Hellooo
So, my wife has a licence to drive an automatic car in the UK, & EU of course. I would like to know if a qualified driver can sit next to her whilst in our ‘manual’ car in France? If so, is there an equivalent to the ‘L’ plates?
I guess I was just lucky? there is absolutely no difference between my French license and my husband's. I did ask the sous-prefecture and their only answer was that there was no such thing as an 'automatic only' driving license!???????????????
So what happens when one gets to 70 years of age? Is it the dreaded medical or what? I have had to take one every 2 years to keep my HGV & trailer permit since I was 65.
:-)
Snap Veronique!
http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F2828.xhtml
One of my favourite websites, tells you nearly everything you need to know for living in France on the right side of the law.
Épreuve pratique : cas particuliers
Vous pouvez demander à passer l'épreuve pratique sur un véhicule muni d'un embrayage automatique ou d'un changement de vitesse automatique.
En cas de succès à l'examen, il ne vous sera possible de conduire que les véhicules équipés d'embrayage ou changement de vitesse automatiques, sauf avis favorable contraire d'un expert agréé (la mention de la conduite uniquement en automatique sera portée sur le permis de conduire).
Yes, http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/N530.xhtml
Sanction en cas de conduite sans permis
Le fait de conduire un véhicule sans être titulaire du permis de conduire correspondant à la catégorie du véhicule considéré est un délit punissable d'un an d'emprisonnement, de 15 000 € d'amende.
Si vous êtes propriétaire du véhicule utilisé, vous pouvez également être condamné à la peine complémentaire de confiscation obligatoire du véhicule (sauf décision contraire et motivée du juge).
Look in the Permis B section under validité et principales caractéristiques - I think driving a manual when you have a licence only for an automatic definitely comes under "conduire un véhicule sans être titulaire du permis de conduire correspondant à la catégorie du véhicule".
all OK until you have an accident - such an easy get out for the insurance company, not to mention possible legal implications :-O
I had a automatic license from the UK. When I changed it for a French one nowhere does it show that I cannot drive a manual, I did ask and was told at my sous prefecture that the 'automatic only' license does not exist in France. And it is good for life! or at least until they try to force on me the new plastic one with whatever restriction there is going to be but it could take until 2030!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If your wife drive with her UK license nobody in France would bother her at least about the automatic side of it. Some police do not like UK licences whatever they are.
No is the short answer - there are no L plates here and her driving licence is valid ONLY for automatic vehicles. There is no such thing as 'learner driver' status here as there is in GB where anyone over 25 can sit next to someone with a provisional licence (there is no such thing as a provisional licence here either) there IS conduite accompagnée but that doesn't apply to someone who already has a licence to drive automatic vehicles. If the gendarmes stop you, you can probably say goodbye to both your licences.
"Passer le permis de conduire sur un véhicule automatique : le permis délivré
Votre permis de conduire portera alors une mention indiquant que le permis n’est valable que pour des véhicules automatiques, sauf avis contraire d’un expert agréé. Vous ne pourrez donc conduire de véhicule à passage manuel des vitesses."