More on french driving licences

The French authorities will start to issue new EU standardised card-style driving licences from mid-February - and note that these will only be valid for 15 years. The old-style licences are valid for life, so if you need to change and are less than 70-ish, do it now.


If you still have a UK photo-card licence they are only valid 10 years. They cannot be renewed except to a valid UK address. Once you reach 70 they are only valid 3 years and you have to provide medical evidence to renew.

Done.

So just as with the UK Photo licence it's the card which expires (in reality the photo). In France you will continue to be able to renew your card without restriction of age unlike UK

Le nouveau permis de conduire au format « carte de crédit » sera valide 15 ans (à l’exception des titres pour les poids lourds et les transports en commun qui seront valides 5 ans). Au terme de la durée de validité (respectivement 15 ans et 5 ans), il faudra procéder à un simple renouvellement administratif (comme pour une carte nationale d’identité ou un passeport) :

  • pour le permis B, ni visite médicale, ni nouvel examen de conduite associés

Here is today's announcement from the French Gouvernement for changes to driving licences effective tomorrow. Quite a few changes re categories.