License obtained in Europe

If you live in France and hold a driving license issued by a state of the European Economic Area (EEA), this license is usable in France if :

• it is still currently valid
• and used according to the medical mentions (glasses being compulsory for example) that are written in it.

Besides, you must :

• be the minimum age required to drive a vehicle of the corresponding category (at least 18 years old for Permis B),
• not have been subject to a license suspension, restriction, or cancellation measure in the country that issued your license,
• Not have obtained your license in an other European country while you were, in France, under the prohibition of requesting or obtaining a driver's license.

If you meet all these conditions, you can drive in France with your license as long as it stays valid.

If you do not meet all these conditions, you do not have the right of driving with your license in France and you must :

• either wait to fulfill all the conditions to drive with your license (for example, waiting until you're 18 to get Permis B if you're 17 or waiting for the end of a suspension measure of your license if you're inflicted with such a penalty),
• either take a re-sit of your driver's license exam (in case your license has been canceled).
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If you wish to exchange your license with a French one, you need to issue your exchange request before its expiration date.

Asking for a license exchange is not mandatory, except in case of traffic violation implying a restriction, suspension, cancellation measure of your license or points loss.

License obtained in another country (exchange)

If you obtained an European license in exchange of a license delivered by a non-European country, with whom France does not practice the reciprocal license exchange agreement, you cannot use it in France only during one year starting when you're accomodated in your home in France. It is advised to ask for the exchange during this period.

Important notice

The law n°2016-1547 of 18 November 2016 of justice modernisation provides for the affectation of points to the driver's license of foreign license owners who live in France.

This number of points will be reduced if the driver commits an offense for which point withdrawal has been set.

A decree has to specify the effective date of these measures.

Short stay

If you're coming in France for a short duration (during holidays for example), you can drive with your license. It must be valid and written in French or be along an approved translation.

Studies

During studies

If you're non-European and you posess a student residence permit, you can drive with your foreign license during the entirety of your studies in France.

Your license needs to :

•  be currently valid
• have been delivered by your country of residence before entering France,
• be written in French or along an official French translation.

You must :

• have obtained your driver's license before the expiration date of your student residence permit or, if you possess a long stay VISA equivalent to a residence permit, before the approval of this VISA by the French Immigration and Integration Office (OFII),
• be the minimum age required to drive the vehicles of an equivalent category in France.,
• if necessary, respect the medical mentions (like glasses being compulsory for example),
• if your nationality is different than the country that issued your license, (if you're Moroccan with an Algerian license for example), your license has to have been obtained during a period during which your permanent residence was in this country,
• not have been subject to a license suspension, restriction measure, or cancellation of your right to drive in your country (or the country that issued your license if it's a different one).

After your studies :

Once you finished your studies, if you obtain a different title than student (employee for example), you need to exchange your foreign license with a French license in order to keep driving in France.

The delivery country that issued your license has to practice the reciprocal license exchange agreement.

You need to ask for the exchange of your license during the exchange of your resident permit and, at the latest, during the year following the issue of your new resident permit.

Settlement

Foreign license recognition conditions in France

In order to be recognized, your license must meet these 3 following criterias :

• it must be currently valid,
• it must have been issued by the country you were permanently residing in before settling yourself in France,
• it must be written in French or, if necessary, accompanied by an official French translation.

Besides, you must meet these following 4 additional conditions :

• be the minimum age required to drive in France the corresponding vehicles of the equivalent category allowed by your license,
• not have been subject to a license suspension, restriction measure, or cancellation of your right to drive in your country (this conduction has not been proven. However, you must be in good standing. In case of police control, it might be verified),
• nnot have been subject to, in France, before obtaining your foreign license, to a cancellation or nullification of your right to drive,
• respect medical mentions specified on your license (like compulsory glasses for example).

You also must :

• if you're French or European, have passed the driving license exam within a period during which your permanent residence was in the country that delivered your license,
• if you're a non-European foreigner, you must :
  • have obtained your license before the date starting the validity of your resident permit in France or the validation of your VISA by OFII,
  • and if your nationality is different than your delivery country (like an Algerian with a Tunisian license for example), you need to have obtained it while your permanent residence was in this country.

Exchange of a foreign license with a French license :

In order to continue driving in France after one year, you must request the exchange of the foreign license with a French one.

English driving training :

The training takes place in two phases : One theoretical phase, and a practical phase.

Theoretical phase :

Classroom lessons are taught in English, from 6 PM to 8 PM during the evening or on demand during the day. They are group lessons provided by an English-speaking instructor, organized and though ahead. Teaching aids are in French, the instructor translates them and answers students questions.

It's an interactive way of teaching where the focus is on discussion exchanges.

Theoretical exam :

Drivescop handles the registration to your therotical exam. Said registration is organized by the prefecture and supervized by driving license inspectors that'll exclusively speak French. You will have 40 written questions in French ; the time required to answer has been extended compared to the exam passed by French natives.

During your exam the instructor's presence is forbidden : Only an official interpreter is allowed.

This official interpreter registered in the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence, holder of the interpreter card can assure the translation. He's chargeable. He will set his own fees.

Drivescop already works with numerous interpreters that come during the lessons to know you better.

Practical phase :

The driving lessons are supervized by a qualified English-speaking instructor. The instructor will prepare you to the exam under favorable educational conditions. Sometimes, he will use French words so that you get used to the practical exam's vocabulary since it will take place in French.

Drivers with a foreign license are not subject to the 20 mandatory training hours. A report will be made by the instructor in order to gauge your skills that will influe on the number of training hours for the preparation of the exam.

The instructor will go from your experience and will prepare you under the practical exam conditions.

Practical exam :

The exam is supervised by a driving license inspector. He's an official. The official exam language is French. An instructor will be present during the exam, and will be silent. He will be there in order to bring back the driving school's car if the exam hasn't been completed. The test's official duration is 32 minutes during which you'll drive through a course, with a maneuver and questions about safety and the vehicle's maintenance.

The result of the exam will be sent to you by Internet on the official Road Safety website under 48 hours.