The good news is that France recognizes a whole range of international driving licenses and you can legally drive on your foreign license for up to 12 months. But what happens then? What do you need to do to apply for a French driving licence? How do you register your vehicle in France and when do you need to do this? This article explains all the requirements for obtaining a French driving licence and registering a car in France.

Driving in France

If you are arriving in France from another European Union country or from Iceland, Switzerland, Norway and Lichtenstein; then you can use your existing licence to drive in France. You do not need to exchange the driving licence or apply for a French driving licence. Once the licence expires, you can either apply to your home country for a renewal licence or apply for a French driving licence.

Following Brexit (30 December 2020), UK nationals will need to apply for a French driving licence if they remain in the country for more than one year. However, you will only need to apply for a French driving licence if your current license has less than 6 months before expiry. Nikki Lawson, who runs Nikki's Relocation Services, Live in France, helps a number of customers to exchange their driving licences and register their vehicles.

Our experience is that unless your current UK driving licence has less than 6 months before expiry, your application for a French driving licence will not be accepted. The French authorities will simply return your licence and advise you to reapply when it is closer to expiry.

France has agreements with a number of countries – including the United States, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Canada - which allow citizens of these countries to drive in France for up to one year without needing to exchange their licence for a French driving licence. The only requirement is that you are over the age of 18 (it is not possible to drive in France under the age of 18 years) and your licence remains valid for at least 12 months. Furthermore, as long as they apply for a French driving licence before the 12 months is up, they will not need to sit a French driving test before applying for the French license.

One advantage of remaining on a foreign driving licence in France, is that whilst you will still be subject to penalty fines for speeding and road infractions, you will not receive any penalty endorsements on your licence. If you are a budding Formula 1 driver, like my wife, then this means you do not run the risk of having your licence suspended. In France, like many countries, the driving licence is based on a 12 point system (with newly qualified drivers receiving just 6 points). Points are deducted from the initial 12 points for every violation. Your driving licence is revoked once you lose all the points. Speeding violations can vary from 1 to 3 points, depending on your excess speed over the speed limit and the location of the speeding offence (speeding outside schools is not advisable). Each speeding point is also subject to a penalty fine (currently €135).

Applying for a French driving licence

To apply for a French driving licence, you must submit the following information:

• Photocopy of Passport or identity document
• Colour photocopy of existing driving licence
• Residency permit or long stay visa
• Recent passport photographs

The whole process of exchanging a driving licence in France can take 6-8 weeks. Applications need to be made on an official demande d’échange de permis de conduire at your local Préfecture de Police or Mairie (town hall). If you have any medical restrictions listed on your current driving licence (such as a requirement for prescription glasses), then you also need to submit medical evidence to show that you are in compliance with these restrictions. Finally, depending on the format of your current driving licence, you may need to have the document translated by an officially qualified Translator (or apply for an International Driving Permit and submit this instead of your driving licence).

Buying a car in France

Second hand cars in France are ridiculously expensive. There are many websites and auto magazines in France where you can see cars for sale - such as Le Bon Coin, Auto Scout and La Centrale - but be prepared for a shock when you see the advertised prices. Most towns will also have a good range of car dealers, where you can buy both new and second hand vehicles (called occasions). But again, expect to pay a hefty price. We have French friends who actually take a train up to Belgium, buy a vehicle there and then drive it back down to France. Even with the cost of registering the vehicle in France (carte grise), it is still cheaper than buying a car in France.

One alternative to purchasing a new car (or even a second hand car), is to take out a lease car. Most car hire companies in France offer long term hire cars/leases. Also, all the main car dealerships will offer lease deals from 2 to 4 years. Once you add up the cost of the car depreciation and maintenance costs, it can actually work out cheaper to take a lease deal. We recently leased a brand new car and we pay €375 per month. Within this fee is all the servicing costs, breakdown expenses (with replacement vehicle) and any mechanical repairs, replacement tyres, glass replacements (windscreen and lights). Our car insurance has to be arranged separately (€40 per month)