Briton shares tip after driving licence exchange refused due to old French permit
Reader Alan Bezzant from Pas-de-Calais said he had sought to exchange his UK licence for a French one
The old-style pink card driving licences are valid until January 19, 2033
aurelie le moigne / Shutterstock
A reader has shared a tip for those applying for a French driving licence after a period of driving on a licence from abroad (eg. UK or a US state).
Reader Alan Bezzant, from Pas-de-Calais, said he had sought to exchange his UK licence for a French one, only to be refused because he had held a French licence in the past.
“The reason given was that I had held a French driving licence in the 1980s when I previously lived here, which was obtained by exchanging my UK licence for a French one.
“On returning to the UK I had relinquished my French licence for a British one, but as I had previously held a French licence, I was told I had to request a reinstatement of that licence rather than an exchange of my UK one.”
He said France Titres (formerly ANTS, the agency dealing with licence swaps) was, luckily, able to inform him of his previous French licence number, which he needed to reapply.
“The new application is now done, but my application will have gone to the back of the queue again. Hopefully all will be well this time.”
How long is a French driving licence valid?
The rules around depend on which kind of licence you have.
The old-style pink card driving licences are valid until January 19, 2033 but can be replaced earlier if they are damaged, lost or stolen.
Plastic licences, which have been issued since 2013, must be renewed every 15 years.
You can find the expiry date on the card.
The renewal process is simple and does not involve any medical checks.
Drivers just need to update the photo and, if necessary, the home address.
Licence renewals can be done online via the France Titres website.
If you have a medical condition, you may be required to renew your licence more regularly.
If you develop a condition that could affect your ability to drive, you must declare this, and may have to have a medical examination to keep your licence.
Driving licence exchanges
Those who live in France and drive on a foreign licence are all required at some point to exchange it for a French licence.
The timeframe for this depends on where and when your driving licence was initially issued. For more information see our article on this here.
