Driving in France with a foreigners license during a short stay or the length of studies

Verified 13 August 2025 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

You have a driver's license issued by a non-EU country European Union (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 during a short stay in France. For example, during holidays in France.

Your foreigners driver's license issued by a non-EU country European Union (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 foreigners license provided he meets several conditions.

Conditions to be fulfilled by the student

You must meet 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 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 where the license was issued.
  • If your nationality is different from the country in which 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 license, you must have obtained your Algerian license during a period when you reside in Algeria.

If you obtain 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 while in Japan. He can drive in France with his Japanese license until the end of his studies in France.

Conditions to be met by the driving license

Your driver's license issued by a non-EU country European Union (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 driver's license issued by a non-EU country EuropeanHowever, 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 where the driving license is issued.

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 may 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 permit issued by a non-member country European Union (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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