I work for Renault so I called my contact at ANTS. As far as they are aware, there will be no change to the procedure that is effective from the 1st January 2021.
For those who have their paperwork in since last year, its sit and wait. My paperwork was rejected outright pending the Brexit negotiations. If you’ve been lucky enough not to have it sent back, then I would cross your fingers and hope it gets pushed through.
As for the Embassy…I’m more inclined to listen to the government and the ANTS.
I would add a proviso…this is France and as most of us know already, sometimes people working in the same department give different advice. However, the government site, the ANTS site and my contact are all saying the same thing so I’m booking my test and being done with it.
Just like that, so no need to register with an auto ecole and do the code, you’ll simply book a test for later in the year and job done, sounds so easy.
Our ANTS office has told us to sit tight and wait on the two governments coming to an agreement, so no consistency there then.
To be honest that is what I am going to do, it will hurt the EU more than the UK if they do not come to some sort of agreement because there are by far more people who would have to change their licences in the UK, it would be chaos in the UK and Europe.
It is easy. If you’already hold a British license you just need a paper from the DVLA to confirm you have no suspensions etc and then you do your code and once that’s done you book your test. It’s all on the ANTS and government sites.
I am lucky, lots of our clients are driving schools so I’ve had all the right advice. If I’ve been correctly informed, you can even use your own vehicle for the test. We have 11 months to get it done. Given that some people will undoubtedly wait until the last minute, I personally prefer to get it all sorted now.
I was resident before but haven’t applied to swap my licence, so not sure where I would stand.
The delay here for a ‘candidat libre’ is 4 - 6 weeks and appointments for the code are available within 10 days. There was a reform for the code because delays were stupidly long and now it’s a lot quicker.
There are certain departments where delays for your physical test are much longer, sometimes up to 6 months. It’s variable to say the least.
It certainly would make life easier for everyone. This is the official blurb from ANTS.
Depuis le 1er janvier 2021, les permis britanniques détenus par des résidents en France sont reconnus pour une durée de un an. A l’issue de ce délai, les titulaires de permis britanniques résidant en France qui souhaitent continuer à y conduire devront obtenir un permis français, en passant l’examen du permis de conduire.
And this from the government…
Mon permis de conduire britannique me permet-il de conduire en France ?
Depuis le 1e janvier, certaines règles diffèrent lorsque vous circulez en France :
Si vous résidez en France avant le 1er janvier 2021, votre permis est reconnu pendant un délai d’un an à compter de cette date, soit jusqu’au 1er janvier 2022 ; si vous fixez votre résidence en France après le 1er janvier 2021, votre permis est reconnu pendant un délai d’un an, à compter de votre arrivée.
Si vous êtes touriste en France, vous pouvez conduire pendant la durée de votre séjour avec votre permis de conduire obtenu au Royaume-Uni. Ni le permis de conduire international, ni une traduction du permis britannique n’est nécessaire.
The messages on ANTS have changed several times already this year so if this is now the definitive position then it will cause panic and anguish to the 0000’s of Brits who were led to believe they could simply swap their licences. I know people in their 70’s and 80’s who would not be able to cope with the code and test so what are they supposed to do, not drive or sell up and return to the UK?
In many other EU countries you can exchange your licence without taking a test, I cannot see France being any different at the end of the day.
As Tim has pointed out things have changed many times and nowhere have they said this is the definitive position, given how good France has been with UK residents here already, I can’t see them being pig headed over this when negotiations are still ongoing, there is plenty time yet, good luck with taking your test, but I think I will wait and see.
Every piece of news I have seen says negotiations are still ongoing as does the .gov website.
This guidance was withdrawn on 29 January 2020
This page is out of date. It told you how to prepare for a no-deal Brexit.
“After 31 January 2020 there will be a transition period until the end of 2020, while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements.”
That I cannot answer. The links I have posted ‘sont d’actualité’ at the time of posting. If something changes great.
In the meantime and until there are further changes, I think we’ve all beaten it to death so to speak.
Conclusion: those who prefer to wait and see, do so and those who want to get it sorted now without waiting do so. Seems fair to me.
Thanks for all your feedback 
I think there is a reall risk of confusion and duplication as there is a thread running " Swapping licence for a French one" with 210 posts on it covering the same ground
Can the administrators amalgamate the two so interested users can have it all in one place.
This is an very important topic and an issue that might become very stressful if it’s not sorted out or an extension to the Dec 2021 date agreed.
I’d looked at that Andrew hoping is was an option for those here, like my pal registering his French bought car there and then registering back here to avoid ANTS intransigence. But the requirements are onerous. Maybe another EU state might be more accommodating. It’s worth a bit of research and lateral thinking.
Latest per country, notice the likes of Belgium and Germany, if everything stays the same I doubt France will require a test.
I imagine you’d need to demonstrate residency to actually take a test in another EU state? 
Can’t get clearer than that Damaris. Life having changed me over the years from being an unmitigated optimist to a hopeful but cautious pessimist, if I were in the wait and see camp I’d have a Plan B. Hope for the best and plan for the worst, as they say. And the sooner one tries the test the more opportunities one has to pass before the deadline. 
The test can’t be that bad. I remember being a bit bored on vacation in the States twenty years ago so I booked a driving test. I spent a day reading their “code” and got 99 out of the 100 multiple choice questions right (I flunked how much you could drink and drive 
) and sailed through the practical in my rental car. Some years later I did the same on a rented Harley Davidson.
I guess the thing to do is have one or two lessons so the instructor can spot real issues (I’m still a bit dodgy on the old ‘priorité à droite’, much to the terror of my neighbours) and then work on those on your own until test perfect. It could be a little “project”. Plus one would then have two valid licences.
Yes, that’s true. There will be “challenges” but who dares wins.
Did you see the scandal in Ireland where travel for foreign holidays is banned but for medical reasons allowed? The would be vacationers started booking dental appointments in Tenerife and pitched up at the airport with their confirmation emails. I certainly don’t condone that behaviour and they should be fined to the maximum but it’s an example of looking at a rule as a challenge and not an imperative.
On a more philosophical note, the British trait of adhering to rules could well have been a contributing factor to Brexit. For example, France on occasion makes a rather flexible interpretation of what comes out of Brussels. This means the French see EU laws being somewhat less onerous that British people obviously did.
Two quick points before I sprint off to (belatedly) buy some flowers. 
The last thing I’d rely upon for accurate Brexit information is a UK Government website Colin. Fool me once, etc. etc.
Secondly ANTS is a law unto itself.
Especially when many of them said “you MAY be able to exchange without taking a test.” with each country having completely different criteria, some being that you had to apply before the end of the transition period. Both you and I are sorted with our new licenses I know @John_Scully, but if not, like you I’d want to be sorting something out sooner rather than later so i could relax, but I guess some are happy to wait and see.
I never said I ever took their advice as gospel 
just that it was the latest advice.
The German and Belgian government websites back the advice it up at the moment.
“Holders of a UK driving licence wishing to convert it into a German driving licence may currently do so without having to take a theory or practical driving test. Germany will enter into a corresponding reciprocal agreement with the United Kingdom.”