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Changing to a French driving licence?.


alyoung
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I am sure that I read on this site that from this year it is no longer required to exchange your 'EURO' British driving licence for a French one but now I can't find the info anywhere and I have been told that the Police in my area (Charante) are 'doing' people for not having done it!, can anyone cast light on the subject please?.

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David, please let us in on the secret. I am sure ther are many who are under the impression that since the EU directive from about 1997 that EU members don't have to change their licences unless they are docked points. Do you know different, because if that is the case then I for one would like to know?

Aprehensive John. (11)

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John

You are absolutely correct. My reticence in posting the link from whence I obtained the information is in fact from a site that may be regarded as a "competitor" . Therefore I have no intention of having my knuckles rapped nor being barred from the forum by admin.

The link you need to look at which includes the details of the relevant EEC directive is on its way to you.

Apologies John - i should have added "by forum email"

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[quote]John You are absolutely correct. My reticence in posting the link from whence I obtained the information is in fact from a site that may be regarded as a "competitor" . Therefore I have no intention ...[/quote]

Hi David,

Whilst I understand your concern over mentioning other forums, (which a great many of us also use, you'll never guess if I am on another one as I go by the name of Rob!!).  I do not see how admin can 'do you' if you have good relevant info to the question asked, you are not advertising.  Don't name the other forum if it worries you, but how about letting us know if you have specific info on this as I have just changed to UK photo card in anticipation of moving because as far as I am aware, one does not need to exchange for French unless points are added/deducted.

Regards,

Bob

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We HAD to change ours because in those days if you didn't do it within the 12months you had to sit a french driving test. I really don't know why people make such a fuss about changing to a french one, it is simplicity itself and the local mairie does everything for you except take the photos. What good is a licence with a UK address on it when you live in France I would like to know and yes, the gendarmes do make a fuss if you are different. Go on, change over, get a nice clean licence which goes on forever (although now I understand you need to have a medical cert when you get to 70 or 75) and it can double as a piece of identity when asked for in the shops if you do not possess a CDS and are worried about carrying an expensive english passport round with you.
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Can I support everything that Val2 has said. We also got our Euro licences in GB with a photo but decided to get French ones when we got here.

On this site there have been posts in the past describing problems with the police who don't, rightly or wrongly, seem to be too keen on seeing a Brit licence in the hands of a resident. The French test is not something I would care to take and there seems still to be some doubt as to the need to take it if you change your Brit licence after being here a year.

The address on the UK licence will be wrong if you sell up in the UK and this raises doubts about its validity in the UK also making it useless as ID in France me thinks. The prefecture here said that we did not have to change them but understood the point about the address and it was not that expensive to do. 

Some folk have reported getting away with it when stopped for speeding as they had a Brit licence, others have been forced to change in order to have points put on. With the more rigorous traffic surveillance going on now this event becomes more likely for many of us!

 The point about ID is a good one, as many cannot get a CDS anymore. So on balance I would consider changing it...............John in Dept 79 

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[quote]Can I support everything that Val2 has said. We also got our Euro licences in GB with a photo but decided to get French ones when we got here. "The address on the UK licence will be wrong if you sell up in the UK and this raises doubts about its validity in the UK also making it useless as ID in France me thinks. The prefecture here said that we did not have to change them but understood the point about the address and it was not that expensive to do"

 

please read all the previous posts on this. These include  actual responses from both the DVLA as well as the French code de la Route. The license with an old UK address is valid in both the UK and France. So in additon to the EU directive there are national laws with implementation processes that correctly follow the EU directive. You are not oblidged to change your license !

BTW some reasons not to change older UK issued licenses.

- ability to tow a trailer > 500Kg without a medical

- ability to drive a 7.5 tonne lorry (this would be removed completely if you only have cat B and then change from UK->FR)

regs

 

Richard

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Hi,

Whilst I agree with most, if not all that has been said in favour of changing, I seem to recall that by doing so one loses their entitlement to drive anything above 3.5 ton (if that).  So my entitlement to drive a 7.5t van goes out of the window; correct me if I'm wrong.  I accept that I may never need to drive one again once here, but still, it's something being taken away from me that I don't like.

As we plan to be resident full time with no other plans, I am happy to do everything the French way and will no doubt in time change my licence (probably when I get points!).  However, if I get a CDS, then it will be later rather than sooner.  It also costs money I believe to change(buy) a French licence.

Regards,

Bob

 

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We're in the process of trying to change our licences for French driving licences. Our mairie DOESN'T deal with it. The prefecture DOES but don't seem keen on actually advising us re. HOW to do it. Having been stopped and asked to "breathe into the bag" at a police checkpoint we know that, in our area at least, the police DO accept the UK/European licence owned by local residents.

Regards,

Sue.

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It would be useful if someone could explain the codes on the French licence as different folks seem to have different codes.

