This page has been automatically translated. Please refer to the page in French if needed.
Exchange of a driving licence obtained in Europe (EEA)
Verified 01 mars 2022 - Legal and Administrative Information Directorate (Prime Minister)
Additional cases ? Driving in France with a European licence / with a permit from another State (short stay, studies) / Exchange of a foreigner driving licence (sustainable installation)
What applies to you ?
Depending on your personal situation, the steps to take may vary.
Veuillez patienter pendant le chargement de la page.
You have a driver's licence European (or a British licence issued before 2021) and you wonder whether you have to exchange it for a French licence to drive in France? You may drive in France with this licence while it is valid. Exchange is only necessary in a few cases. This page shows you the cases and how to request an exchange.
You can drive in France with your licence European (and your UK licence issued before 2021) as long as it is valid.
The exchange of your driving licence against a French licence required only in the following cases :
- Your licence has expired
- You are requesting a new licence category (extension)
- In France, you commit a traffic violation resulting in loss of points, restriction, suspension or cancellation of your licence
- Your licence was stolen
- You lost your licence
- Your licence is damaged
Please note : several Member States European Union have decided to extend the validity of the driving licence given the difficulty of renewing them in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Contact the National Office of Driving Rights to find out if your European licence is concerned.
Who shall I contact
Ministry of the Interior - National Office of Driving Rights
By mail
Ministry of the Interior
National Office of Driving Rights
Beauvau Square
75800 Paris Cedex 08
You must meet the following conditions:
- Have your normal residence in France
- Have the minimum age to drive the equivalent category of your licence (for permit B, 18 years or older )
- Meet the medical requirements noted on your licence. For example, wearing glasses is mandatory.
- If necessary, have passed medical examination for fitness for driving. For example, your health status implies a restriction on the validity of the licence.
- Not having been sanctioned by a suspension, restriction or cancellation of your right to drive in the country of issue of the licence
- Not having obtained your licence during a period when you were prohibited in France from applying for a driving licence
- If your permit European was obtained by exchange, it must have been issued by a State with reciprocal exchange of licences with France [application/pdf - 357.2 KB] .
Warning : if your licence European was obtained by exchange, it must have been issued by a State with reciprocal exchange of licences with France [application/pdf - 357.2 KB] . Otherwise, it is impossible to exchange it for a French licence. You can use it in France for 1 year from the acquisition of your normal residence in France. To continue driving in France beyond this time limit, you must pass examination of french driving licence.
Application for an Exchange of Permits European (and UK licence issued before 2021) online on theCHILDREN.
Online application for exchange of foreigner driving licence
National Secured Securities Agency
Accessed with an account CHILDREN or FranceConnect
To apply online, you need the following documents (photographed or scanned).
However, additional documents may be requested depending on your situation.
You are European (EU/EEA)
If you European, prepare the following documents:
- Duplex colour image of original driver's licence
- Vital Certificate with your birth name
- Certificate of identity
- Proof of domicile recent (less than 6 months)
- Digital Signature (If you don't have access to a digital signature and photo service, you can complete and mail a photo signature (FPS) form during the remote procedure)
- Justification normal residence in France at the date of application. For example, tax/non-tax notice on income, employment contract, social security certificate...
- If you have heavy permit, medical opinion of fitness for driving in heavy categories, or declaration of renunciation in heavy categories
- If your licence has been cancelled or suspended: decision to cancel or suspend + mail informing of the obligation to exchange sent by the prefecture + medical opinion
- If your licence has been lost or stolen, theft or loss
If you have UK licence issued before 2021, you must also provide the following documents:
- Certificate of driving rights of less than 3 months issued by the UK authorities which issued the driving licence.
This document verifies that your licence has not been suspended, withdrawn or cancelled. - Translation of the certificate of driving rights if not in French, by a skilled translator in France.
- Justification normal residence in the United Kingdom at the time of issue of the British licence.
For example, certification of registration and cancellation of consular records, employment contract, pay slips, work certificates...
