Exchanging driving Licences

[jo]

Sorry, yet another new thread!

We got stopped last week , a routine stop at the side of the road, all clear apart from the Gendarme informed my OH he needed to exchange his Spanish driving licence for a French one. (He actually has one point on it, thanks to me, from last year). Yes we paid the fine, assumed we did not need to replace the licence for the point as Spain has the same system of losing points.

The licence runs out of date in a year anyway so replacement is needed , what exactly are the documents needed to take for the Prefecture to peruse. I assume they take the old licence off you there and then, what do you produce if stopped by the Gendarmes while waiting the arrival of your French licence?

[bubbles]

When we changed our British licence for a French one, they gave us something written on a piece of paper just in case we were stopped in the meantime.

Can't remember what documents we had to take but it included two photos.

We did the deed at our local mairie.

There was no cost at all (amazingly) and someone popped a little billet doux into our letterbox to let us know when the French licences were ready for collection.

[jo]

The local marie?? I thought we at least had to brave the nearest Prefecture, at least that is what the Gendarme said!

[Oboulez]

They photocopy your application for a french licence which they stamp up with the prefecture stamp, plus photocopies of your UK licence. That suffices pending your french licence arriving. Just keep that in your car in case you are unlucky enough to get stopped.

Re the documents you need - you can download the Demande de Deliverance de permis de conduire from the internet. You just fill in the first sections with your name, date of birth and address. Hand this in with your proof of ID - passport etc, & proof of address plus 2 passport approved photos. They fill in the rest & you will - depending on your prefecture, get your licence (French) in a few days or weeks. I applied for a french licence in Vannes a month ago & got it back in 3 days.

[Clair]

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1061252/ShowPost.aspx

[jo]

Thats is three years old, it is still in date information?!

[Clair]

[quote user="jo"]Thats is three years old, it is still in date information?![/quote]

You're welcome.

[Oboulez]

It is still the same form. Just fill in your personal details in the fields above the driving licence categories. The person at the Prefecture will do this then stamp it up, take your other papers & that is all there is to it.

I was astonished at how easy it was - plus it was free.

[Araucaria]

And these:

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/2/2281235/ShowPost.aspx#2281235

[Lehaut]

We have just been through this hoop. Downloaded the forms, got all the bits of paper, took them to the sous prefecture in Avranches who told us we had the wrong form. Gave us another one for St Lo. Rang St Lo to check we had everything, they told us we had the wrong form!! Did not need a bill with our names on it. Sent everything off and in a week got a letter saying they needed my wife's birth certificate (not stipulated on any of the three forms!!) to confirm her maiden name. Sent a certified copy off and got the licences the next week.

As an aside, does anyone know why the C, D and E categories run out 2 years from date of issue of this new licence?

[Ladoix]

At a guess they expire on your 45th or 50th birthday - car licences are Category B.  Category D is a PCV licence, yours is probably restricted to 9 or 18 seats same as a UK one, C is for heavy goods so you can drive up to 7.5t whereas regular French licences are restricted to 3.5t and E is for towing trailers - nowadays a separate category but included if you passed your test before a certain date.

[Lehaut]

Wishful thinking, well past both these dates!

[sid]

Have you got 2 years for all those categories?

I got 2 years for C, but only 1 year for D.

 E(B) and E(C) were 2 years and E(D) just one year.

These are the categories where a medical is required; if you don't have the medical the category is not valid.

I tow a caravan but it fits in the B(B) limits so I didn't need any of the C,D or E cats.

[minnie]

We took ours to Marmande (sub-prefecture) and they were posted on to us within a couple of days. Suggest you ask for receipt for your old licences. They're very helpful in Marmande.

[Bugsy]

[quote user="sid"]

I tow a caravan but it fits in the B(B) limits so I didn't need any of the C,D or E cats.

[/quote]

Hi Sid,

Can you spell out the criteria for towing on a B(B) as we also have a small caravan (Eriba Triton) and I had a medical believing it was a necessary requirement.

Thanks.

[sid]

Bugsy

I'll have to try and find the exact wording for you, but basically, and I think these are the criteria:  if the laden weight of the caravan (or trailer) is less than the weight of the car and the two together total less than 3500kg then you can drive on the normal car licence with no need for a medical. You need the regular medical for group E(B).

 Our caravan is 1050kg max laden weight and the car is around 1800kg.

I have all this filed away somewhere but can't just put my hands on it at the moment; it's possibly on my old pc. I'll get back to you with the proper rules.

Sid

[Bugsy]

Thanks for that Sid,

Our Eriba is 1000kg MLW.

[sid]

Bugsy

I found the details, and now I remember it was SD who gave me this (thanks SD! again); I've quoted his email...

<< The criteria for towing under a category B licence are as follows:

 

PTAC of trailer less than or equal to 750 kg, even if the sum of the PTACs is greater than 3500 kg  (eg, a 3500kg camping car towing a 750kg trailer)

 

PV of towing car greater than the PTAC of the trailer and the sum of the PTACs is less than or equal to 3500 kg.

 

Your setup is the latter one, so you're OK with a cat B licence.  If your licence already has (E)B and you don't want the hassle of the medical, just ask the prefecture to leave it off - they'll get you to sign a form agreeing to the omission. >>

 

In fact the prefecture didn't give me any option about leaving the unwanted groups off, but they expire if the medical is not taken.

Sid

[Bugsy]

Brilliant, My tow-car is 2160kg so, together with the Eriba, I fit into that category.

I owe you a pint.

.

[Lehaut]

Thanks, that makes sense as my wife has also got two years on her licence too.