On mine there is nothing for a car (Cat B)under the column Jusqu'au, which I take it means up to, and under the restrictions column is noted 70 GB. For other vehicles including an eight wheeler lorry (Cat E) it says under the restrictions column 70 GB, 76  or a six wheeler (Cat C) 70 GB, 74  or a car and caravan on tow (Cat D) no restrictions. However all except the car, motorised tricycle and motorbikes have a jusqu'au date of 15/05/2007. Code 70 seems to be the number of the UK licence surrendered. 74 C <ou = 7500KG, 75 D <ou = 17 places, 76 E(C) < ou = A PTRA 12000KG, 77 E(D) < ou = A PTRA 12000KG.

From this I deduce that I can drive an eight wheel lorry of up to 12000KG (truck for our American friends) until 15/05/2007, am I right? What happens if I should want to drive an eight wheel lorry after this date, not that I would but some might. I would not want to meet me driving such a vehicle anywhere!.........So anyone understand this?..........John in Dept 79

PS Sadly some of the posts referred to seem to have gone the way of all flesh in the recent change over!

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The Prefecture here in Vannes wouldn't change my licence.  Said that I didn't need to change and gave me a piece of paper all stamped and signed.  Had it for years.

Must say that if I am stopped, the Police accept it but always query why. 

I am going in to Vannes today to change the address on the carte gris so will attempt to get a French licence at the same time.  I will let you know.

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Again, its the old story of different depts and different prefectures and what they will or won't do for you. We never paid for a french licence, only for the photos to go it and the only place then to get it done was the local mairie. Same with the CDS, my daughter was not allowed to start driving lessons and apply for a provisional licence without her CDS which she was forced to apply for at 18.
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Still the same story.  No need said the assistant.  My UK licence covers me until I am 70.  The bit of paper stamped by the Prefecture makes me law abiding in France.

Even with the wrong adress.  That doesn't matter.  Apparently!

Seems a bit fishy to me....

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Hi,

I think you will find that having the wrong address on your UK licence does not make it invalid, it is a separate offence.  It is not a traffic offence it's basically failing to notify etc etc, but it does not invalidate the licence or insurance.  I forgot to notify a change of address for 5 years, I changed to a photo card licence this year no trouble.  What one should do is get acquainted with your rights and then stick by them, French police are not particulary well clued up, and if I'm sure I'm right I'll take it all the way, to someone who does know what they are talking about. I hope it never happens!

Regards,

Bob

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[quote]Hi, I think you will find that having the wrong address on your UK licence does not make it invalid, it is a separate offence. It is not a traffic offence it's basically failing to notify etc etc, b...[/quote]

There is no sort of offense on either side being committed. The UKs DVLA have accepted that if you live abroad your address will not be correct.  They have to do this to be compliant with the EU directive. There is even a standard letter that DVLA send out to explain this - it was posted on this forum some months ago. On the issue of the 7.5 tonne (UK C1 and C1E categories) if you change to a FR license , the French are under no obligation to accept these codes as they are no longer standard EU codes, and thus you will loose the ability to drive these vehicles, although I understand that this happens after a period a a few years.

 

regs


Richard

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  • 4 weeks later...
We received our new french licenses through the post this week and are horrified to discover that we have been classified as “novice drivers” According to the sous prefecture, all new licenses are automatically provisional for three years sans exception. So despite us both having over 25 years driving experience without so much as a parking ticket we now have speed restrictions and half the normal allowance of penalty points. That’s before the indignity of a large red A on the back of the car!!

Needless to say, none of this was explained to us beforehand and it took a trip to our local Gendarmerie to have the codes on the back of the license translated. Worryingly Monsieur le Gendarme wanted to know when our British licenses had been revoked!! We have also been advised that it could affect our insurance.

It seems totally unjust that we should be penalised in this way - after all aren’t we all supposed to be all Europeans?

Antonia

Oh, by the way the offending phrase is “Application R413-5” followed by the dates

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Hi Antonia

This is an administrative error.

I received a full exchange license and so did others I have spoken to.

Changing from UK to France should be similar to a Frenchman changing the address on his permis becaus he has moved departments ?

Peter

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All I can think of is that the law regarding Provisional Licenses changed in March this year. Regardless, Madame at the sous prefecture (dept. 30) insists that she is right and assured us that she processes ALL foreign driving licenses this way, EU membership or no. Just thought I'd mention it, forewarned etc......

Antonia
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Hi Antonia,

                     We moved to France earlier this year with no intention of ever returning to the UK so we decided to swap our UK driving licences for French ones.  It was a completely painless procedure, as was getting a carte grise for the car.  Our sous Préfecture in Rochefort are very efficient and the staff unfailingly courteous.  However, that does not help you.  I suggest you return to madame at your sous Préfecture and explain that her interpretation of the regulations does not stand logical analysis because an EU licence is valid in all EU countries and her action has disadvantaged you, an EU citizen. Should she fail to rectify the error, I suggest that you approach the nearest British Consulate with a request that they intervene formally, and tell madame of your intention to do this.  Furthermore, you may still have an MEP in the UK whose aid you could enlist.  Faced with the prospect of creating a diplomatic incident, madame may well relent or at least refer the matter to her superior who, hopefully, is up to speed on the regulations.  The last thing you should do is to accept the provisional licences.

Pete (not Sue)

 

 

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