Driving in France with a foreigners license for a short stay or the duration of studies

Verified 01 June 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You have a driver's license issued by a non-EU country European (EU/EEA)  and you wonder if you can drive in France during a short stay or during your studies? We tell you what you need to know.

Warning  

The rules are different if you like driving in France with a European license (EU/EEA) or if you settle in France.

You can drive with your license foreigner no European for one short stay in France. For example, during holidays in France.

Your foreigners driver's license issued by a non-EU country European (EU/EEA)  must meet the following conditions:

  • To be valid
    Respect the medical prescriptions noted on your license.
  • To be written in french, or be accompanied by a international driving license (except for the British license), or official translation . The translation must be legalized or apostillate if it is made abroad. If the translation is done in France, it must be done by a qualified translator or by the embassy in France of the country that issued the permit.

A foreigners student can drive in France during his studies with his license not European subject to fulfilling several conditions.

Conditions to be fulfilled by the student

You must comply with the following conditions:

  • Have the minimum age to drive in France vehicles of the equivalent category of your license. For example, 17 years for the Category B license.
  • Have a residence permit with student mention or a residence card job search/company creation (RECE), valid
  • Comply with any medical prescriptions mentioned on your license. For example, glasses are mandatory.
  • Not have been sanctioned by a suspension, withdrawal or cancelation of your right to drive in the country of issue of the license.
  • If your nationality is different from the country where the permit was issued, you must have obtained your permit during a period in which your normal residence was in this country. For example, if you are Moroccan and have an Algerian permit, you must have obtained your Algerian permit during a period when you reside in Algeria.

If you get the license during a stay in your country while you are a student in France, you can drive with your license no European until the end of your studies in France.

Example: a Japanese student studies in France and obtains his driving license during a stay in Japan. He can drive in France with his Japanese license until the end of his studies in France.

Conditions to be fulfilled by the driving license

Your driver's license issued by a non-EU country European (EU/EEA)  must meet the following conditions:

  • Have been issued by the country in which you normal residence before coming to study in France
  • Be valid
  • Be written in French or be accompanied by an official translation. The translation must be legalized or apostillate if it is made abroad. If the translation is done in France, it must be done by a qualified translator or by the embassy in France of the country that issued the permit.

If you are French and have a driving license issued by a non-EU country European, you cannot drive in France with this license for the duration of your studies in France. For example, you are French and have a Brazilian driver's license. This rule applies even if you are also a national of the country of issue of the driving license.

Your driver's license issued by a non-EU country European is recognized for 1 year from your installation in France. During this period, you can request the exchange of your foreigner license. If your driver's license foreigners cannot be exchanged for a french license, you must pass the french driving license to be able to continue driving in France.

At the end of your studies, if you get a residence permit other than a student, you must request the exchange of your license issued by a non-member country European (EU/EEA)  against a French license to continue driving in France.

You must request the exchange of your driving license when exchanging your residence permit and no later than one year after the issue of your new residence permit.

If your driver's license foreigners cannot be exchanged for a french license, you must pass the french driving license to be able to continue driving in France.

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