The CPF, or Personal Training Account, is a legal mechanism that finances certified or qualifying training actions. Its scope is defined by the Labor Code and does not cover the purchase of material goods, including a vehicle. However, confusion arises every year, fueled by the close link between mobility and employment.
What the Labor Code actually allows via the CPF
The CPF operates on a strict principle: each euro credited to an active person’s account must be used to finance a training course registered in the National Directory of Professional Certifications (RNCP) or the Specific Directory. A car, whether new, used, thermal, or electric, does not fall into any of these categories.
Related reading : How to Use the Michelin AI Service to Easily Plan Your Routes
This framework also excludes motorcycles, scooters, or any other vehicle. The CPF does not finance professional equipment, tools, or computer hardware. The rule is the same for private sector employees, public agents, or self-employed workers.
To delve deeper into this issue, one can check if one can buy a car with the CPF on Mister Bike, which details the applicable regulatory framework.
See also : Why Hire a Recruitment Agency to Find a Job in Switzerland
Co-payment and cap: CPF restrictions since 2024
Since May 2, 2024, a mandatory financial contribution applies to any registration via the CPF, including for the driver’s license. This “co-payment” means that the account holder must pay a portion of the training cost out of pocket.
The driver’s license remains eligible for the CPF, but the conditions have become significantly stricter. Since May 19, 2024, only individuals holding no valid license can use the CPF for a light vehicle license (A1, A2, B, B1, BE). Financing a “second” license via the CPF is no longer possible.
Cap on driver’s license financing since 2026
Since February 20, 2026, financing for the light vehicle license via the CPF is capped at 900 euros. Employees must also provide proof of external co-financing of at least 100 euros. These two conditions are cumulative.
The result: even for the only training that most active individuals associated with the CPF in the mobility sector, the available amounts now cover only a limited fraction of the actual cost of the license.
CPF training related to automobiles: what remains eligible
If buying a vehicle with the CPF is excluded, certain professional training related to automobiles remains fundable. The scope is limited to skills, not goods.
- Driver’s license training (B, BE, heavy goods vehicles C, CE, D, DE), provided the stricter eligibility conditions since 2024 are met
- Certified training in automotive mechanics, bodywork, or vehicle diagnostics, registered in the RNCP
- Career transition programs to become a car expert, accessible through recognized certifications
The CPF funds skills, not tools. A mechanic can fund their certification, but not their toolbox. A future driver can fund their heavy goods vehicle license, but not the truck.
Financial aid to buy a car without going through the CPF
Since the CPF is closed to vehicle purchases, other mechanisms exist for low-income individuals who need a car for work.
- The clean vehicle microcredit allows financing the purchase of a low-polluting vehicle through a low-interest loan
- CAF aid, in the form of zero-interest loans or one-time grants, can cover part of the cost of a used vehicle
- FASTT offers temporary workers a car loan or a lease with an option to buy under easier conditions
- The CEE aid provides a direct bonus for purchasing an electric vehicle
These mechanisms are independent of the CPF. They directly address the problem that the CPF cannot solve: financing a material good for individuals facing mobility difficulties.
CPF and professional mobility: a persistent misunderstanding
The confusion between CPF and car purchase stems from an overly broad interpretation of the notion of “professional mobility.” The CPF was created to develop skills that enhance employability. Obtaining a driver’s license falls within this framework because it is a skill assessed by an exam.
Buying a car, on the other hand, pertains to personal equipment. No legislative proposal to expand the CPF to include vehicle purchases has succeeded. In 2023, a proposal to allow the transfer of CPF rights between parents and children to finance a license was rejected, with the government citing the risk of increased public burden and the strictly personal nature of the mechanism.
The CPF remains a training tool. To finance a vehicle, social mechanisms (microcredit, CAF aid, FASTT, CEE aid) are the levers to mobilize, each with its own eligibility criteria and caps.