I will try and ask the family as they moved from Texas to Wyoming and now to NC and have had to change licences and number plates each time for all the vehicles and bike.
Hi Kim - It looks like you are the most knowledgable contributor on the driving topic here… I’m moving from Atlanta Georgia ( a non reciprocal State) to the Mayenne Dept on Oct 1st … I am going to swap my license to South Carolina next week, however I have heard from 2 different sources recently that the license needs to have been issued at least 6 months prior to exchange for a French one. I can’t find any information online stating that to be the case. Do you have any intel on this? Much appreciated!
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Hi, no in this particular situation no you don’t, however the longer you can hold it the better, I believe it’s more a problem with what documentation you have to provide to SC for your licence.
However, what people are quoting is if you moved to another country and obtained a licence there, you would have to provide 6 months evidence of living there, as it’s an EU thing the 6 months.
As you are effectively still in the same country, USA, just a different state it’s not classed as a new country, it’s a small loophole.
You will need your driving history for AG and as far back as possible and your driving history for SC even though it will be short. This is to provide evidence that you have held a licence longer than 3 years. However, France like to know when you passed your test, if you have access to a record that far back great, if not then as far back as you can and you will include an attestation to say you passed your test xxxx date (please use EU date format) but no longer have access to this record. You therefore will accept the start date of your licence as far back as you can evidence, in your own words in French.
Hope this helps.
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See my last comment to mclawley as I cover the reason why you need history there.
Thank you so much for this thoughtful detailed response! I will go about compiling driving records as far back as possible. California in 1979 (maybe 80) Georgia and then South Carolina… I got my Visa today (in less that one week from application) so at least I feel optimistic!
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Your South Carolina DMV record must be less than 6 months old when you submit your application. This can be done after you have validated your visa online with OFII also only your SC record and licence needs to be translated, but I recommend you have it done here and must be done by a certified translator, you old history evidence needs no translations.
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Copy that! I just ordered my California & Georgia records. Do they need to be certified? I ordered both but the digital one from CA is janky looking old computer printout. I’ve been preparing myself for all the French paperwork but I didn’t think about the driving record. I have to come back to close up my house after it’s sale and ship my belongings so I can do SC then if it needs to be certified. OY!
Only your SC record and actual licence need translating by a certified translator here, as this is the licence you are exchanging, none of the other records do, they are only evidence of how long you have held a licence.
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Got it! Thanks again!
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Kim—I’ve been searching everywhere trying to find the referenced FB group you run for American reciprocal driving license exchange. Can you provide a link? I also enquired as to where to find it on Americans Retiring in France but haven’t gotten any comments/responses.
Just a couple of weeks ago I got a Virginia DL. Previously I have had a WA one (which is not reciprocal). I ordered a WA Driving Record Report which goes back to an original issue date of 2013 with no Restrictions, Reinstatements, Endorsements, or Fees. I don’t see any tickets or anything but I don’t think I’ve had any. However, there is a “Withdrawl History” with a violation from 9March2013 (before I even got my WA DL on 12April2013!) that says “Failed to answer citation” with the withdrawing state listed as OR. No idea what this is—I don’t even remember being in OR then—and I called OR DMV and they have no record of it. Now I’m going btwn WA and OR to try to get his resolved/cleared but will it be an issue when I try to get a French DL? Should I try to get a driving record report from another source?
I haven’t ordered a VA Driving Record yet since I just got the license in early Sept. Should I order this record before I leave for France on 15 Oct—will that be enough history? Will they only look at the history up until my arrival date in France (16Oct24)?
I will also be buying a car in France and will use my VA DL to register that—will the history from that count? Should I wait a few, several months to apply for a French DL?
Hi there! I was wondering if you were successful in getting your French license using the SC license you acquired shortly before moving to France? I got my VA license earlier this month and move to France next month. Have the same concern that the short history on my VA license will be an issue. Would love to hear how things have worked out for you…
Hi. No. I’m not in France yet. Leave Sunday!!
Bon voyage and bon courage!
Not yet, I am going to SC next week to get my license switched and will only have it for a few weeks before trying to swap it out. I’ll keep the thread updated as I go.
Thanks in advance for posting updates! It’ll be so helpful as has been everything else people here and the various FB groups have posted on their actual experience. I love these communities–makes everything so much less daunting.
Did you move first to Colorado for the DL exchange. We are considering the same but not to California. So curious to know what you did and how it played out. Merci,!
Hi Hilarie. My son lives in Colorado so I had mail sent to his address for 3 months, then went to the DMV there with the appropriate documents and got the new license. I have not exchanged it yet. I hope all goes as planned!! 
oh that’s great I have no relatives living anywhere that is reciprocal …please keep me posted. You didnt need to prove utility bills or ? maybe we can do this in Fla too for only 3 months. Do you use a mail service now ? thanks
I told them I was staying with my son so there were no utility bills. Any friends??
yes a few but not close enough to ask them to accept our mail for that long and. since we need to establish residency for tax purposes , we need to have an address in the US