Chip and Pin ? It wouldn’t take much technology seeing as information is all on computer these days anyway
But you could probably let people choose the main language for their card - in any case, the categories are now pretty much standard, aren’t they? As long as there’s one language in Roman letters, it would work.
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There is the EU driving permit, which you can get for free and is in many languages and makes clear that you are authorised to drive in all EU counties. It lasts 3 years. Just apply on ANTS site and it will appear about 10 days later.
We got one last year when it was touch an go about the withdrawal agreement and we were about to go on holiday to Portugal (those were the days…) and were worried that if Uk crashed out our licence would no longer be valid.
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A couple of my relatives got them last year, just in case
That’s already been solved Peter. If you look at your license you’ll see all the info is numbered, So, for example, 4A is the date your licence was issued and 4B is when it expires. So a cop, any cop anywhere the EU just needs to know what the numbers mean.
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We may have been down this rabbit hole before on here. If you mean an international driving permit, it is not a license, it is an official translation of your driving license. So, you own driving license must be valid in whatever country you are in for the IDP to have any relevance.
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That’s why I didn’t call it a licence!
But it’s not an “EU driving permit” either Jane 
Even the name is incorrect, it’s a permit to do nothing. It is an international driving license translation. I just didn’t want a whole “is a license or is not a license thing” to erupt.
IMO it’s a pretty useless document that motoring organisations use as a little money spinner. I used to get one from the RAC when they were £1 but soon gave up. I’ve never been asked for one and over forty seven years I’ve hired cars in many, many countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia etc. etc.
One should only get one if it is specifically required for one’s real licence in the country one is traveling to. The car rental company should inform you of that.
Glad I got that off my chest 
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Unless France have changed the rules you have until your card is due to expire before they will change it. There is a FB page dedicated to this topic ( it has all the official franch government info on it ) and loads of people have had their application to exchange returned with instructions to apply 6 weeks before the card expiry date.
So, nothing has changed since my last application 18 months ago which was rejected because my license is neither due to expire, nor do I have any infractions!
Yes, this is what The Local were saying, which is very confusing as I was led to believe that I have to exchange.
They sure know how to confuse us.
To exchange or not to exchange, that is the question.
They are free here…and it has been used when stopped by gendarme without real licence in car.
The Gendarme was just being nice Jane. It’s not worth the paper it’s written on in the EU.
French gendarmes are not known for being nice!! But they accepted it, and didn’t make me produce a real one or fine me. Given that I don’t look like a hardened criminal or joy rider I think they just wanted something to be able to say they had checked, so everyone happy.
Ohhh. One my pals, now sadly ill, is a retired Gendarme Colonel. He had the dreadful task of overseeing some of the gruesome aspects of the 2000 Concord crash when he was stationed in Paris. His brother-in-law was also a gendarme, a lovely man. I think the motorbike ones are the tough ones. Though driving up to the Gorges du Verdun in the Morgan a coupIe of weeks ago we came around a corner and found them behind a tree doing a rather sneaky speed check in the opposite direction. I instinctively gave them a wave and then wondered how appropriate they’d think that was. A couple of hours later coming back home I passed them coming the opposite way and they actually waved. So maybe the bike ones aren’t too bad ether.
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It’s also useful for hiring bikes and cars in India… because you can leave it as a ‘deposit’ but keep your passport and original driving licence safe just in case of cheaters 
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Useful to know. I have left my licence with various bike hire people here, never been worried about it. I like to bike round the islands along the Brittany coast, but India is a bit different!
Yes, India is one of the places I would take one. Anywhere which doesn’t have Roman script. I’ve been to India several times on business and spent nearly a month there on holidays with my family. I never had the guts to drive there, we always had a driver. I’m no shrinking violet when it comes to driving in foreign parts, I even hired a car in Beirut during the civil war, but I felt India was a bridge too far, as they say. Well done you for having the guts.
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