Changing to French LGV licence

[Racerbear02]

Does anyone know what is required to change to a French LGV licence from a UK one? I am talking about category c, over 7.5 tonnes

Do you need a medical/ if so how often, doy you need to renew it periodically  as in the UK every 5 years/

Thanks in advance

[andyh4]

Sorry I am not going to be a lot of help here.

I have been in the logistics business but have never been and LGV driver, so my answers are based on what I have picked up and not experience.

Do you need a medical?

Yes

Does it need to be renewed

Yes - and I think more often than 5 years.

I am also not sure if you also need to do formal training as well. An HGV driver certainly does.

Sorry best I can do - but it does keep it on the front page for you.

[nomoss]

If you have the appropriate UK licence groups you will get the same French ones.

When I exchanged my UK licence I was not asked for a medical certificate, and was given groups A and B indefinitely, group C until the day before my 70th birthday, and groups D and E for one year. Group C was limited to 7500KG, group D to 17 places, and Groups E(C) and E(D) were limited to 12000KG.

I believe a medical certificate is now required for an exchange licence for all except groups A and B. A further medical certificate is required to renew these, which I believe is annually for D and E(D), and bi-annually for the other groups, reducing to annually after age 70.

Edit: Correct "group C" for "group B" in para 2.

Edit: Just checked. Validity for group C is now as follows:-

Âge du conducteur	Durée de validité
Moins de 55 ans	5 ans
De 55 à 60 ans	5 ans ou jusqu'à la date anniversaire des 60 ans
De 60 à 76 ans	2 ans ou jusqu'à la date anniversaire des 76 ans
Plus de 76 ans	1 an

Full details are here [url]http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F2843.xhtml#N102AF[/url]

[pitway]

You will also need the FIMO/FCO (Driver CPC in the UK) if you want to drive professionally also a digital tachograph card

edit, allow 6-9 months for the licence exchange too !

[AnOther]

One of the rules for a licence exchange is that you cannot be deprived of groups your surrendered licence entitle you to drive, countries can can however impose their own medical requirements for them which is what the French do for anything above Group B.

How long you wait for your new licence is irrelevant and the new one should give you 2 years for Group C from it's date of issue not the date you applied for it.

[pitway]

I'm not sure where you have got 2 years from AnO? As I see it you should get a valid C / EC category until the medical certificate runs out, in my case 2019.

I will see when my licence arrives in about 6 months :-) 

[AnOther]

I'm judging from the fact that my French licence gave me 2 years for groups C, EB, and EC, and one year for groups D, and ED

It's also mentioned here but it is age related and I am over 60.

[url]http://www.permispratique.com/2012%C2%A0-Les-changements-pour-les-visites-medicales-du-permis-de-conduire_a170_2.html[/url]

[pitway]

Ah that explains it then AnO I am in my fifties (about half way through :-) ) so my medical will cover me for 5 years, as you are 60+ yes that will be 2 years, I will be 60 when I need my next medical so I will be down to renewals every 2 years then! :-o crickey that doesn't sound too far away !!