Driving license

Thinking about driving in France?

  • You have an EU driving license:

You can drive with an EU driving license in France as long as it is valid.

The exchange with a French driving license is possible only under specific circumstances:

https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F1758 (website in French, but if you use Google Chrome you can right click on the website and press ‘translate to English’)

The WO is not involved in this process. This is an online formality that you would have to do on your own.

  • You have a non-EU driving license:

As an ITER employee holding a French Special Residence Permit (ITER direct Employee, IPA, Visiting Researcher or DA member) you will be able to drive legally in France, for your whole mission, with your own national driving license (as long as it is valid), since it is recognized by the French authorities.

If your license expires during your mission in France, you have to deal with the competent authorities in your own country in order to extend its validity.

Then, you have to carry the following documents whenever you drive (to be presented on demand in case of police checks):

  • Your French Special Resident Permit
  • Your valid national driving license (DL)
  • The official French translation of your DL (the Welcome Office can assist you for the sworn translation).

The regulation applicable to non-EU licenses can be found in the following decree (Title 3, Article 9):

Decree of January 12, 2012 setting the conditions for the recognition and exchange of driving licenses issued by states not belonging to the European Union or to the European Economic Area

Title III – SPECIFIC CONDITIONS FOR HOLDERS OF A SPECIAL RESIDENCE PERMIT FROM THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AND EUROPEAN AFFAIRS

Article 9: “Foreign driving licenses held by drivers who do not have French nationality and who hold a special residence permit issued by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs are recognized for the duration of their mission, provided that the foreign authorities who have issued the driving license grant, in similar circumstances, the same privilege to French nationals.”

If you do not hold a French Special Residence Permit, the regular rules are applicable. A French driving license has to be obtained within one year of the arrival in France, either by:

  • exchanging your license for a French one: only possible if a reciprocity agreement was signed between France and the country which issued the non-EU driving license: click here for the list

OR

 

You will find below the list of documents you should carry with you when you drive on the French roads:

Documents to drive in France

 

Planning to drive around Europe?

If you want to drive in another country of Europe, an international driving license is required (to be requested in your home country). You may also use an official translation of your license in the language of the country you want to visit.