Driver's license / Driver's permit EXCHANGE or CONVERSION between the USA and France.

Todate (1-17-2007), the exchange of driver's permits are reciprocal with the following states:
- Arkansas
- South Carolina
- Colorado (car -up to 3.500 kg- only)
- Connecticut
- Delaware (car -up to 3.500 kg- only)
- Florida (car -up to 3.500 kg- and motorcycles only)
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Michigan (car -up to 3.500 kg- only)
- New Hampshire
- Ohio
- Virginia (car -up to 3.500 kg- only) (but no exchange with Western Virginia !)
- Pennsylvania.

TIP: the license must be drafted in French, or an official translation must be attached to it. Then, in the first few weeks following your arrival in France, go to the "Préfecture" of your place of residence to ask for the exchange (this will not be done anywhere else)!
In any case and for any possible future use, keep a photocopy of your original driver's license.

The above information is valid at time of updating our website - it can be altered at anytime without notice by the authorities of both countries!
For any further information, please contact:
- the Préfecture of your usual place of residence,
- the Préfecture de police if you live in Paris.

See also the US EMBASSY PARIS homepage and their American Citizen Services ("driving in France").

There is no other exchange program between France and the other US states.

But all driver's permits are valid in France (when the driver also holds an international driver's permit) for SHORT stays ONLY.

See precision below for states except European Union.
 
 

For any further information, please contact:
- the Préfecture of your usual place of residence,
- the Préfecture de police if you live in Paris.
 
 
 

Exchange a driving licence of a State except European Union

 
 
You live in France
You are a holder of a driving license delivered by a third state in the European Union (EU)
or in the European economic Space (EES).
You can exchange it for a French license, within a period of one year following the purchase of your usual place of residence in France, under certain conditions.

Provisional licences cannot be exchanged !


Conditions to be fulfilled:
If you are a French citizen, you must have been a resident for at least 185 days in the country where the licence was issued.
If you are a citizen of a country other than France, you must have obtained your license before the issuing of your first residency permit.
The issuing country has to practise reciprocity in exchange of drivers' licenses.
See the list of these countries

Other conditions to be fulfilled:
- the license must not be expired,
- it must have been issued by the State where you had your usual place of residence,
- it must be drafted in French, or an official translation must be attached to it.

Other conditions to be fulfilled:
- you must be of the minimum legal age to drive vehicles of the equivalent category in France (18 for cars and motorcycles),
- in the country of origin, you have not been suspended from driving, and there are no restrictions or cancellations
  on your driver's license.

Medical examination
You must undergo an adequate medical examination if your license corresponds to a category for which such an exam is compulsory in France.

How to apply?
Contact the préfecture of your place of residence (in Paris, in the Préfecture de police).

You have to complete the form Cerfa no. 11247*01
(Demande d'échange de permis de conduire).
You must produce:
- some official form of ID proving your identity,
- two passport-size ID photos.

You must also produce:
- your drivers' license, with the official translation,
- if you are a foreign national, your residence permit,
- if you are a French national, your certificate of registration with the French consulate, or the certificate of place of residence or   change of place of residence established by the consulate of your place of residence.

Issuing of the French license
During the issuing of the French license, you must surrender your original license.
In any case and for any possible future use, keep a photocopy of your original driver's license.
You have to settle the amount of the regional tax (variable according to regions, not asked in some).

Issuing of the license
You can apply for the licence to be delivered to the préfecture of the départment of your usual place of residence.

For any further information, please contact:
- the Préfecture of your usual place of residence,
- the Préfecture de police if you live in Paris.
 
If you hold a carte de sejour speciale delivered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (as a "diplomat"), you won't need to swap your existing driver's license for the duration of your diplomatic visa (carte de séjour spéciale).
 
OFPRA cardholders are not eligible to exchange their driver's permit.
 
 

Exchange a driving licence of a State member of the European Union

 
You live in France and are a holder of a driving licence delivered:
- by another member state of the European Union (UE),
- by another member state of the European economic Space (EES).
If you meet all the conditions to use it in France, you can ask for his exchange if that your licence is valid.
But it is not an obligation.

Provisional licences cannot be exchanged!

However the exchange is made compulsory:
1) if you commit in France an offence involving a suspension, restriction or cancellation of the licence, or a loss of points,
2) if you obtained this licence in exchange of the driving licence of a third country to the UE or the EEC, with which does not exist an agreement of reciprocity,
3) if your licence arrives soon at the end of the validity, and that you do not wish to renew it in the country of origin.

Delay to make the request for exchange:
There is no delay to respect.
Except in case 2) above, where you must ask for the exchange of your driving licence against a French licence in a one year deadline according to your installation in France.

How to apply?
Contact the préfecture of your place of residence (in Paris, in the Préfecture de police).
You have to complete the form Cerfa no. 11247*01 (Demande d'échange de permis de conduire).
You must produce:
- some official form of ID proving your identity,
- two passport-size ID photos
- your drivers' license, with the official translation,

You must also produce:
- a photocopy of the residence permit.
- if you are student, present a photocopy of a proof of the quality of student for a period of at least six months.
(There is no obligation of exchange as long as the ranking "student" is reproduced on the residence permit).
Attention, at the time of the deposit of the file, you must also present the originals of these documents.

Delivery of the French licence:
During the delivery of the French licence, the licence of origin is withdrawn to you and returned to the authorities who delivered it.
In any case and for any possible future use, keep a photocopy of your original driver's license.
You have to settle the amount of the regional tax (variable according to regions, not asked in some).

Delivery of the licence:
You can apply for the licence to be delivered to the préfecture of the départment of your usual place of residence.

For any further information, please contact:
- the Préfecture of your usual place of residence,
- the Préfecture de police if you live in Paris.