Lost Your Licence Sir?

[JJ]

This is a bit of a dilemma, you live in France full time. But you are driving on a UK paper licence. (allowed)

Then you lose your UK paper licence. You report the matter to the Gendarmerie, who issue you with a yellow piece of paper which is case you get stopped by the police, The yellow form is valid for only 2 months.

In the meantime you apply for a new UK Photocard licence, ah, a problem, the DVLA will only issue a UK licence if you reside in the UK.

So, can I apply for a French licence, well, no, because I cannot prove that I have a valid UK licence.

If anyone has any useful suggestions to this dilemma, I would be very grateful.

[Poppy]

Have you telephoned or emailed the DVLA and explained the problem. If so and they have said they can't help, then I would try the British Embassy.

[Nick Trollope]

Consulate, actually. Who, IME are about as much use a chocolate teapot when it comes to driving matters.

Your best bet is to find a UK address from which to apply for a photocard UK licence. Knowing the DVLA as I do..... I would not hold out much for anything else, promise you one thing, do another, deny all responsibility.

 

[Sunday Driver]

You e-mail this scenario to the DVLA and ask them if they will issue a replacement photocard licence under the lost licence procedure, using the address as shown on their records (they don't require proof of address for a replacement) and send it to your French address. The DVLA acknowledge that EU regulations allow expats to continue to use their UK licence with the obsolete address so they may be prepared to offer this exception. 

Alternatively, you could ask the DVLA if they have some form of entitlement certification that is acceptable to the French authorites.

If they can't help, then you'll have to apply for a new French licence.... and pass a driving test.

Oh, I assume you know about the £1,000 fine for falsely declaring an accommodation address.....

 

 

 

 

[JJ]

Many thanks for the suggestions.

I did contact the Consulate in Bordeaux, and no surprise they were not interested or very helpful.

I suppose I could use a UK address of a friend, but it is a criminal offence to make a false declaration to obtain a licence.

The last option of asking the DVLA, well  asked them sometime ago about changing the address, and they said no, but the situation is a tad different now.

The last option of asking for the appropriate proof of entitlement is an idea, the thought of taking a Frenceh Driving Test is one I am not looking forward too, imagine going onto the Peage and keeping the indicator on when overtaking!!

 

[Catalpa]

Following all the debates over the years about whether you have to / or should change your UK driving licence for a French driving licence when you're here permanently, here (at last!) is a good reason to do so. [:)]

[Cassis]

[quote user="JJ"]

The last option of asking the DVLA, well  asked them sometime ago about changing the address, and they said no, but the situation is a tad different now.

[/quote]

Might be worthwhile asking the DVLA again, as SD suggests, to see if they will issue a duplicate with the old address but send it to another address (either in France or to a friend in the UK).  Worth investigating, anyway.  The other options, as you say, aren't very appetising!

[Val_2]

Another idea is to photocopy ALL your important papers and documents so that you have a copy as proof when something like this happens. Dosn't cost a lot to do and photocopiers are everywhere these days.

[Rob Roy]

[quote user="catalpa"]Following all the debates over the years about whether you have to / or should change your UK driving licence for a French driving licence when you're here permanently, here (at last!) is a good reason to do so. [:)]
[/quote]

Yes, but not so easy when your Prefecture refuses to change your licence - 'it is not necessary Madame'

[Pads]

I think it sounds like it might be easier to move back to the uk rent a place for a month thats your address, have a nice holiday in cornwall or somewhere just as nice get your liecence and go home ..................[blink]

[Catalpa]

[quote user="Rob Roy"]Yes, but not so easy when your Prefecture refuses to change your licence - 'it is not necessary Madame'[/quote] 

[:D] Love it! Our Prefecture officials nodded approvingly when we went in and explained we wanted a French licence. "Of course, you live here, it's obligatoire". We smiled and nodded agreement - on the basis that life's too short to explain the real facts to French officialdom when the real facts don't really matter.

[Rob Roy]

[quote user="catalpa"][quote user="Rob Roy"]Yes, but not so easy when your Prefecture refuses to change your licence - 'it is not necessary Madame'[/quote] 
[:D] Love it! Our Prefecture officials nodded approvingly when we went in and explained we wanted a French licence. "Of course, you live here, it's obligatoire". We smiled and nodded agreement - on the basis that life's too short to explain the real facts to French officialdom when the real facts don't really matter.
[/quote]

And that about sums up France really, doesn't it? To misquote: "Its not what you know, its where you live, that matters"[:D]