Re: Changing to a French Driving licence - very simple

[Bob T]

It can be simple, but as with everything in France it can also be difficult.

We drove the 20 km to Perigueux with all the paperwork to change my wifes licence for a French one, only to be told that we had to go to the sous Prefecture in Sarlat. We then drove the 20 km home and then the 30 km to Sarlat.

Paperwork was OK and no money was asked for, nor was a SAE.

Licence arrived on Friday, but for Cars and mopeds only. We now have to go all the way back to ask what has happened to her motorcycle entitlement. She is not happy having her BMW 1100S sat in the garage and not being able to ride it.

[AnOther]

[quote user="Bob T"]Licence arrived on Friday, but for Cars and mopeds only.[/quote]Didn't know the French had farmed out their licence administration to the DVLA

[AnOther]

[quote user="puzzled"]Just out of interest is it possible to renew a UK

licence if you live permanently in France ? I found this below  on http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/DG_4022088  which would suggest not.

Keeping your details correct

Informing DVLA of your changed details will ensure your record’s up

to date and all future driving licence reminders are sent to your

correct address.

Remember, if you permanently move to another

country, you can’t register your new address on your British driving

licence. You’ll need to contact the driving licence authority in your

country of residence.[/quote]

Don't know how you arrive at that

conclusion, you cannot read those 2 DVLA statements in isolation and the first only says 'reminders' anyway.

[AnOther]

I think you're just muddying what are quite clear waters.

Firstly, DVLA will not record nor post to a non UK address.

Secondly, even if you still have a UK property or used a relatives address for convenience, they would sent the licence to that address and that alone, you cannot say, 'oh by the way I don't actually live there so could you send it to France/Timbuktu please !

Thirdly, you are not UK resident there so to claim that you do would be fraudulent.

The answer to your question then is no, you cannot renew a British licence whilst living in France without giving false addresses.

Just change to a French one when the time comes, what is the big problem so many people seem to have with doing that ?

You can always change back if you went back to live in UK.

[AnOther]

I agree I did misread you initially puzzled however you did go on to ask:

[quote user="puzzled"]Where it says that I can't register a new address on my British

driving licence - to renew mine then, would they have accepted my old

UK address but then be prepared to send my new DL to my real address

France ?  I can't see that they would have but I don't know , I suppose I could have phoned up but it just seemed easier to change.

It would be useful to know if you can renew a British licence whilst

living in France without giving false addresses etc as I am sure a lot

of these licences will be up for renewal soon.[/quote]and my post in response directly, and I think accurately, addressed those questions [Www][:P]

My comment about peoples reluctance to change was meant in a general context and not aimed directly at you [:)]

[ngh]

Can anyone tell me is you are entitled to tow a trailer on a French driving Licence.

Thanks

nichthewood

www.howittgites.com

[Debnfamily]

[quote user="puzzled"]A short form to complete, they photocopied my passport and marriage certificate whilst I filled the form in , gave me a receipt to use in lieu of my licence and I left them a SAE envelope and can expect to receive my new one between 2- 4 weeks and it was free![/quote]A timely topic for me since I need to do this tomorrow and I'm hoping to get my French car (just bought) registered and change my UK licence at the same time.  Why did you need your marriage certificate?

[Clair]

[quote user="Debnfamily"]Why did you need your marriage certificate?[/quote]

French admin recognises the name you were registered with as birth as your official name.

If, like Puzzled, you use your married name, you will be asked to supply your marriage certificate to link your official name to your married name if you use it.

[Weegie]

[quote user="ngh"]

Can anyone tell me is you are entitled to tow a trailer on a French driving Licence.

Thanks

nichthewood

www.howittgites.com

[/quote] Category B allows{-

"Le permis B permet la conduite :

des véhicules dont le PTAC (poids total en charge) est inférieur

ou égal à 3,5 tonnes, pouvant être affecté au transport des personnes

ou des marchandises,

des véhicules pouvant comporter neuf places assises au plus (siège du conducteur compris).

Aux véhicules de cette catégorie peut être attelée une remorque :

dont le PTAC de la remorque est inférieur ou égal à 750 kilogrammes,

si le PTAC de la remorque excède 750 kg, il doit être inférieur ou

égal au poids à vide du véhicule tracteur, et la somme des PTAC de

l'ensemble doit être inférieur ou égal à 3,5 t.

