Guide to Obtaining or Converting a Driver's License in France

Table of Contents

Description

What is it?

A driver’s license is a legal requirement for those who wish to operate a motor vehicle. In France, the application process for a driver’s license involves several steps, including passing a written test, a practical driving exam, or if you have an international license, converting it to a French driving license depending on the reciprocity agreements France has with your home country.

Who needs it?

Whether you are an international person planning to stay in France for a long period of time or a French citizen who reached the legal age (18 years old) and wishes to get their first license, this guide is for you.

Procedure

  1. Validate your eligibility – The primary requirement for obtaining a French driving license is residency. However, you also have to be at least 18 years of age or older.
  2. If you hold a foreign driving license, first you need to check if there is a reciprocity agreement between France and your home country, for swapping your existing license without the need for tests.
  3. If such an agreement exists, you need to go through the process of exchanging foreign driving licence on ANTS website (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés). ANTS
  4. Submit the necessary documents. After applying on ANTS’s website, you will be asked to mail your foreign driver’s license along with other supporting documents. ANTS will then verify the authenticity of the documents.
  5. If France and your country don’t have a reciprocity agreement, you will have to apply for a French driving license after passing both a written theory test and a practical driving exam.

Required Documents

  • Valid residency permit to demonstrate its duration of validity.
  • Proof of residence in France.
  • Your original foreign driving license along with a translation (if necessary).

Providers that can do it for you

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Additional details

  • If your foreign driving license is not in French, it is required to be translated by a certified translator.
  • A foreign driving license can be used in France for a year after your arrival, after which it needs to be exchanged for a French driving license if there’s a reciprocity agreement in place.
  • If France and your country don’t have a reciprocity agreement, a foreign license can’t be converted directly into a French one; in such a case, a new application for a driving license is required, which includes passing the theory and practical tests.

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