renewing French driving licence

[mazandcol]

Can anyone who's renewed their French licence via ANTS say how long they had to wait and the stages through the process?

We applied to renew online 06 May and had nothing since receiving the email (same day) saying it had been "transmise pour instruction". When I try tracking them, they're always at the 'under instruction' stage. I'm now getting a little concerned as current licences expire on 22 July - should I be?

Any advice would be very welcome.

[Gardian]

Sorry, no specific help other than to say that any application through ANTS is never fast.

I’ve (happily) not been on to the ANTS site in recent times, but is there maybe the possibility of being able to download some kind of Attestation - to say that you’ve applied?

Suggest that you print out the email from them & carry it with you.

[mazandcol]

Thanks Gardian. We've got the attestations that were attached to the email. I was just wondering if others had been in similar situations (regarding waiting time) or whether I should be concerned.

[Antonia]

When we swapped our licenses years ago we were told that the receipt acted as a temporary license until the new ones arrived. Perhaps have another look at the attestation you received?

I agree with Guardian though Ants is really slow especially if it's something less common. When my husband died I had to transfer one of the cars into my name as it had been originally just been in his and, despite scanning in all the right documents, it took months for me to get a new carte gris.

[mazandcol]

Thank you Antonia. The 'attestation' is actually just a receipt confirming the request has been sent, so I guess it confirms I applied well before our licences expire.

My main concern about the waiting time is because it isn't anything uncommon, just a simple renewal of our French driving licences.

[chessfou2]

Not sure if it helps, since it was not a matter of renewing a licence, but replacing my old paper licence that had fallen apart.

In January this year, it took 9 days from making the request on the ANTs site to receipt of the card.

I find it strange that you needed to renew your licence - the paper licence is generally valid forever and the new plastic one almost forever (mine expires in 15 years). I suppose your circumstances had somehow changed.

[anotherbanana]

You can definitely use the receipt as a temporary licence, had to do it myself earlier in the year and they confirmed it was ok.

[mazandcol]

Latest update and a strange right hand/left hand example.

today I received an email regarding my driving license renewal, saying to look at my account on ANTS. Sure enough there was a message saying I was missing a ID doc (I'd sent passport in May). They wanted a copy of my Titre de Sejour - they even quoted its number, the date it started and the date it expires (10 years).

So they know I have one, and all the details - but I still have to supply a scan. Duh!!!

I might add, we only received our cards on Tuesday afternoon, even though we applied last October.

[Weegie]

@ chessfou2

I think you'll find that the French paper licence (the pink one), althoughi showing no expiry date now expires in 2033.

Haven't got the legislation to hand but it was introduced as part of the homologation of EU licences.

[nomoss]

[quote user="Weegie"]@ chessfou2

I think you'll find that the French paper licence (the pink one), althoughi showing no expiry date now expires in 2033.

Haven't got the legislation to hand but it was introduced as part of the homologation of EU licences.[/quote]

HERE you go :o)