Living in France: Do You Need a French Driver's License?

You Are From the European Union or from Another EEC Country

As long as your license is valid in your home country, and assuming you are of legal age to drive in France (18 years) you are not obligated to exchange your license for a French one. You may exchange it if you choose to do so. However, if you commit an infraction that will cause you to have your license suspended or lose points, you will be required to exchange your license for a French one in order to have the appropriate punishment applied.

The following is a list of countries that fall into this category:

Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
Germany
Greece
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
The Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
Sweden

You Are Not From a Country of the European Union or the EEC If you have a license from a country not listed above, you may still drive in France for the first year, starting from the date of your residency in France. You must be of legal age to drive your vehicle in France (18 years) and your license must not only be valid in your home country, but it must also be accompanied by an official translation. In addition, the license must have been received BEFORE you became a resident of France

After the first year, you MUST have a French license to continue driving. If your country has a reciprocal agreement with France, you will be able to exchange your license for a French one provided you do this within the first year. If your country does not have a reciprocal agreement, or if you have waited longer than one year, you will be required to pass the written and driving portions of the test in France. Note, it will not help to get your license in a nearby country. To exchange your license, it must have been received from your normal country of residence.

Note: Students may use their driver's license from home throughout the duration of their studies.

Canada and the United States

If you have a license from either Canada or the United States, you may be able to do an even exchange depending on what province or state you are from. Currently, Canadian licenses from Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland can be exchanged. There are ten states in the United States that have reciprocal agreements. They are: Connecticut, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Kansas, Michigan, Florida, South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania.

How to Obtain a French Driver's License Exchanging a License From Another Country

In order to exchange your foreign license you must first go to your local Prefecture. They will give you a form to fill out. In addition you will have to provide one form of identification (a passport is best), proof of address (generally a utility bill or a copy of your lease) and two passport sized photos. You will also need your foreign license with an official translation and a your residency card. The cost of this service will depend on the region of France you are in. Make sure to bring photocopies as well as the originals of all paperwork just to be safe.

If You Cannot Exchange Your License To have a French driver's license you must take the written and driving tests in France. Likely you will need to go through a driving school. The good news is the school may take care of the bureaucracy involved. You should not have to go to the Prefecture at all until you go to pick up your new license. There is no minimum of time you must study, but there is a one month waiting period before you are allowed to take the written test. Use the time because the French written test is not simple. Note that if you do not speak French, you can usually bring a translator with you. There are also schools that offer classes in English. You may want to check with your country's embassy for a list of these schools. Once you have passed the written test, there is another waiting period of two weeks. However, you may be lucky if that is all you have to wait. Driving schools are only allowed a certain number of exam spots for their students and you may not be allowed to take the test when you wish. So you should plan well ahead of the end of your first year to start classes.

For the driving part of the exam, there is usually a minimum of 20 hours of lessons for people who do not have a license. If you already have a foreign license you can skip this minimum. However, you may want to take a few hours just to be used to driving here, if you haven't already been doing so. Your test will have to be taken on a car with dual controls AND it will be a standard transmission. If you only know how to drive an automatic, you will have to learn or else you can only get a special license that only allows you to drive automatics.

Importing a Vehicle

Assuming you are only staying as a tourist, you may use your vehicle throughout the duration of your stay with your foreign plates and a nationality plate. The nationality plate is usually a sticker that you place on the rear of the car, showing what country the car is from. In France, you will notice many cars having this sticker with an "F" on it. American cars will say "USA".

If your vehicle was shipped to France, customs will decide if you need French plates or not. Again, if you are staying as a tourist (less than 3 months) you generally do not need to register your car in France, but if you are planning to stay longer you will. In both cases, you will need to provide proof of insurance to enter the vehicle into the country. It is possible to buy temporary insurance from the French Customs Office, if necessary, while you search for the policy of your choice in France.

If you are entering France as a tourist or as a temporary resident, and if you have owned the vehicle for at least six months, you will not have to pay customs duties on the vehicle. In this case, the owner must sign that he/she will not vehicle will not be sold or used by someone else for a minimum of one year. If you are a holder of a carte de séjour that is valid for at least three years, you will not be exempt from customs duties and you must register the vehicle.

