- France recognizes driver's licenses from many other countries and has a process for exchanging foreign licenses for a French one. - Drivers from EEA countries can drive in France indefinitely as long as their license is valid and they meet age and medical requirements. - Non-EEA drivers can drive in France for up to one year with a valid foreign license as long as they have lived in their country of issue for 6 months minimum and provide a translation or IDP with their license. France also has reciprocal agreements allowing exchange of some licenses without testing.

1. Exchanging a distant driver’s licence in France
If you've got a licence fromoutside of France,here iswhatyouwishtounderstand.
The good newsisthat France recognisesdriver’slicensesissuedbyanoutsizedrange of statesand
includesamethodin situthat easesthe meansif a driverdesirestoexchangetheirexistinglicense
for a Frenchversion.
EuropeanDrivers
If you've got a driver’slicense issuedbyassociate degreeEEA country(EU and Iceland,Norge and
Lichtenstein) you'll drive inFrance foran infinite amountof yourtime providedall of the subsequent
criteriasquare measure met:
• The license isvalidanddoesn'thave anyendorsements,restrictions,suspensionsetc.;
• You square measure ontop of the Frenchminimumage fordrivingthe vehicle class(e.g.
eighteenforcars);
• You square measure incompliance withanylegal medical restrictions(e.g.prescription
glasses).
Non-EuropeanDrivers
If you holda full non-Europeanlicense the nice newsisthatyoujustwill drive inFrance for upto one
yearwithouthavinga Frenchlicense,providedsure conditionssquare measure met:
• The license isvalidanddoesn'thave anyendorsements,restrictions,suspensionsetc.;
• It shouldare issuedinyourpreviouscountryof residence andyouneedtohave livedthere
for a minimumof half-dozenmonths;
• Must be amideitheranofficertranslationof the license intoFrenchorinstead,aworld
Drivingallow(IDP) attendantyourlicense.
• You square measure ontop of the Frenchminimumage fordrivingthe vehicle class(e.g.
eighteenforcars);
• In compliance withanylegal medical restrictions(e.g.prescriptionglasses)
In addition,France hasreciprocal arrangementswithvarietyof statesmeaningvotersof different
countriesUnitedNationsagencyhave livedinFrance forfewerthanone yearwill exchangetheir
existingdriver’slicenseforitsFrenchcounterpart,whilenothavingtopassa take a lookat in France.
If you've got livedinFrance forextendedthanone yearbut,youneedtositand pass eachthe
sensible andtheoretical license tests.sure vehicles,likeseriousvehicles,square measure excluded
and can still needatake a lookat. the presentlistof statesare oftenfoundbyfollowingthislink –
http://www.mfe.org/index.php/Thematiques/Demarches-administratives/Permis-de-conduire-
francais-Echange-a-l-etranger
However,yououghttocheck the Frenchdiplomatistauthorityforyourcountryto substantiate.

2. Studentsanddiplomats
Studentsandforeigndiplomatswilldrive forthe period of theirkeepwithouthavingtoexchange
theirexistinglicense foraFrenchversion.
Applicationmethod
Applicationstoexchangeyourdriver’slicenseare oftencreatedatyournative Préfecture DEPolice
or Mairie.If you're in Parisyou'll conjointlysubmitassociatedegreeapplicationatthe police office.
it's price notingthatthusme sub-prefectureswon'tmethodlicense exchangessocheckbefore you
attendavoidanyproblems.
If you're exchangingyourlicense onthe premiseof areciprocal arrangementit'sprice transportation
on a replicaof the listof states,justincase the native workplace isunaware.
Documentsrequired:
• Applicationexchange license (Cerfatype No.11247 * 02)
• Colourphotocopyof yourforeigndriver’slicense
• Official translationof the licenseorthe International Driver’sallow (IDP)
• 4 recentpassportimages
• Photocopyof yourvisa(if you're a non-EEA or Swisscitizen)
• Proof of half-dozenmonthsresidence inFrance (if you're associate degree EEA orSwiss
citizens)
• Envelope forcome of documents
Cost
Thisvariesfromregionto regionandinsome areas there'snocharge.
Deliverytime
Dependingonthe prefecture itwill varyfromsome weekstomanymonths.Busierprefecturescan
take longeras theyaffectlargernumbersof applications.
Additional points
If you've got associate degree existingdriver’slicense that'sbutthree yearspreviousthenyour
recentlyissuedFrenchlicenseare aprovisional one till a3-yearamounthaspass on - constant
conditionthatappliestoFrenchdrivers.
Don’tforgetto rearrange insurance – it'smandatoryin France.
Martin Wood callsAlsace,Dambachhome.Asa copyeditorfor a local company, he oftenwritesand
editsarticlesabout drivinglicenses (duplicatapermisde conduire), requestaduplicate driverlicense

3. (demande de duplicatade permisde conduire), duplicate licenseform(formulaireduplicatapermis
de conduire) andbestresourcesat www.duplicata-permis-de-conduire.fr.