, petrol station) | Night sales permit | 7 h | See page |
| Opening a licensed restaurant | Permit + 14 h food hygiene pack | 34 h | Ask us |
Course content
The programme follows the official syllabus set by French regulations. We illustrate every point with real cases from bars, restaurants and inspections.
1. Legal and regulatory framework
- Drink categories, licence types and the conditions to open and operate.
- Opening, change of ownership, relocation and transfer: procedures and traps (a Licence IV lapses after five years without use, protected zones, quotas).
- The prior declaration at the town hall and other authorisations.
2. The operator’s obligations
- Protecting minors and checking customers’ age.
- Preventing public drunkenness and refusing service.
- Mandatory signage, opening hours set by prefectoral order, take-away sales.
- Noise and neighbourhood nuisance, drugs, anti-discrimination rules.
3. Public health and liability
- Alcohol-related risks and the operator’s prevention role.
- Civil and criminal liability of the operator.
- Administrative sanctions (warning, closure order) and criminal penalties.
4. Case studies and assessment
Scenarios drawn from real inspections and incidents, followed by a knowledge assessment. Your permit is issued the day you pass.
Online or in Lyon: two formats, the same permit
Live virtual classroom
From anywhere in France, overseas territories or abroad while you prepare your move. No pre-recorded videos: a live trainer, same schedule as the classroom. More on the online permis d’exploitation.
In person in Lyon
Weekly sessions at our premises in Lyon 9th (Vaise), 6 rue du Marché. Direct exchanges with the trainer and other project owners.
Booking is possible up to the day before a session, subject to availability.
Your trainers
Célia — Lawyer (private law), she covers the full legal framework for licensed premises and operator obligations. She also teaches on the Bachelor programmes of Institut Paul Bocuse.
Olivier Aubrun — Founder of OAFormation, 25+ years in restaurants and hotels, trainer for the Lyon Chamber of Commerce (CCI) and Chamber of Trades (CMA) Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. He supports buyers and founders through opening and takeover procedures.
Why international buyers choose OAFormation
- Law and field experience in the same room: a lawyer for the texts, a hospitality professional for the reality of the counter.
- We decode the French system for you: town hall declaration, licence choice, lease and business purchase, the things nobody explains to newcomers.
- Support after the course: Cerfa, licence purchase, transfer, we stay reachable.
- Clear pricing: €600, no hidden fees, certificate issued the same day.
- Quality-certified: Qualiopi no. 21800428-O-A-F. Satisfaction rate 99.7%, pass rate 99.9% (2026).
Funding
- Hospitality employees: possible funding by AKTO, the sector’s skills operator (OPCO).
- Self-employed business owners: possible funding by AGEFICE, depending on your activity.
- Jobseekers registered in France: possible funding by France Travail, on a quote approved by your adviser.
- CPF (Mon Compte Formation): this course is not eligible.
Frequently asked questions
Is the permis d’exploitation mandatory?
Yes, for anyone declaring the opening, change of ownership, relocation or transfer of a bar with a Licence III or IV, or of a restaurant with a restaurant licence (article L.3332-1-1 of the Public Health Code).
Is the permit enough to sell alcohol?
No. You also need the right licence for the premises and the prior declaration at the town hall (Cerfa no. 11542), filed at least 15 days before opening or taking over.
Can I take the permis d’exploitation online?
Yes, in a live virtual classroom with a trainer, exactly like the classroom sessions. We do not offer pre-recorded videos.
Is a permit obtained in Lyon valid in Paris, Nice or Bordeaux?
Yes. The permis d’exploitation is valid throughout France, wherever you took the course.
How long does the training take and how long is the permit valid?
20 hours over 3 days for the initial permit. It is valid for 10 years and extended by a one-day (6-hour) refresher course.
Which licence do I need for a restaurant?
A petite licence restaurant (wine, beer, cider…) or a licence restaurant (all authorised drinks). Both only allow alcohol with a meal. To serve at the bar without food, you need a Licence III or IV.
Can I move a Licence IV to another town?
Yes, under conditions and with prefectoral approval. Since the law of 27 December 2019, a transfer is possible within the same region, not only the same département. It can be refused (lapsed licence, protected zones, quotas). If you buy a licence, include a condition precedent linked to obtaining the transfer.
Can I use my CPF to pay for the course?
No. Funding may come from AKTO for employees, AGEFICE for some self-employed owners, or France Travail for jobseekers.
Read next (in French): steps to open a restaurant in France · opening a café in Lyon · permit + food hygiene pack.
OAFormation (OAF SAS) · 6 rue du Marché, 69009 Lyon, France · +33 6 18 42 82 53 · contact@oaformation.com · Approved by prefectoral order no. 69-2024-10-08-000003 (Rhône Prefecture) · Qualiopi no. 21800428-O-A-F · Training declaration no. 82691332369. Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health; drink responsibly.