Driving licence help

[Senrabbit]

Hi

 

I and MOH have decided to change our English driving licences for French ones and have obtained some forms from the Prefecture for Deux-Sevres.  Does anyone have any experience of filling out these forms or know of any where we can obtain an example of a completed one. (It looks like the main form is a standard form, it is orange in colour and presumably available across France) the second form is from the prefecture in Deux-Sevres which asks you to tick various boxes relating to the type of vehicle you are driving. We drive a car but also sometimes tow a small trailer. 

Any help would be appreciated.  Please would the usual suspects not hijack this question, I/we have already made the decision to change our licenses and therefore do not need the  issue sidetracking as it is sometimes the case on this forums.

[Val_2]

I'm sure your local mairie would be very happy to help you fill in the forms which is what ours did as it is a government paper. Don't forget to get some photos as well and there may be a fiscal stamp to pay for,I really can't remember.

[nimportequoi]

I changed mine recently, but didn't need to fill in any complicated forms, just the usual stuff of name, address, place of birth etc.I went through my Mairie who were very helpful. All the info they need is on your UK driving licence which you send off with the form and two recent mugshot photos plus a self stamped addressed envelope. I received it after a couple of weeks. Shortly after followed the notification of the loss of 1 point relating to a speeding offence I had commited a few months earlier on the Nantes ring road.

[Senrabbit]

Thanks for the advice, we will certainly start with the Mairie, its just one of those things that needs doing and once its done its done!!

[YF&Single!<P>Singly living in France!<P>]

Don't forget that French licences do not include the caravan/towing option (up to 7 tonnes on an ordinary UK licence I think).  When they saw mine they asked if I wanted that option on my French one when I said yes, I then had to go through a medical which I am now obliged to go to every 5yrs.

I had a normal UK licence, I now have a French licence B,E (b), most French licence holders will just have a B on passing their test.

YF&S

[Val_2]

Something else that people are not aware of when changing to a french licence if they are 70 years old or more is that they can be marked down on the licence as NOT permitted to drive in any other country in the EU other than in France. We know someone this happened to, after living here over 20 years and coming upto 70 decided to change his UK licence to french and discovered he couldn't drive in the UK as it was marked on the french licence. Make sure you check your details over very carefully when you receive the new one.

[Mr Coeur de Lion]

When you apply for a French licence to you have to give up your existing UK one? I've got 2 licences, Australian and UK. Not sure which one I'd have to give up. Poss the Aussie one as it expires every 5 years. UK one lasts til 2040 or something. I must look for my UK licence soon.

[PossumGirl]

If both countries have an exchange treaty, then just choose which one

you care about the least.  If  Australia DOESN'T have a

treaty, then you have to use the UK license.  Believe me, it's

worth it not to have to go through the process of applying for a

license when you come from a place that doesn't exchange with France.

PG