Driving in Europe (EU/EEA) with a French license

You can drive with your French license for a short stay in all countries European. For example, during holidays.

You must meet the following conditions:

• Have a license valid
• Respect the medical prescriptions noted on your license. For example, glasses are mandatory.
• Born not have been sanctioned by a suspension, restriction or cancelation of your right to drive in France
• Credit memo the minimum age required to drive the equivalent category of your license. For example, the B license allows you to drive a car from the age of 17 in France, while you must be 18 years old in some European countries. Find out before you leave. You can contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are going to.

You can drive with your French license during a long stay in all countries European. For example, if you settle and reside there.

You must meet the following conditions:

• Have a license valid
• Respect the medical prescriptions noted on your license. For example, glasses are mandatory.
• Born not have been sanctioned by a suspension, restriction or cancelation of your right to drive in France
• Credit memo the minimum age required to drive the equivalent category of your license. For example, the B license allows you to drive a car from the age of 17 in France while you must be 18 years old in some European countries. Find out before you leave. You can contact the embassy or consulate of the country you are going to.

If you reside in a European countries (EU/EEA), you can choose to exchange your French license for a license from the country where you reside. The approach is optional. Ask the competent authorities in that country how to do this.

However, you must mandatory request the exchange of your French driving license for a license from the country where you reside in the following cases:

• The validity your license is coming to an end.
• Your license is lost, stolen or deteriorated.
• You have committed a traffic offense in the country where you reside.
• Your French license is a old model valid until 19 january 2033 (pink cardboard model) and your country of residence requires its renewal after 2 years of normal residence. Depending on the country, the validity period of the new motorcycle or car license will be 10 or 15 years.

You can't drive in another european countries with a secure certificate of rights to drive or a provisional permit. For example, a driver's license examination certificate (CRC) or a receipt for a declaration of loss or theft of the license.

These documents are valid only in France.

If you have obtained your french license in exchange for a non-european license, you can drive with this license in another european countries during a short tourist stay.

However, for a longer stay, check before your departure to find out the rules applicable in your host country. Indeed, a french permit obtained in exchange for a non-european permit is not automatically recognized by others european countries. You can contact the embassy or consulate of the country concerned.