What are the rules for UK driving licences for people who live in France?

Reader Question: I am planning to move to France after the summer from the UK but am unsure what will happen with my UK driving licence. Do I need to update it with my new address, and if so is there a deadline for doing this?

Non-UK addresses cannot be displayed on UK licences. 

In fact, UK driving licences cannot be updated or renewed after moving abroad, and this includes changing their address. 

Depending on when your licence was first issued, you may not need to do anything, due to rules in the Franco-British agreement on driving licences, signed in summer 2021. 

British licences first issued (usually the date when you passed your driving test) prior to 2021 can still be used in France until the card expires (the date shown on the front at line 4b). The 'first issue' date is usually the same as the earliest driving entitlement date shown on the back of your licence.

Exceptions include if you are obliged to exchange it due to committing a driving offence that involves loss of points from a French licence, or loss or theft of the licence. 

You should also apply to swap it prior to expiry of the ‘valid to’ date for the various driving entitlements shown on the back (usually at age 70 for a UK licence).

However, you are not required to update the address on the licence to your current address, and can keep it as it is – British driving authorities have previously confirmed this is the best course of action until the licence needs to be renewed.

Licences first issued after 2021 must be exchanged within 12 months of moving, as is the case for other non-EU/non-EEA countries with which France has a licence exchange program. 

Similar rules are in place for French licences, which do not need to be updated following an address change, although the vehicle registration document (carte grise) must be updated.