Si ces PTAC sont dépassés, un permis E(B) doit être obtenu pour pouvoir les conduire. "

Which means that the trailer should be either:

less than 750Kg Total weight

or

If it's  total weight is greater than 750Kg it must be equal to or less than the empty weight of the towing vehicle and the total authorised weight of both combined must not exceed 3.5 tonnes.

If it exceeds these criteria then you need Category E(B)

So it depends on the weight of the trailer and the towing vehicle.

If you had the entitlement to E(B) on your UK licence and you need to

have it put on your French licence then it means a medical (unless you

already have had one) and a revisit to the Prefecture.

[Debnfamily]

[quote user="Clair"][quote user="Debnfamily"]Why did you need your marriage certificate?[/quote]

French admin recognises the name you were registered with as birth as your official name.

If, like Puzzled, you use your married name, you will be asked to supply your marriage certificate to link your official name to your married name if you use it.

[/quote]I sort of know that because my birth name is on the house deeds, but since my passport and driving licence both show my married name, and not my birth name, I don't see how the marriage certificate will help?  Do they figure out my birth name from somewhere else?  Even my carte vitale shows my married name. 

[Clair]

Doesn't your marriage certificate show your maiden/birth name?

[Sunday Driver]

Your passport and your driving licence will describe you as 'Mrs' so that gives them the clue that you are married.  The marriage certificate will show your maiden name....[;-)]

 

 

[cooperlola]

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]

Your passport and your driving licence will describe you as 'Mrs' so that gives them the clue that you are married.  The marriage certificate will show your maiden name....[;-)]

 

 

[/quote]Surely, S/D, in this day and age one is allowed to have Ms on one's passport etc?  If not, why not?

[Sunday Driver]

Why should burds be allowed to have more names than us men?  After all, we're the superior hunter killers of the species.....[:P]

 

[Debnfamily]

Actually, my marriage certficate shows my previous married name, so does that mean I also need a copy of my decree nisee (not sure how that is spelt)?

[Debnfamily]

SD - this burd has decided it is way too complicated and since the consensus seems to be that it is unnecessary to change my licence until 1) it needs renewing (not until 2013) or 2) I commit some offence which means the French will want to apply their rules and therefore need me to have a French licence and assuming that the gov.uk site is correct and I don't need to let DVLA know about my change of address since I've moved abroad (which does seem a bit odd) - I'm going to leave well alone for now and just get the car registered!  (Feel free to scream at me if I've interpreted all the threads about this subject incorrectly!).

[powerdesal]

[quote user="Debnfamily"]SD - this burd has decided it is way too complicated and since the consensus seems to be that it is unnecessary to change my licence until 1) it needs renewing (not until 2013) or 2) I commit some offence which means the French will want to apply their rules and therefore need me to have a French licence and assuming that the gov.uk site is correct and I don't need to let DVLA know about my change of address since I've moved abroad (which does seem a bit odd) - I'm going to leave well alone for now and just get the car registered!  (Feel free to scream at me if I've interpreted all the threads about this subject incorrectly!).

[/quote]

Our new French car was registered a few weeks ago without any problem, neither of us have French issued EU driving licences, just standard UK issued photocard ones, should we have anticipated a problem?

[cooperlola]

I agree, Steve, I don't think your license is relevant when registering a car.  In fact, even when I test drove mine, the dealer didn't want to see it.  He just let me and the o/h drive off in it.  I did not take it straight home, although I was tempted....[6]

[powerdesal]

[quote user="cooperlola"]I agree, Steve, I don't think your license is relevant when registering a car.  In fact, even when I test drove mine, the dealer didn't want to see it.  He just let me and the o/h drive off in it.  I did not take it straight home, although I was tempted....[6][/quote]

You must look trustworthy, our dealer took a photocopy of our licences before letting us loose with a demonstration model. What did you buy, another crushproof Nissan?

[cooperlola]

[quote user="powerdesal"]. What did you buy, another crushproof Nissan?
[/quote][:D]  Yes, I bought a Note, as I now need something a little bigger to fit the chair in (hopefully not forever). I pick it up next Monday.

I admit I couldn't quite believe it when he just handed me the keys.  But I guess he knew he was OK as we'd left him an rhd Fabia in exchange.  (Sorry about the thread drift, Sarah.)