Hello my UK licence photo card expired in April and I started the exchange via ANTS back in November, recently they asked me to upload a document from the DVLA which I did but I still haven’t heard anything back after 7months and I’m hearing conflicting information whether I can still drive or not. I have not been asked to send my photo card back yet and only have the attestation for dépôt de demande. Can I drive or not ?? Thanks in advance
We went to France services last week as our licences expire in July.
They printed off a sort of receipt to show if we got stopped, is that the depot de demande?
Perhaps see if they can help you.
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I don’t know if it’s the same thing, but I’ll call in there and see what they say thanks!
What annoys me the most is that I was told to wait until 6months left on my licence before doing the exchange, only to find out it can take up to a year ! What are people supposed to do in the mean time ?!
Not much comfort to you but it is better than it used to be! Is it just your photocard that has expired? As that is only a minor offence €135 to continue driving. If whole licence then you are stuffed, sorry,
But sounds as if you are close so going to France Service is a good idea - they may have a hotline to France Titres to nudge you application across the line. Once they ask you to send licence back you get an attestation that allows you to drive in France.
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No my licence is good til 2058, it’s just the photo card that expired. I guess it depends who stops you, then again I’ve only been stopped twice in 15years…
I think you get a rdv with France Services by asking at your local post office. That is what I did.
They are in diffetent locations in different villages//towns. Library, Post Office, marie, other public buildings etc
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Just wondering here. Has anybody had their UK license expire whilst living in France as resident, but having also a UK address of some sort managed to renew their UK license?
Not the properly done thing of course but are there advantages of having a UK license in France?
Feel free to pm me anyone if you’d rather answer that way!
If you have a UK address then you can do it but it’s illegal in both countries.
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I confess I considered it. Nay, actively looked into it. I had a UK licence registered to an address in Northern Ireland at which my Mum still lives.
What put me off was the wording of the form for the NI licence renewal. It had been seriously tightened up and required a categorical statement to the effect that I was resident in NI, with a warning that making a false statement was a criminal offence.
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The problem with that is no licence might equal no insurance, so try really, really hard not to have an accident.
So are you in two minds then about which country your ongoing residence will be in?
My OH did exactly that last year when I was in hospital last year and in no fit state to help her with exchange to a french one . I vaguely remember telling her not to do it (and a neighbour tried to help but buggered it up on the ANTS site) but she went anyway.
Just an FYI, there is a very active and helpful Facebook page on everything related to DL exchanges here - Driving in France - French Licence Application | Groups | Facebook
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Run by the blessed @kim
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A quick update, I went to France services this morning and the secretary said the expert on driving licence stuff is by appointment only so she made me an appointment for next Thursday! I explained my situation to the lady at the desk briefly, I had the feeling I’m not the first person she’d seen with that issue…
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No need to pm you.
It is an offence to renew your licence in the UK if you are not domiciled there, having access to an address does not make it legal, the first page of the application states you must be a resident, otherwise you are making a false statement as to your residency on an official document and occasionally the DVLA and HMRC are joined up.
Are you 70, if not then your licence hasn’t expired only your photocard and I recommend that you start your exchange now.
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As long as you have an application in the system and your insurance company agree then you can drive with an expired card as long as column 11 is still valid.
Don’t forget to take your DVLA attestation with you to be uploaded in the 7 additional documents to support your application otherwise it will take even longer.
And a 40€ timbres stamp.
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Contact ANTS and ask for an update and to check they have all the documents you need, France Services can’t advance your application, only make it for you. This can sometimes move it forward.
If your licence is still valid and you have an application in the system, I can’t give legal advice but it’s generally accepted as OK, but if you want clarification you need to go to your gendarmerie and run it past them and your insurance company as some are picky about expired photocards.
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I thought that you just need to download the Attestation from ANTS. That’s what did when I lost my licence as an interim measure. Not that i’ve been stopped by gendarmes for years anyway