“Vous venez de fixer votre résidence en France et déte-
nez un permis de conduire communautaire, c’est-à-dire
délivré par un État membre de l’Union européenne ou
de l’Espace économique européen et dans lequel vous
résidiez auparavant.
Ce permis de conduire est considéré comme valable
pour la conduite automobile sur le territoire français.
Il n’est donc pas nécessaire de l’échanger contre un per-
mis français, si les conditions suivantes sont respectées
(directive européenne n° 91/439 du 29 juillet 1991).”
A UK licence is valid in any EU country without time restriction. I carry the print out of the French rules about this in my car - just in case I am stopped. This applies to the old paper ones and the newer photo card ones.
If you commit any offence that needs points putting on your licence then they can make you change it for a French one.
Yes EU licence is an EU licence. The address on it needs to be current. Mine is registered in my parents address now. So it would be suitable for the service of any ‘papers’, as my folks would send them on.
As for being ‘made’ to convert to a Frenchy licence in the event of an offence. My daughter copped a speeding fine a few years ago. The ‘ticket’ dropped in the mail box for her. She had a choice to pay online within 14 days at a very much reduced fine, or pay later at ‘full wack’.
Needless to say, she paid online immediately & that was that, job done. I do know of others whe live in another Dept who were made to convert to a Frenchy one tho’.
She also got pulled in for one of those ‘random’ spot checks on her way home from work once. The gendarme checked her CT, insurance & UK licence, his only comment was, “Oh you have one of those things”. He handed it back & sent her on her way.
Like many things here in France, it all depends on the department you reside in (& possibly on the Gendarme) as to what is acceptable & what is not.
I think we are all agreed (!) that if you commit an offence then you need to change your licence. If not, and you have an EEC photocard licence then there is no obligation to do so. There are also advantages to retaining a UK licence, most notably the categories of vehicle that it allows you to drive and the size of trailer that you can tow.
Hope this helps Anna!
hear hear! When I’ve been stopped, I always act really flustered, talk English to the kids and really bad French.
On the one occasion when I got stopped and was driving without up to date insurance - it worked a treat. (And before anyone tuts, the car was insured, I just didn’t have the correct papers with me but I would imagine that they could have got really arsy if they had chosen to…)
as long as you have a current eu licence you are legal to drive in any eu member state, however if you pick up(in france loose points) you will be obliged to change to a french licence, if you live here
It was mentioned in the equivalent of a statute
that I looked up last night, but I can’t find
the page again this morning as I am on the
mobile, but feel free to have a look. The site is
government operated and gives all of the
current laws and statutes (codes),
and they are updated in real time.
You need to research Code De La Route. I
think the major statutes have been
translated into English if that helps any more.
Hi Anna,
Have a read of this. Basically you don’t have to renew an EEC licence unless you have committed an offence that earns points or it expires - this includes an expired photo card.
I’ve just reread the law and you’re right. Must have changed since they hijacked me. It does go on to say however that you do have to change it if you commit an offence that can put points on your licence.
Sorry for your traumatic experience but i have just laughed out loud. I got stopped and breathalised once and was so panic stricken despite being totally sober, that I didn’t put the hand brake on and nearly ran over the gendarmes foot. I then very nearly hit the police car whilst pulling away.
I was so bloody scared that nothing would come out and then I remembered that I had two glasses of wine, all be it diluted with fizzy wine, I did not dare open my mouth, I think they thought I had wandered off from the home for the bewildered.
As far as I know, they are valid but you can’t renew them (in theory) without a valid UK address. The reality is that most people use their mates / mums address to renew. Not that I’m advising you do that or anything