Registering a Vehicle

When you register your vehicle you will receive a carte grise as ownership papers. It must remain in the car at all time. You no longer need to buy a vignette for your car if it is privately owned. The vignette is a sticker that is placed on the windshield of the car and it is your local car tax. If your drive a company owned car, you will still need to have one. You may purchase it from the end of November, but it must be on the car as of January 1st. If you arrive in France after the month of August, you will be exempt from buying the vignette until the next November.

If you buy a new car, the dealer will normally provide you with the carte grise. If you are bringing over a new car, you can obtain one from the local prefecture or at the Automobile Club which is usually found in the nearest city. You will need to get your license plates within 24-48 hours after receiving the carte grise. They will not have to be changed unless you move to a different department. You can buy them in auto stores or in some shoe repair shops. They can be made quickly and are not too expensive. Remember, the black on yellow plate goes in the back and the black on white plate goes in the front.

Buying and Selling a Used Vehicle

If you buy a used car in France, you must take the carte grise marked vendu (sold) and dated, to the local prefecture. You must also go to the the prefecture where the car was formerly registered to obtain a lettre de non-gage which shows there are no debts on the car. If the car is over five years old, you will need to have it inspected. Once you receive a new carte grise, you have 24 hours to change the license plate. If you are selling the car, you must also provide a certificate to the buyer from the police proving that the vehicle is not subject to any legal sanctions.

Selling A Vehicle Imported Duty Free

If your vehicle was imported duty free, you will have to process the sale at the French Customs office. Both the buyer and seller must have a title transfer request or demande de transfert and the seller will need to present a bill of sale. You will need to present your passport in addition to all ownership documents If you want to sell your vehicle before the duty free period has expired, you may do so if the buyer is also a non-resident and only if the vehicle will still be exported before the time limit is up. If the car is sold to a resident of France, it is the seller who will be required to pay duties to the French Customs Office.

Insurance

By law, all vehicle owners in France must have a liability insurance certificate (carte verte) at all times. Your provider will give you a sticker that you must place on the windshield. You are only required by law to have third party coverage. It is possible to also have fire and theft coverage, or comprehensive coverage. If you want to benefit from a no claims discount, you may want to get a letter from your insurance provider at home, confirming your insurance history. This can be a significant help in lowering your premiums.

Rules of the Road

• In France you will drive on the right side of the road, always staying in the lane farthest to the right unless you are passing.
• You may never turn right at a red light. Sometimes there will be a flashing yellow light, however, and that will allow you to turn right, but you must still give the right of way to people coming from the left.
• Unless otherwise specified, drivers inside a roundabout or rotary have the right of way over people entering
• Seatbelts are mandatory for anyone in the car, back seats included. Children under 4 must be in a special seat and all children under 10 must ride in the back.
• Highway speed limits are 130kph and city speed limits are 50kph. New drivers (up to two years) have lower limits. The speed limit on the boulevard périphérique (the freeway that encircles Paris) is 80kph.
• Unless otherwise specified, ALWAYS give the right of way to people coming from the right! Many intersections do not have traffic signs and it will be assumed that you will allow those on the right to pass. Be careful, especially if you are from a country that drives on the left side of the road.
• Despite what it may seem, honking your horn is only allowed in an emergency.
• Drivers whose breath is found to have 0.4 grams/liter of alcohol may be subject to a prison sentence for up to a year. You will lose your license after a second offense.

If you have an accident in France, you will most likely fill out a constat amiable along with the other driver involved. Your insurance company can provide you with the correct form and it is a good idea to keep a copy in your glove compartment at all times. It is basically an accident report form and you will need it to make any insurance claims. However, you are not obligated to fill it out so if you don't speak French very well, you may want to reconsider before signing anything you don't understand. You do however have the right to fill it out in English. In any case, make sure to get the other driver's name, license number, and insurance company, as well as the type of policy he/she has. And make sure to read what the other driver has written.

Fines

If you should receive a traffic or parking ticket, you will need to go to a tabac to purchase a timbre fiscal in the amount of the fine. You will attach these to the designated spot on the ticket and mail it in. If you have not sent in your payment this way, you will receive a reminder invoice. Once you receive this, it will be too late to pay with a timbre fiscal. You will have to send a check to the Trésor Public.