Can I renew my UK driving licence using my French address?

Reader Question: My UK licence is about to expire. Can I renew it using my French address? I live in France but have kept my home in the UK.

Your driving licence must be issued by your main country of residence, so this depends on which property you spend most of your time in.

If you spend the majority of your time in France, then you should apply for a French driving licence. 

The UK government states that “if you move to an EU country… you will not be able to renew your licence in the UK.”

Provided your UK licence was first issued before January 2021 – which will be the case if it is coming up to its expiry date – then it is treated the same way as an EU licence.

It does not need to be renewed within the first 12 months of moving to France, and the renewal process is more straightforward.

Licence renewal requests can be undertaken for free through the Ants website (now also called France Titres). Service Public provides a walkthrough in English of how to do this. 

Our article below also provides information on what paperwork is required.

Read more: Driving: When do you need to swap foreign licence for French licence?

As you are presumably a French resident and driving principally on French roads, having a French driving licence can be beneficial. 

It may be both easier and cheaper to find insurance for your vehicle with a French licence.

Also if you are found guilty of a driving offence that requires you to lose points on your licence, you may be required to exchange your UK licence for a French one.