Drivers must now pay €40 to exchange licence for French licence
Change applies to all non-French licences, but rules on when to exchange remain unchanged
The costs apply to all licences being exchanged
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Drivers in France exchanging a foreign licence for a French licence must now pay €40, following a revision of several administrative fees.
Originally set to come into force on May 4, the rollout was delayed until today (May 12).
The fee “covers the cost of producing and delivering the new driving licence,” said the government through the Service Public website.
The payment will be made online when licences are being exchange, through a specific space on the ANTS website (Agence Nationale des Titres Sécurisés – the government’s online portal for official documents and administrative procedures).
When must licences be exchanged?
The new fee applies to all licences being exchanged, including both non-European licences and those from within the EU.
This applies irrespective of the reason for exchange, including expiry, loss or theft, or an exchange deadline.
However, the rules on when licences need to be exchanged have not changed.
Drivers with an EU/EEA licence, or a British licence first issued before January 2021 (first deliverance, not the current physical form of the licence) can drive in France on this licence until it expires.
They only need to exchange their licence before this date in the event that it is lost/stolen, damaged, or if they commit an offence that would see them earn points on a standard French licence (so the offence can be officially recorded).
Note this does not include holders of a Swiss licence, who fall under non-EU rules.
Drivers with a non-EU licence – including Britons first obtaining a licence after January 2021, as well as Australians, New Zealanders, etc – must exchange their licence within 12 months of becoming permanent residents in France.
Those who fail to do so lose the right to exchange their licence and must instead pass the French driving test, both theory and practical, to obtain a French licence.
This only applies to countries where reciprocal exchange agreements are in place (allowing French drivers the same rights in that country).
In the US and Canada, exchange agreements are made through each state/territory. For example, only 18 US states allow for reciprocal licence exchanges.
A more comprehensive overview of licence exchange rules is available here.
