France recognizes driver's licenses from many other countries and has a process for exchanging foreign licenses for a French one. For licenses from EU/EEA countries, drivers can use their license indefinitely as long as it is valid and meets French age and medical restrictions. Non-EU license holders can drive for up to one year in France with a valid foreign license if they have lived in the issuing country for 6 months and provide a license translation or IDP. France also has reciprocal agreements allowing license exchange for some countries without exams if the driver has lived in France less than a year. The process involves applying at a prefecture with documents like license copies and photos, and it can take weeks to months to complete depending on location.

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
includesamethod insituthat 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 vehicleclass(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 forupto 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 licenseintoFrenchorinstead,aworld
Drivingallow(IDP) attendantyourlicense.
• You square measure ontop of the Frenchminimumage fordrivingthe vehicleclass(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.

2. 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.
Studentsanddiplomats
Studentsandforeigndiplomatswilldrive forthe periodof 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:
• Applicationexchangelicense (Cerfatype No.11247 * 02)
• Colourphotocopyof your foreigndriver’slicense
• Official translationof the license orthe International Driver’sallow (IDP)
• 4 recentpassportimages
• Photocopyof your visa(if you're a non-EEA or Swisscitizen)
• Proof of half-dozenmonthsresidence inFrance (if you're associatedegreeEEA or Swiss
citizens)
• Envelope forcome of documents
Cost
Thisvariesfromregionto regionandinsome areas there'snocharge.
Deliverytime

3. 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.
HelenCobbcallsAlsace,Dambachhome.Asa copyeditorfora local company,oftenwritesandedits
articlesaboutdrivinglicenses(duplicatapermisde conduire),requestaduplicate driverlicense
(demande de duplicatade permisde conduire), duplicate license form(formulaireduplicatapermis
de conduire) andbestresourcesat www.duplicata-permis-de-conduire.fr