You have the nationality of another State
- Duplex colour image of original driver's licence
- Certificate of identity
- Proof of domicile less than 6 months
- Proof of regularity of residence in France (residence permit or Ofii sticker on your passport
- Digital Signature (If you don't have access to a digital signature and photo service, you can complete and mail a photo signature (FPS) form during the remote procedure)
- If you have heavy permit, medical opinion of fitness for driving in heavy categories, or declaration of renunciation in heavy categories
- If your licence has been cancelled or suspended: decision to cancel or suspend + mail informing of the obligation to exchange sent by the prefecture + medical opinion
- If your licence has been lost or stolen, theft or loss
If you have UK licence issued before 2021, you must also provide the following documents:
- Certificate of driving rights of less than 3 months issued by the UK authorities which issued the driving licence.
This document verifies that your licence has not been suspended, withdrawn or cancelled. - Translation of the certificate of driving rights if not in French, by a skilled translator in France.
- If you are not a British citizen, proof of normal residence in the United Kingdom at the time of issue of the British licence.
For example, certification of registration and cancellation of consular records, employment contract, pay slips, work certificates...
You are French
- Duplex colour image of original driver's licence
- Certificate of identity
- Proof of domicile less than 6 months
- Digital Signature (If you don't have access to a digital signature and photo service, you can complete and mail a photo signature (FPS) form during the remote procedure)
- If you have heavy permit, medical opinion of fitness for driving in heavy categories, or declaration of renunciation in heavy categories
- If your licence has been cancelled or suspended: decision to cancel or suspend + mail informing of the obligation to exchange sent by the prefecture + medical opinion
- If your licence has been lost or stolen, theft or loss
If you have UK licence issued before 2021, you must also provide the following documents:
- Certificate of driving rights of less than 3 months issued by the UK authorities which issued the driving licence.
This document verifies that your licence has not been suspended, withdrawn or cancelled. - Translation of the certificate of driving rights if not in French, by a skilled translator in France.
- Justification normal residence in the United Kingdom at the time of issue of the British licence.
For example, certification of registration and cancellation of consular records, employment contract, pay slips, work certificates...
Please note : you have to different approach if your british licence was issued in 2021 or later.
The application for the exchange of driving licences is free.
In case of theft or loss of the driver's licence, you are directed to a page at the end of the online process to pay the cost of the new licence (€25).
While your request is being investigated, you can drive because you keep your driver's licence.
Depending on the complexity of your case, the instruction may last months.
At the end of the statement, your original foreigner driver's licence is required to verify its authenticity (unless suspended or cancelled).
You are contacted by SMS and email.
The email tells you how to send your driver's licence.
In exchange for your licence, you can download on the site of the ANTS a secure deposit certificate (ADS) of your foreigner driver's licence.
This certificate driver's licence pending receipt of your French licence, within the period of recognition of your foreigner licence.
You follow the production and sending of your driving licence online.
Driver's licence: follow the progress of his driving application
National Secured Securities Agency
Accessible with FranceConnect or with your IDs.
Shipping driver's licenceExpert Letter.
This is a secure shipment, with hand-over against signature.
- The address you specify during the online procedure must be as complete as possible
(building number, flat number, mailbox number, floor, corridor, staircase, "resident",...) - Your mailbox must include the first and last name of the person receiving the mail.
If you are absent when the postman passes, you must go to the Post Office in the 15 days with your notice of passage or with the number of the Expert Letter.
If you couldn't get to the Post Office within 15 days, you don't have to do anything.
Your permit will be sent to you.
In other cases, contactCHILDREN via the contact form:
Who shall I contact
National Secured Securities Agency (ANTS) - Driving licence
By Email
Access contact form
Phone
34 00
Monday to Friday from 7:45 am to 7 pm and Saturday from 8 am to 5 pm
Local Call Cost
The date of issue indicated on the permit is the date of issue of the french permit.
From this date, the permit is valid 15 years.
However, the validity period of the permit is different in the following 2 cases:
- In case medical condition requiring restriction
- For "heavy" categories whose validity is linked to the age of the driver. For example, 5 years for a driver under 55.
FYI : the french licence that is given to you is trial permit if the original permit is also valid.